Promote energy efficiency in South Africa

South Africa is an energy-intensive country and a major emitter of greenhouse gases because of the importance of the industrial sector in its gross domestic product (GDP), the use of coal for energy generation (71% of primary energy consumed, 93% of the electricity produced), and the low energy efficiency resulting from the low price of energy.

The country has a renewable energy strategy that aims to produce 42% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030.

The Central Energy Fund (CEF) is a public holding company composed of several companies in the energy sector (PetroSA, iGas, etc.). It is responsible for promoting and financing the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

The project involves providing technical assistance to the CEF and the Ministry of Energy to implement policies and prepare investment programs for energy efficiency and renewable energy.

It includes :

• The provision of a team of experts in energy efficiency over two years;
• The mobilization of experts for short-term assignments, in the context of sectoral energy diagnoses or the setting up of investment programs;
• The organization of targeted training sessions or seminars in the sub-sectors of energy management, to promote exchanges of experience, particularly between Europe and South Africa.

The project, whose goal was to improve energy efficiency and increase the share of renewable energy in South Africa's energy mix, lead to the following results:

• Drafting of pre-feasibility studies of energy control investment projects;
• Drafting of proposals for energy management programs or projects that will feed the AFD Group's investment program in South Africa;
• Exchange of experience and know-how in setting up such programs. The cooperation initiated could serve as an example for other cooperation on renewable energies and energy efficiency in Southern Africa and the African continent;
• Enhanced cooperation with the CEF has helped raise the profile of AFD as a recognized donor in the field of energy management in South Africa.