afrol News, 4 August - The renewable energy market in South Africa is expected to grow exponentially in the next few years, owing to the announcement of the renewable energy feed-in tariff made in March 2009.

According to a market forecast published by Frost & Sullivan, there is considerable potential that exists to produce electricity using renewable energy (RE) in Southern Africa, but projects have been largely limited to off-grid, small-scale applications.

The new analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Southern African Renewable Energy Equipment Market, finds that the industry earned revenues of $28.4 million in 2008 and estimates this to increase nearly tenfold by 2015, to reach $262.3 million. This will include projects to develop energy from solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, wind power and biomass sources, the analysis said.

"The growth of the wind power market and large-scale solar concentrating projects will be driven by an increasing number of joint ventures," notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Sipha Ndawonde, adding, "Such ventures will be between project developers with local knowledge and private equity investment firms, backed by the support of international original equipment manufacturers."

With tightening sources of global credit and more countries reporting negative economic growth rates, private equity investment companies have become more selective and strategic about the sectors into which they invest. Sustainable energy project portfolios have however bulged to more than $1 billion, dedicated to financing RE projects in Southern Africa, Frost & Sullivan said in the analysis.

"This is an indication that investors view RE and energy efficiency projects in Southern Africa as having favourable returns and representing a solid investment decision," Ndawonde said, further adding that, "An abundance of natural resources combined with a stable political environment, reasonable economic growth rates and growing interest from private equity firms means that large-scale RE projects are set to penetrate into the Southern African countries of South Africa, Botswana and Namibia."

Southern African Renewable Energy Equipment Market is part of the Energy & Power Growth Partnership Service programme, which also includes research in the following markets: 360 Degree Perspective of the African Power & Energy Industry, Strategic Analysis of the Cameroonian Electricity Industry, Strategic Analysis of the DRC Electricity Industry, Investment Opportunities for IPPs in West Africa and, Investment Opportunities for IPPs in East Africa.

By staff writer

© afrol News

Related pages and feature

Current afrol News Top Stories