South Africa can tap a diverse mix of additional renewable sources beyond large-scale solar and wind, especially to cut load‑shedding and reach remote communities.

1. Small hydro and pumped storage

South Africa already uses some hydropower, but there is more potential in small, run‑of‑river and mini‑hydro schemes on existing dams and rivers.

These projects can supply rural areas, support irrigation schemes, and be added to existing water infrastructure with relatively low environmental impact compared to mega‑dams.

  • Run‑of‑river plants on suitable stretches of rivers.
  • Micro‑hydro units on farm and municipal dams.
  • Pumped‑storage schemes using off‑peak solar/wind power to pump water back uphill and provide evening peak power.

2. Biomass and biogas (from waste)

Biomass and biogas are particularly suitable for South Africa because the country has strong agricultural, forestry and food‑processing sectors that produce large volumes of residues.

Possible sources:

  • Crop residues (maize stalks, sugarcane bagasse, wheat straw).
  • Forestry and sawmill waste, invasive alien plants cleared from catchments.
  • Livestock manure from cattle, pigs and poultry for biogas digesters.
  • Organic municipal waste and wastewater sludge.

Why it fits South Africa:

  • Can be built close to towns or farms, reducing grid dependence.
  • Provides firm, dispatchable power (you can turn it on when needed), unlike pure solar or wind.
  • Creates rural jobs in fuel collection, plant operation and maintenance.

3. Geothermal and deep mine heat

South Africa does not sit on world‑class volcanic geothermal fields, but it does have deep mining infrastructure and some elevated geothermal gradients that could be used.

Opportunities:

  • Using hot water and rock in ultra‑deep mines (gold and platinum) for low‑temperature geothermal heating or power generation.
  • Shallow geothermal (ground‑source heat pumps) for building heating and cooling in cities and industrial parks.

This is not likely to be a huge national power source, but it can provide local, constant energy and reduce electricity use for cooling and heating.

4. Wave and tidal power

With a long coastline on both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, South Africa has realistic potential for marine renewables, especially near major coastal cities like Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha.

  • Tidal range and tidal‑stream turbines in suitable estuaries and channels.
  • Near‑shore wave‑energy converters along high‑wave‑energy stretches of the west and south coasts.

Marine energy is still more expensive and less mature than wind and solar, but pilot plants near existing ports or industrial zones could add diversity to the energy mix and provide predictable power (tides are very regular).

5. Rooftop solar, solar thermal and storage

While utility‑scale solar PV is already prominent, there is still massive headroom in distributed solar and heat technologies.

Key options:

  • Rooftop solar PV on homes, malls, warehouses, schools and clinics, especially in cities with frequent load‑shedding.
  • Solar water heaters and solar geysers to cut peak electricity demand for hot water.
  • Coupling rooftop solar with batteries and smart inverters to create “virtual power plants” that support the grid.

This approach is particularly suitable because South Africa enjoys more than 2 500 hours of sunshine a year across most of the country.

6. Hybrid systems for rural and informal areas

One of the biggest challenges is reaching remote rural settlements and informal urban areas where grid upgrades are slow and expensive.

Hybrid mini‑grids and stand‑alone systems can mix:

  • Solar PV plus batteries.
  • Small wind turbines where the resource is good.
  • Biomass/biogas or diesel backup (with a long‑term plan to phase out diesel).

These systems can be community‑owned or run by local energy co‑ops, providing reliable power for lighting, refrigeration, digital access and small businesses.

7. How this fits the new masterplan

South Africa has approved a national renewable energy “masterplan” that aims to add 3–5 GW of renewable capacity each year to 2030 and build local manufacturing and jobs around it.

Most of that will still be solar and wind, but adding hydro, biomass, marine energy and distributed solutions makes the system more resilient, less dependent on coal, and better suited to different provinces’ resources.

TL;DR:
Other suitable renewable sources for South Africa include small hydro, biomass and biogas from agricultural and municipal waste, geothermal and mine‑heat projects, wave and tidal power, and large‑scale rollout of rooftop solar, solar water heaters and storage, often combined in hybrid mini‑grids for rural and township areas.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.