In this essay I will discuss whether renewable energy is economically viable in South Africa. There are many factors to consider when considering this topic, such as the cost of constructing the springs and the cost of operating them. We also need to consider how much electrical energy can be produced from these sources and whether this will be enough to support South Africa's energy consumption. One of the two main problems with renewable energy is the amount of usable energy it generates compared to other forms of non-renewable energy. With our energy grid already under strain, is it worth using renewable energy and, if so, how will we cope with the country's energy demand? The other major problem with renewable energy is the cost of building the power plant. The new coal-fired power station, Medupi, under construction in Limpopo, is expected to cost R170 billion. That's not a lot of money considering the station will operate for 50 years. But can we create power plants powered by renewable energy that will be cheaper than Medupi's cost, but able to run longer? This is what I'm going to talk about. But before discussing alternative forms of energy, I will expand on the Eskoms Medupi coal-fired power station. When completed in late 2014, Medupi will be the largest dry-cooled coal-fired power plant in the world. The power plant will consist of 6 coal-fired boilers, each with a capacity of 800 MW, for a total capacity of 4,800 MW. This is being built in Lephalale, Limpopo. The reason for this is mainly accessibility to coal mines and water. The coal will come from the Exxaro-owned Grootegeluk coal mine, just north of the plant. This means that... middle of paper ... form of renewable energy, accounting for 16 percent of global electricity production – 3,427 terawatt hours of electricity production in 2010.” South Africa already uses several sources of hydroelectricity. Our largest are located in Gariep Dam and Drakensberg, with capacities of 360 MW and 1,000 MW respectively. South Africa's largest source of hydropower is currently under construction at Ingula, Kwa-Zulu Natal, with a capacity of 1,332 MW. I don't believe hydropower can be the primary source of energy in our national grid. Although there are other sources that can contribute to hydroelectricity such as the Vaal Dam, I don't think we have a large enough source to have a capacity that would have a decisive effect on our energy network. But this energy source can have an effect on our energy capacity, even if it is not enormous...