JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- As South Africa embarks on one of its largest power infrastructure expansion programs, the country has an opportunity to deepen energy cooperation with China through investment, local manufacturing and technology transfer, a South African energy analyst has said.
Chris Yelland, managing director of EE Business Intelligence, a South African research and advisory firm specializing in energy and electricity analysis, said China's leadership in renewable energy technologies and electricity infrastructure makes it a strategic partner in supporting South Africa's long-term energy transition while helping expand local industrial capacity and employment.
"The opportunity now is to move beyond a trading relationship to one based on investment, local manufacturing and skills transfer," Yelland told Xinhua on Thursday.
He said that South Africa plans to add around 100 gigawatts of mainly renewable energy generation capacity under its Integrated Resource Plan while significantly expanding its transmission and distribution network to accommodate new power projects.
China leads global supply chains for solar components, battery energy storage systems, inverters and related technologies, Yelland said, adding that the two sides have considerable potential to deepen cooperation in South Africa's energy transition.
Beyond power generation, the analyst said upgrading and expanding the national transmission grid remains one of the country's most urgent priorities.
According to Yelland, the South African state-owned power utility Eskom's Transmission Development Plan, together with government initiatives to encourage private investment in high-voltage transmission infrastructure, is creating significant opportunities for international engineering, procurement and construction companies.
"China has enormous experience in rolling out transmission infrastructure on a huge scale," he said, adding that Chinese enterprises possess strengths in engineering, equipment manufacturing, transformers, switchgear, cables and automation systems, and such expertise could support South Africa's efforts to modernize and expand its electricity network.
He said deeper participation by Chinese companies would help strengthen local manufacturing, promote technology and skills transfer, and support the country's broader industrialization agenda.
Stronger investment ties would complement the already robust trade relationship between the two countries while advancing South Africa's broader economic development objectives, the analyst added.
Yelland said that the solid trade relationship, longstanding goodwill and close government-to-government ties between South Africa and China provide a strong foundation for expanding investment-led cooperation.
Looking ahead, he said deeper cooperation would not only support South Africa's energy transition but also boost industrial development, create employment and reinforce the long-term strategic partnership between the two countries. ■