Chairperson, we are living in an era in which energy is a global challenge, in which electricity demand outstrips supply, a period in which together we must participate in finding solutions to the current energy challenges, and not crisis.
I've been asked to focus on the diversification of household energy sources through increased utilisation of renewable energy. These energy sources include solar, hydro, biofuels and wind.
It must be noted that the renewable energy sources mentioned herein are very good power supply options, but that they have their own challenges, such as irregular wind speed; solar power variations, for example the differences between daytime and night-time, and summer and winter; issues of capacity; capital cost; maintenance; the whole debate on biofuel production versus food security; the shortage of water versus hydropower production; etc. These are all the kinds of challenges, but nevertheless they are very good power supply options.
The process of the diversification of energy sources through increased utilisation of renewable energy is linked to the current use of nonrenewable energy, and the best bet in urban areas is to have more solar energy in households.
The department's plan to deploy solar water heating in residential dwellings, that is approximately 6 million households, must be supported in that not only is it addressing the capital cost challenge, but it also mitigates effectively the challenge of greenhouse gas emissions in South Africa. It also promotes energy savings on the grid in that when the solar heating system is in use, coal-power electricity is in less demand. Remember, 40% of household electricity is consumed by electric geysers.
President Zuma, in his opening address in Parliament this year, said: "To ensure a reliable power supply we have established an Inter-ministerial Committee on Energy to develop a 20-year integrated resource plan." By this the President meant that we will gradually introduce renewable energy so as to move away from coal-fired power stations. As we speak, the department has an obligation for there to be 10 000 gigawatts per hour by 2013.
The rural and remote areas cannot be undermined. A study by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the CSIR, in collaboration with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, revealed that the solar photovoltaic system, together with a diesel generator and battery in a stand-alone capacity, could be used effectively with both the solar system and the diesel generator alternating over a cycle of 24 hours per day. In other words, in this instance you could have your solar system operating from, say, six o'clock in the morning until eight o'clock at night and have your generator take over not only to supply energy but also to charge the battery overnight. The remaining currency gets pumped into the solar system so that starting is not difficult.
This needs to be piloted by our department for use in our rural areas to which the current grid does not extend. This is no joke, my friend. You are laughing because you are sitting here and not in the rural areas.
The ANC Polokwane conference resolved that government should accelerate the roll-out of rural infrastructure particularly roads and other services including potable water, electricity and irrigation. As with all my colleagues who have spoken on this budget before me, I also wish to support the Minister and the Department of Energy in their endeavours to make the lives of South Africans better, and we wish them the best in their vision to deliver these programmes.
At this stage, I would also like to take the opportunity to talk about opposition politics in order to remind people that on 22 April last year we held the elections. The elections produced this product that we see in this House. [Interjections.] After the elections we found a budget from the third Parliament which already existed. It is naive of people to make all these kinds of remarks to a Minister when he is presenting the budget for his new department for the first time. [Interjections.] All the kinds of things that were said to our Minister here. It's true that as she is a lady you should have respected her for that reason. [Interjections.]
It is also equally important that people understand the difference between challenges and crisis. This South Africa, in terms of the Freedom Charter, belongs to all of us. If that is the case - if there was an electricity crisis - that crisis affects all of us and all of us together have to find solutions. We are sitting in this environment here because there is no crisis. People continue trying to lie to the nation that there is a crisis and that the crisis must be deepened against the ANC. False! [Interjections.]
I wish to say further that it is important to note that the Minister will be responding to all of us - one after the other - but that people must attend meetings in order to be able to come to the House to reflect on what has been discussed in the meetings. I thank Mr Ross a great deal for having done exactly that this afternoon. [Applause.] He said to this House that we had been at a committee meeting, that we had discussed this matter and that this was what we had agreed upon. I agree with everything he said because it is true. But I deplore a person who attends a meeting, comes out of the meeting and goes to the House and begins to attack you as if he only sees you from a distance; he never engages with you anywhere else.
In conclusion, I support the budget as much as all my colleagues have done, including my colleagues in the opposition parties. However, I hope they will discuss the issues that I raised in their caucuses and then come back to us when next we meet in the committee to try to develop a common approach in the solutions to the challenges of this country and not be in opposition when opposition is not needed. [Applause.]