The first round of identifying the zones involved expert and community consultation.
Abulele Adams, a CSIR environmental assessment practitioner, said: "In 2014, we engaged municipalities and the public in every area ... and got mixed responses.
"In Grahamstown, for example, the local government was very excited about job creation but the game farmers were worried about the visual impact of projects."
Adams is the project manager for identifying the second phase of REDZes.
In this phase sites in Mpumalanga and Limpopo will be assessed.
Kabi Solar director Mike Levington said: "We are also trying to find zones closer to areas of [power] demand, and to gold and coal mining areas in their twilight years.
"Renewable energy zones will allow us to revive collapsing mining areas, and retrain and reskill people in new jobs."
South Africa's first eight REDZes are in Upington, Kimberley and Springbok, Northern Cape; Overberg and Komsberg, Western Cape; Cookhouse and Stormberg, Eastern Cape; and Vryburg, North West.