The political economy of energy transitions: The case of South Africa

Baker, Lucy; Newell, Peter; Phillips, Jon

Abstract

This paper explores the political economy of energy transition in South Africa. An economic model based around a powerful ‘minerals-energy complex’ that has previously been able to provide domestic and foreign capital with cheap and plentiful coal-generated electricity is no longer economically or environmentally sustainable. The paper analyses the struggle over competing energy visions, infrastructures and political agendas in order to generate insights into the governance and financing of clean energy transitions in South Africa. It provides both a rich empirical account of key policy developments aimed at enabling such a transition and provides reflections on how best to theorise the contested politics of energy transitions.

Citation

Baker, L., Newell, P., & Phillips, J. (2014). The political economy of energy transitions: The case of South Africa. New Political Economy, 19(6), 791-818. https://doi.org/10.1080/13563467.2013.849674

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 15, 2013
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jan 17, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 17, 2022
• Journal: New Political Economy
• Print ISSN: 1356-3467
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-9923
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 791-818
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13563467.2013.849674
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13563467.2013.849674