Renewable Energy SMME Guide

Abstract

The incorporation of renewable energy into the South African resource plan energy mix has brought opportunities in the development of new energy technologies in the country. This is evident through the adoption of renewable energy in the national grid. The formal renewable energy procurement programme known as the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) is coordinated through the Department of Energy. This programme carries opportunities for local businesses such as small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs) who can offer professional and auxiliary services in the renewable energy value chain. Nonetheless, SMMEs have not optimally benefitted from the REIPPP programme due to a number of reasons that this study identified. These include capacity building, inaccessible information and financial challenges among others. For that reason, the compilation of a renewable energy SMME guide that shares information about the opportunities that ar available in the sector has been developed. This guide contains information about the policy framework, technology development and opportunities in the value chain. This is aimed at empowering SMMEs and relevant stakeholders that can enable the participation of the SMMEs in the renewable energy sector. The study unpacked the SMME guide through discussing the policy landscape, renewable energy technologies and opportunities available in the value chain for each technology discussed.