By John Mokoena
ON JULY 24, Minister of Electricity, Professor Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, was said to have attacked the $8.5 billion (R152bn) Climate Finance Pact pledge to South Africa for the replacement of current Eskom coal power stations with renewable energy power plant solutions.
He told a meeting organiSed by Standard Bank Group about the injustice that was unfolding at Komati power station in the name of [the Just Energy] transition.
The statement was made in the context of the repurposing of Komati power station from a 1000MW baseload fossil fuelled station to an intermittent 270MW renewable energy power plant. This decision is bound to make Komati town to be a ghost town now devoid of economic opportunities.
The Engineering League of Progress (ELP), an organisation comprising circa 1 000 members who are African engineers, technicians, technologists, and academics, has taken the decision to rally behind the minister in seeking to address these atrocities and looting of South Africa in the name of decarbonisation.
The ELP is of the view that South Africa should be allowed to transition gradually instead of the gung-ho approach that has led to the collapse of many industries due to rolling blackouts.
Within the ELP there resides expertise that is crucial to the proper management and resuscitation of the current fleet of coal stations to achieve an EAF (Energy Availability Factor) of above 70% without undue interference from the state on operational matters. The balance of the energy supply will be augmented by renewables at a smoothed pace that does not undermine our dependence on coal/nuclear as a source of our baseload.
Our grid requires supply that will robustly respond to:
- Frequency variations.
- Dispatchability.
– System Inertia disturbances.
At a minimum we need to opt for a generation mix of (nuclear/coal) at 75% and renewables to be below 25%.
Coal is our core energy source with a significant economic value chain and should be protected as such.
Nuclear energy can be proven affordable at funding models that will not immensely suffocate South Africa’s fiscus, thus it should be continued and pursued further.
We welcome the participation of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) into our energy sector, but not at the burden of the South African taxpayer. IPPs should find innovative ways to fund their inclusion into the energy market.
In short, Eskom, which already has a constrained balance sheet, should not be partisan to the introduction of IPPs into the grid.
The way forward should not be the outright rejection of renewable energy, but to call on IPPs to stand on their own instead of hinging on an already suffocating Eskom balance sheet.
At best, the IPPs can apply for government subsidies, tax rebates or rebates on carbon credits.
In short, we ask that a balance be struck between nuclear, coal, gas and renewables backed by clear scientific evidence that they will benefit South African development, industrialisation and growth in the short and in long term.
John Mokoena, BSc Engineering (Electro-Mechanical), UCT. A member of Engineering League of Progress (ELP), an engineer’s organisation that is driving solutions for growth and development of Southern Africa and beyond. www.elop.org.za
BUSINESS REPORT