Background

The South Africa Wind Energy Programme (SAWEP) was originally planned as a five-year full-size programme. SAWEP Phase 1 was implemented over two years from February 2008 to December 2010. The objective of SAWEP is to install and operate 5.2 MW of electricity generated from the Darling Wind Farm National Demonstration Programme and further prepare the development of an additional 45 MW of wind power from Independent Power Producers.  

SAWEP is funded by the Global Environmental Fund (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The Danish Government through the Royal Danish Embassy (RDE) also supports some of the project activities . The Department of Energy is responsible for executing this programme and a Project Management Unit (PMU) was established to provide secretariat, coordination and overall management functions and tasks related to the different programme outputs.
SAWEP Phase 1 focuses on achieving the following six outcomes:

1. Increased public sector incremental cost funding, by assisting the Government of South Africa with detailing the most appropriate financial instruments that should be made available to stimulate commercial wind energy developments.
2. Green power funding initialised, by assisting initiatives geared towards green power marketing and setting up and implementing Tradable Renewable Energy Certificates (TRECs) as well as implementing a green power guarantee scheme developed under the PDF B.
3. Long-term policy and implementation framework for wind energy developed, by assisting the Government of South Africa.
4. Wind resource assessment, by assisting interested public and private sectors entities with the generation of reliable wind energy data and other necessary information for wind energy development.
5. Commercial wind energy development promoted, by assisting private sector developers with the (pre-) feasibility of a number of wind farms up to 45 MW installed capacity.
6. Built capacity building and strengthened institutions, such as key government departments (e.g. national and provincial environmental departments), public agencies (e.g. financing), wind farm industry (e.g. South African Wind Energy Association) and independent private firms involved in wind energy development.

Reports

1. Report on the Domain Protocol for the South African Voluntary Tradable Renewable Energy Certificates.
2. Report on the Capacity Credit Studies (GIZ-funded).
3. Report on the RSA Grid Code Requirements for Wind Turbines Connected to Distribution (refer to www.nersa.org.za under Electricity>Technical Standards> Transmission Code or Distribution Code)
4. 2nd Wind Energy Annual Seminar (presentations)

4.1 2nd Annual Wind Energy Seminar Programme.
4.2. Danish experience on using wind energy for local economic development.
4.3. Danish experience on wind power benefits for local farmers.
4.4. 2nd Case study: St Helena Bay community wind farm
4.5. Status on Grid connection requirements and procedures, results of Eskom Western Cape grid studies
4.6. Status on Independent System Market Operator, IRP2010, and New Gen Regulations
4.7. How to support the wind industry from a trade and investment perspective
4.8. How to support the wind industry through R&D
4.9. How can SAWEA support local economic development in South Africa
4.10. South Africa Wind Energy Programme status, wind atlas etc

1. Please visit http://saneri.org.za/wind_atlas.htm and http://www.wasa.csir.co.za for information on the Wind Atlas of South Africa (WASA)

For additional information on SAWEP, please contact renewableenergy@dmre.gov.za.