Page 25 - Energize January 2021

NEWS

Gas-to-power options emerge on local energy scene

s South Africa races against the clock
to fill an electricity supply gap of
Asome 2000 MW between 2019 and
2022, gas­to­power projects will play a
significant role.
Government’s recently launched risk
mitigation independent power producer
procurement programme (RMIPPPP) has
stirred the interest of several private players
in the gas­to­power sector, according the
Nicola Rump, principal environmental
scientist at SRK Consulting.
“While the longer­established
renewable energy independent power
producer procurement programme
(REIPPPP) is delivering considerable results
in solar and wind energy generation, we are
now seeing an exciting start in exploring the time than before, the process leaves very little time for accommodating any changes to the
potential of gas in South Africa’s energy project design,” she said.
mix,” said Rump. It also requires that a significant amount of work must be completed before the application
She noted that the field of gas­fired is lodged with the regulator.
generation in the country had previously “Gas­to­power projects need to submit a final scoping study to the Department of
seen little activity from private developers. Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), and this must be approved before the EIA phase
This was now changing fast, as the can begin,” she said. “Once the final environmental impact report (EIR) has been submitted,
Department of Mineral Resources and DEFF would decide on the conditions applying to the authorisation.”
Energy prepares to begin evaluating While an important attraction of gas is its lower carbon footprint than coal, SA’s dominant
RMIPPPP project bids by the end of 2020. fuel source for energy, it is not without its environmental impacts. These include carbon
With South Africa’s power system being so emissions, for which projects would require an air emission licence before proceeding.
constrained, government is wanting these “Climate change impacts are also becoming an increasingly important consideration in these
projects to start feeding the national grid by assessments,” said Rump, “especially in the light of South Africa’s commitments to global climate
mid­2022. SRK is currently conducting a few change and greenhouse gas emission agreements – and its emission reduction targets.”
environmental impact assessments (EIAs) Other impacts include noise and traffic, as well as effects on marine ecology of those
for gas­to­power projects in the Eastern projects requiring marine infrastructure. Currently, gas­to­power projects tend to be close to
Cape and KwaZulu­Natal. ports to facilitate the supply chain from sea­borne liquified natural gas (LNG).
Key aspects of the planning process for She noted that current projects will have to overcome South Africa’s lack of gas pipeline
these projects, she said, included EIAs and infrastructure, basing their viability on LNG sources being shipped in. Among the advantages of
related licencing requirements. Within the developing a fledgling gas­to­power sector through the RMIPPPP is that this would contribute to
tight timeframes envisaged, these need to be the growth of local gas markets – helping pave the way for the installation of costly gas
carefully managed to avoid becoming infrastructure. This is turn would hopefully reduce the cost of gas as a fuel and spur the uptake
stumbling blocks. of this cleaner fuel in South Africa’s energy landscape.
“The introduction of strict timelines for Current projects will have to overcome South Africa’s lack of gas pipeline infrastructure. n
the EIA process in recent years mean that
while EIAs are generally completed in less For more information, visit www.srk.co.za

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