Today, Western Cape Minister of Finance, Economic Development & Tourism Alan Winde launched an initiative to drive green economy projects in the Western Cape.
The GreenCape initiative is a government funded, industry-led initiative to support the development of renewable energy in the province. It will house all green economy role-players in the province and be mandated with the role out of a comprehensive green economy strategy. The provincial government has put down a deposit of more than R5 million to kick-start projects in this sector.
During the launch, which took place at the inaugural Renewable Energy and Green Economy Conference, Minister Winde said: “Our target is a 15% shift to renewable energy production by 2014. This has the potential to create 20 000 jobs and bring R45 billion worth of investment into the province. To do this requires dedicated planning and a transversal approach, which will from this point on be facilitated by the GreenCape team.”
Because of his deep knowledge of the industry, and the provincial gtovernment’s desire to “hit the road running”, Dr Francois du Plessis, a well-known player in the greentech field and an expert in the financial services industry, has been appointed CEO of GreenCape.
Shortly after being announced CEO, du Plessis said: “The GreenCape Initiative will be at the forefront of green and renewable technology in the province. Its primary goals in its first year of operation will be to become the ‘shop window’ for the sector, make sure that the Western Cape gets a significant share of jobs from it and that local companies develop manufacturing capabilities, and to promote the transition of the Western Cape economy to greater resource efficiency and a low-carbon future. I will also be held accountable for removing barriers to green business.”
The Western Cape has several competitive advantages in the renewable energy sectors:
· Two-thirds of South Africa’s wind resources reside in the province. We also have good solar and biomass potential.
· We have 4 excellent tertiary institutions which have produced renewable energy engineers, who sell their products internationally, and academics
· We have a diversified manufacturing base and a keen industry
· Most importantly, however, is that the Western Cape government is putting its political might behind making renewable energy a reality.
“This initiative is supported by each and every member of the cabinet, including the Premier. We are building a new sector in this province, and from it, we will achieve significant growth and jobs”, said Winde.
No comments:
Post a Comment