The Energy Policy Document of South Africa [3] seeks to attain 15% renewable energy
contribution to the national energy mix within this decade. This is possibly the most
ambitious renewable energy aspiration anywhere in the continent. The South African
economy is energy intensive and dominated by non-renewable energy resources. Coal
provides 75% of total fossil fuel consumption and 91% of electricity generation. More
than two thirds of South Africa is electrified [3], the highest in the continent, as compared
with one third in Nigeria [4] and 5% in Mali [5]. A number of public research institutes in
South Africa and the private sector are leading the drive towards renewable energy
development. So far an appreciable local capacity has been built for renewable energy
development and utilization in the country and this provides a good model for other
African countries especially those in the New Partnership for African Development
(NEPAD) initiative.