Legal regulations and policy barriers to development of renewable energy sources in South Africa

Abstract

The current global warming crisis and energy security have revived the need for renewable energy as the best option to sustain future energy needs. However, despite having abundant natural resources, Africa is facing challenges in improving access to energy. This has been identified as the biggest stumbling block to economic development in the region. Using South Africa as a case study, this paper reviews the regulatory and policy barriers to renewable energy in the country in relation to global growth. Therefore, our paper aims to provide an overview on the background of the sector, as a theoretical basis for further research. In 2014, South Africa was in the top 10 for global investments in renewable energy and this was a step in the right direction towards encouraging energy efficiency. While there are numerous initiatives responsible for promoting energy access in South Africa; gradual progress has been achieved through energy and environmental law regulations. Law is an important social, regulatory, and economic tool that can be applied to influence and manage development. However, in South Africa environmental and energy law and policy have not adequately addressed the barriers to harness renewable energy technologies. Consequently, conventional energy resources like fossil fuels have resulted in short-term economic growth and long-term negative environmental impacts. South Africa will continue to be locked in fossil fuel energy supply systems unless they address the institutional fragmentation that is a barrier to renewable energy development. This paper concludes that legal and policy barriers should be prioritised above socio-economic and political challenges to renewable energy, as they will drive progress towards creating an enabling a regulatory environment.