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Pretoria - Independent renewable power producers (IPPs) have created around 14 000 jobs over the past three years, Energy Minister Ben Martins said on Friday.
"One of the imperatives of government is to ensure that all departments assist in job creation. Through the independent power producers programme, more than 14 000 have been created."
Martins was speaking in Pretoria following a summit with 61 IPPs.
"At the meeting, we acknowledged and expressed appreciation of the fact that to date more than R100bn has been invested into this particular sector," he said.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Eskom, and the Public Investment Corporation.
Diplomats representing Denmark, Spain, Germany, Norway and the United Kingdom were also present.
The conference discussed independent power procurement since the first window of the project in 2012.
The IPPs are spread across South Africa and use renewable technologies such as wind, solar, biomass and hydro energy to produce electricity.
The first contracts between government and the IPPs, aimed at adding 1 400 megawatts to the national grid, were signed in Pretoria in November 2012 by then energy minister Dipuo Peters.
At the time, energy department director general Nelisiwe Magubane said the power procurement plan was evidence of government's dedication to clean, renewable energy.
