The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), is calling for urgent reforms in legislation, in order to integrate gas as an energy source.
This was published in NERSA’s strategy report, where it outlined its vision for the role of gas in the country’s energy mix, citing it as a key player in South Africa’s energy economy.
According to the entity, the strategy report aims to, among others, address the critical challenges facing the domestic gas industry, particularly the declining gas supply from Mozambique, which poses a significant threat to the South African market.
These include an emphasis on a need for more investments in gas infrastructure, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facilities and diversified gas supplies from domestic, regional and international sources.
“It emphasises the importance of finalising and implementing critical policy frameworks, including the Gas Master Plan and the Gas Amendment Bill, to foster investment and create a conducive environment for sustainable gas sector growth.
It also advocates for the increased use of gas in key economic sectors, such as power generation, industry and transport, to facilitate coordination among gas, renewable energy and hydrogen, highlighting policy/regulatory coordination and alignment across the different sectors involving gas, renewable energy and hydrogen, as well as integrated energy planning as critical to achieving the coordinated development of these energy sources,” read the report.
Furthermore, the regulator is adamant that exploring bilateral partnerships with other countries such as Tanzania, Namibia and Angola, is significant especially for securing additional gas suppliers.
