Danish firms consider wind power projects in South Africa

January 25, 2009

By INGI SALGADO

Johannesburg - Several Danish companies are eyeing investments in South African wind power but have cautioned that the fledgling industry needs to operate with the certainty of a renewable energy policy and a feed-in tariff.

Suzlon Wind Energy, among the world's five biggest suppliers, said on Friday it had identified "many projects" in South Africa, without elaborating.

Danish gas producer Dong Energy said it would make direct investments in wind power here, as well as in China, Vietnam, and Chile, in order to secure carbon credits to reduce the group's emissions by a mandatory 43 percent by 2012.

It was cheaper for Dong to buy carbon credits than reduce internal emissions, said Cilla Clausen, the firm's head of carbon funds and purchases. "It would be very good to get three to four <wind> projects running in South Africa over the next one to one and a half years" ...

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