Increased use of OCGT generators ‘only short-term defence against loadshedding’

An increased use of the diesel-fuelled open cycle gas turbines (OCGTs) represents South Africa’s only short-term defence against higher levels of economically damaging loadshedding, a new analysis of the country’s power crisis shows. However, the new Meridian Economics briefing note also outlines a strong case for incentivising rooftop solar to reduce the need for diesel, noting that distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have the shortest deployment lead times and are “immune from any constraints posed by the transmission network”.