Alternative funding models for South Africa’s R235bn grid investment outlined in new report

To unlock the estimated R235-billion in investment required to strengthen and expand the grid in a way that positions it to connect the 53 GW of new generation capacity that will be required by the early 2030s, a new consultation paper has been published making the case for South Africa to consider alternative funding models, including off-balance sheet financing. Titled ‘Better Finance, Better Grid’, the paper’s lead authors are Professor Mark Swilling and Erica Johnson, of the Centre for Sustainability Transitions (CST) at Stellenbosch University, and it has been published jointly by CST, the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies and the Blended Finance Taskforce, with support from the Open Society Foundations.