Two more weeks for wind and solar power-plant developers

"It's mainly because of some logistical issues on the government side," such as regulatory approvals, Ompi Aphane, a deputy director general in the Department of Energy, told esi-africa.

South Africa is expanding its power-generation capacity after state-owned power utility Eskom, which generates most of its power from coal, suffered shortages in 2008, temporarily shutting gold, platinum and other mines. According to esi-africa, the Department of Energy approved 28 renewable-energy projects, mainly wind and solar plants, during the first bidding-window last year, and 19 in a second window this year. Aphane said that the department has yet to finalise the date on which it will open a third bidding round for renewable-power projects.

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