From SouthAfrica.info.

Robben Island, one of the world’s top tourist attractions, will soon generate its power from solar panels.

The island prison, which once held Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Ahmed Kathrada, among others, will be a pilot site for South Africa’s Department of Tourism.

It plans to roll out solar power to botanical gardens, South African national parks and world heritage sites.

Delivering his department’s budget vote, Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom said the installation of solar power at the island would take place during the current financial year (which ends March 31).

“The exciting part of the retrofitting programme is that it contributes towards our countrywide effort to reduce the electricity demand and to start shifting towards efficient energy use and renewable energy use.

“We will be introducing this component of the incentive programme on a pilot basis this year and it will involve the introduction of renewable energy at mainly our botanical gardens, at South African National Parks and at some of our world heritage sites. It will also include some of our community-based projects, particularly those that don’t have immediate access to the grid,” he said.

The retrofitting programme is part of the 180-million rand ($15.3 million US) Tourism Incentive Programme aimed at transformation in the sector.

As part of the retrofitting, the department of tourism will install photovoltaic panels this year.

…Tourism had contributed 9.4 percent to the country’s gross domestic product over the past year, Hanekom said. The sector’s value chain now supports one in every 10 jobs in the country.

Read more at SouthAfrica.info.