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Journey towards Renewable Energy for Sustainable Development at the Local Government Level: The Case of Hessequa Municipality in South Africa

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  • Elaine Fouché

    (Department of Industrial Engineering and the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa)

  • Alan Brent

    (Department of Industrial Engineering and the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
    Sustainable Energy Systems, School of Engineering and Computer Science, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6012, New Zealand)

Abstract

The purpose of the research on which this article reports was to investigate how renewable energy forms part of the strategy of a local government, and to evaluate how participatory processes are utilised in the development and communication of this municipal strategy. The research was conducted with Hessequa Municipality, a local authority situated in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. A new aspect of the research was an attempt to consider renewable energy options as part of the municipal strategy, and not as a standalone project. Action research was undertaken and the resulting qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. Cognitive mapping was used to display the data and to analyse the causal relationships between different strategic themes. The causal relationships explicitly show that many opportunities for renewable energy solutions are evident in the form of: biomass-to-energy, low-carbon local economic development, small-scale embedded generation, waste-to-energy, and feed-in tariffs. The barriers for implementation are aging infrastructure and financial and legislative constraints. Participatory processes formed an integral part of the strategy formulation, and a unique visualised strategy was developed for communication with local citizens—a first for a local municipality in South Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Elaine Fouché & Alan Brent, 2019. "Journey towards Renewable Energy for Sustainable Development at the Local Government Level: The Case of Hessequa Municipality in South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-18, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:3:p:755-:d:202428
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Hagreaves Kumba & Oludolapo Akanni Olanrewaju, 2024. "“Towards Sustainable Development: Analyzing the Viability and Integration of Renewable Energy Solutions in South Africa”—A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Joanna Rakowska & Irena Ozimek, 2021. "Renewable Energy Attitudes and Behaviour of Local Governments in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-17, May.
    3. Elaine Fouché & Alan Brent, 2020. "Explore, Design and Act for Sustainability: A Participatory Planning Approach for Local Energy Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-17, January.
    4. Damián Copena & David Pérez-Neira & Xavier Simón, 2019. "Local Economic Impact of Wind Energy Development: Analysis of the Regulatory Framework, Taxation, and Income for Galician Municipalities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-18, April.
    5. Agnieszka Kozera & Aldona Standar & Natalia Genstwa, 2023. "Are Most Polluted Regions Most Active in Energy Transition Processes? A Case Study of Polish Regions Acquiring EU Funds for Local Investments in Renewable Energy Sources," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-27, November.
    6. Hagreaves Kumba & Oludolapo A. Olanrewaju & Ratidzo Pasipamire, 2024. "Integration of Renewable Energy Technologies for Sustainable Development in South Africa: A Focus on Grid-Connected PV Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-22, June.

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