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The political economy of decarbonisation: exploring the dynamics of South Africa’s electricity sector

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posted on 2023-06-08, 23:34 authored by Lucy Baker, Jesse Burton, Catrina Godinho, Hilton Trollip
South Africa’s coal-dominated electricity sector, a key feature of the country’s minerals-energy complex, is in crisis and subject to change. This offers potential opportunities for decarbonisation. Despite positive examples of decarbonisation in South Africa’s electricity sector, such as a procurement programme for renewable energy, there are structural path dependencies linked to coal-fired generation and security of supply. Decarbonisation goes far beyond what is technologically or even economically feasible, to encompass a complexity of political, social and economic factors. Meanwhile, decision-making in electricity is highly politicised and lack of transparency and power struggles in the policy sphere pose key challenges. Such power struggles are reflected in national debates over which technologies should be prioritised and the institutional arrangements that should facilitate them.

Funding

German Ministry for Environment

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Publisher

Energy Research Centre, UCT

Place of publication

Cape Town, South Africa

Department affiliated with

  • SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Publications

Institution

Energy Research Centre, University of Cape Town

Full text available

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2015-11-27

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2016-03-22

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2016-03-22

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