Industrialisation in Middelburg?
Much has been said about the government’s “Just Transition” strategy. It has been talked about and studied by endless consultants for years. But what does it mean for Middelburg?
Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter makes a case for using South Africa’s transition to green energy to break the country’s”vicious cycle of deindustrialisation and unemployment”. It can kickstart a “positive cycle of local demand for local goods to create investment and jobs.” At the
2021 Dr Hendrik Johannes van der Bijl Memorial Lecture, De Ruyter rejected the notion that South Africa abandon manufacturing in favour of commodity exports and services.
JUST ENERGY TRANSITION
Eskom will be implementing a Just Energy Transition strategy (JET) to accelerate the repurposing and repowering of decommissioned power plants, starting with Komati in 2022, which included pursuing a share of the renewable energy allocation included in the Integrated Resource Plan for 2019. Eskom plans to repower the Komati plant by installing solar photovoltaic (PV) generators and a 244 MWh battery energy storage system. Komati is in a great position to become a flagship brand.
The Middelburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry has invited members to a meeting to discuss the JET opportunities for our local companies. If you have not yet received the link to the meeting, contact Anna-Marth Ott at ceo@middelburginfo.com for your link.