Patrice Motsepe Backs African Rainbow Energy and Power, Plans to “Dramatically” Boost Renewable Energy

• Africa Rainbow Energy and Power could become the biggest clean electricity provider on the African continent
• The Johannesburg utility is backed by billionaire Patrice Motsepe and plans to boost renewable power generation
• The CEO said grid access remains one of the biggest challenges for South Africa to add more renewable energy

JOHANNESBURG - Africa Rainbow Energy and Power (AREP) which is backed by billionaire Patrice Motsepe could become the biggest clean electricity provider in Africa.

The utility that is based in Johannesburg plans to boost renewable power generation with a target of adding at least 5,000 megawatts (MW) of assets.

AREP has invested more than 700MW and plans to invest an additional 2,000MW by the end of the second quarter of next year, with partners. A recent ruling allows generators to set up projects of as much as 100 megawatts without seeking a licence. The utility’s CEO Brian Dames said the company always thought of building up scale, TimesLIVE reported. He joined Motsepe in 2014 to become the first company head to focus on renewable energy.

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Dames said there was a lot of time to explore, and the company holds solar primarily assets. Removing the rule of licences has dramatically changed the landscape for a private generation. However, Dames said grid access remains one of the biggest challenges for South Africa to add more renewable energy, according to News24.

SA divided over announcement

South Africans have mixed views over the ruling with some glad and others wondering if the business partnership explains the state of Eskom:

Shaun Limper said:

“And this is part of why Eskom is being broken down, bit by bit. Cyril and Patrice taking thousands of jobs from the people. Well done.”

Dean Berzen commented:

“Great, it’s time that the billionaires of RSA start reinvesting that money into growing this country to where it deserves to be.”

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Salman Yusuf posted:

“There are so many clean energy farmers waiting to be connected to the grid but Eskom is blocking them. This definitely is corruption at its finest.”

Mthombo Lukhele stated:

“Motsepe is the man who can save this country to go down the drain.”

Arrow Man wrote:

“This alone explains the situation at Eskom.”

Craig Brian Hailwood

“Well, there we go, this all makes sense now. Destroy Eskom, and bring in another so-called clean power supplier. Thieves, every single one of them.”

Erkhuleni City hopes to stop its reliance on Eskom by buying its own power through R1bn solar plant plan

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported the city of Ekurhuleni hopes to end its reliance on Eskom with a plan to secure its own power. The city is an industrial hub in the east of Johannesburg and the frequent blackouts posed by the national power utility have crippled its communities.

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Ekurhuleni’s plan to secure almost 700MW of electricity through an R1 billion 41MW solar plant will commence in the end few months. The CEO of African Growth Partners Justin Naidoo said they have secured the finance for the project and will be ready to start building the project before the end of the year, according to News24.

Source: Briefly News