Energy Security & Land Availability.

Coal is without a doubt the most abundant energy source in South Africa and will maintain that role for a while as renewables slowly but surely pick up. It is estimated that South Africa has 33 Giga Tonnes of the energy mineral yet to be mined which equates to about 300 years of stock at the current rate of consumption.

Whilst it might seem like Fossil Energy is not going anywhere anytime soon, one fact we can agree upon is that solar and wind are infinite energy resources and will be available for eternity. The sticking point with development in renewables is the cost structure when it comes to the ability to harvest these energy sources which is generally high but will continue to come down as technology advancement becomes more widespread and available globally.

The major issue going forward and the focus of this article will be the availability of land to accommodate the solar and wind turbines. In nature the development of renewables, whilst not seen as property development, has a massive land use component as the wind turbines and solar panels have to stand mostly in solitude to allow for maximum sun exposure and space for the turbines to turn. In turn they must also be close to the end user meaning spatial planning of cities and urban areas going forward will have to accommodate space for the installation of renewable energy facilities. Critics of renewables have indicated that the biggest problem with this abundant energy source will be the land component required to accommodate enough solar photovoltaic and wind plants.

That might be an issue in other countries with small land masses, but that is definitely not an issue in South Africa which has an abundance of land. With an average of 48 people per square kilometre compared to countries such as the United Kingdom with 274 people per square kilometre, and Germany with 232 people per square kilometre, South Africa has enough land to facilitate the transition from fossil fuels to renewables. Over and above that, if we include the country's high abundance of solar and wind resources (as the terrain is mostly sunny and windier than most countries) we have a formidable energy mix that just needs to be tapped into. If development and funding is exponentially increased in this sector going forward, South Africa will be energy efficient in the mid-term, thus eliminating load shedding and stimulating economic growth.

It is estimated that if solar photovoltaic and wind plants were developed on just 1% of South Africa's land mass, the country would have unlimited surplus power for the foreseeable future. Such a turnaround would have seismic effects on the economy as investments in infrastructure and manufacturing would hit peaks as we become a highly industrialised country and region. Solar and wind are for South Africa what coal was for the last century. That is the bastion for economic activities and wealth creation and if there is a policy shift that prioritises investment in renewable energy plants and associated infrastructure, the future would be BRIGHT. Literally.