Infographic: South Africa's energy future

The Department of Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) projects South Africa’s energy capacities for the year 2030. The IRP seeks to diversify our energy sector from being coal-reliant, to one that utilises renewable energy sources to meet our future needs.

But while the capacity to produce more energy is achievable, there exists the possibility that government will not move in that direction. As the IRP also indicates, sluggish economic growth might result in a drop in the projected demand for electricity, which will lower consumption levels and remove the need for increasing our energy output. This could result in government persisting with coal as the main producer of energy.

Government can, however, choose to harness new energy sources despite the economic outlook. If they choose to do so, how much of a role will new energy sources play in shaping our energy future? According to the department, this is what 2030 will look like.