Rural development is vital for South Africa’s sustainable economic future. The farming sector is perhaps the most important, as food security and poverty reduction depend on it.

COP26 saw South Africa make a public commitment to greening its economy. But, can non-renewable resources be part of this transition?

Our fossil fuel energy system comes at a massive cost. Climate change is causing extreme temperatures, drought and catastrophic flooding.

While waiting for government measures to be implemented, many businesses are taking control of their own energy security through investment in solar.

The mission of the Department of Energy is to “regulate and transform the sector for the provision of secure, sustainable and affordable energy”.

Like many countries worldwide, South Africa has committed to reaching net zero by 2050. To achieve this, the country will need to invest heavily in renewables, including wind energy.

With the roll out of solar panels globally, solar energy is increasing in popularity as an alternative, renewable source of energy. In South Africa, this is no different.

A fuel cell uses chemical energy from fuels, like hydrogen, propane or diesel, to produce electricity. Fuel cells can use a wide range of fuels and have a wide range of applications.

Hydrogen is gaining international attention as a potential green alternative to fossil fuels. This is because hydrogen can be “green” when produced using renewable sources.

South Africa suffers from crippling power outages, locally known as load shedding. In the first three months of 2021, load shedding occurred for 650 hours.

The Independent Power Producers (IPP) procurement programme is part of the South African government’s answer to its energy generation shortage.

A wind turbine works by harnessing the power of the wind to create wind energy. The wind turns large blades around a rotor. This, in turn, powers a generator, which creates electricity.

Solar power is a clean, renewable source of energy that does not emit greenhouse gases. Photovoltaic technology (PV) is a type of solar energy.

South African mining houses are gravitating towards ‘green’ metals. This is in addition to investing in renewable energy projects to power their operations.

In August 2021, South Africa’s National Business Initiative (NBI) published a government-backed report. It described the pathways that the country must take to decarbonise.

Investors can no longer afford to ignore the threat of climate change. The window to position their portfolios accordingly “may be shrinking”, says BlackRock, the largest money manager in the world.