Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) South Africa has issued a request for information for project ideas for the supply of renewable energy at South Africa’s main commercial ports. The ports targeted under TNPA’s renewable energy program include Port Elizabeth, Ngqura, East London, Mossel Bay, Saldanha Bay, Cape Town, Durban, and Richards Bay. TNPA said the RFI process would allow it to understand the renewable energy market. Specifically, the aim is to expand use of wind and solar power technologies at South African ports as well as explore other sources of power, such as ocean energy, biomass and geothermal. TNPA added that the need to accelerate use of renewable energy stems from a recent internal audit, which indicated a need to secure supply at TNPA’s ports and reduce of energy costs.
TNPA hopes to procure between 50MW and 80 MW of renewable energy. The investment in renewable energy is part of a range of special strategic projects within South African ports ecosystem announced last month by TNPA. In the announcement, TNPA committed an investment of $500 million in infrastructure development over a seven-year period. Some of the targeted ports include East London, Elizabeth and Ngqura.