Page 52 - Energize July 2022

VIEWS AND OPINION

Komati Power Station transition the Just Energy Transition Partnership which was announced at COP26 in November last
project year. At that meeting, a number of western countries pledged US$8,5-billion to assist South
Eskom is planning a repowering and Africa in the decarbonisation of its economy. He also visited the Komati power station and
repurposing programme at the Komati met with coal miners and community leaders.
Power Station. The idea is to have
100 MW of solar PV and 70 MW of Government support
wind power installed at the site and to President Ramaphosa says that South Africa must transition away from coal for electricity
connect that to a mini-grid which would generation. The country, as a signatory to the Paris Accord, commits it to reduce
connect into the existing transmission the increase in its atmospheric temperature to 1,5°C above what it was prior to the
infrastructure. This would achieve two industrialisation of the country.
things, Eskom says. Firstly, it would make Satellite data reveals the world’s largest air pollution hotspot is Mpumalanga. Why
the site reusable as a power generating is this? According to international research, it’s because the province is home to 12 of
facility, and secondly, it would enable Eskom’s oldest, dirtiest coal-fired power stations and the mines which supply these power
the people who work there to continue stations with the coal they burn.
earning an income. But South Africans have the right to breathe clean, unpolluted air. Including those
De Ruyter said that since the area who live in Mpumalanga. For this reason, more and more residents of the province are
around the Komati power station is calling on Government to action the just energy transition so that they can enjoy clean air
populated by people whose income is and water.
either directly or indirectly dependent “The land is the life in the soil, there’s no life without clean water, without clean air”
on this power station, Eskom’s initiative – Matthews Hlabane, the national organiser of the South African Green Revolutionary
would help to enable a just energy Council.
transition. Local people can be trained The government’s integrated resource plan (IRP 2019) – the “roadmap” to South
and employed to work with renewable Africa’s future electricity supply – includes 1700 MW from new coal-fired power stations
energy systems, de Ruyter said. between now and 2024. The minister of mineral affairs and energy has been quoted as
To achieve this goal, the power saying that the new coal-fired plants will use “clean coal” to produce electricity.
utility is establishing a training centre While some believe the rhetoric, the truth is that there is no such thing as clean coal.
in cooperation with the Cape Peninsula The best one could hope for is for the new plants to be fitted with sophisticated pollution
University of Technology’s Renewable mitigating equipment such as flue gas desulphurisation (FGD), particulate precipitation (PP)
Energy Technology Centre. and some kind of carbon capture and usage system (CCUS).
Eskom is also setting up a micro-grid According to Eskom, adding just FGD – not PP or CCUS – to Kusile (its newest power
manufacturing facility which converts plant which is now two-thirds complete) would cost almost R40-billion over and above
old shipping containers into portable the R160-billion the power station is projected to cost once all six units are finally online.
solar PV power plants. These can be This installation would address the majority of the deadly sulphur emissions but would do
used to provide power to people living in nothing in terms of reducing the number of life-threatening particulates which are being
remote areas without grid access. These spewed into the air day and night. Nor would it help to reduce the levels of CO2 in the air.
could also be used at remote schools Since the people of Mpumalanga are clamouring for clean air, it seems that the R40-billion
and clinics. Entrepreneurs who would should rather be spent on building new clean electricity generating plant using renewable
be interested in such a manufacturing energy resources. This, of course, is what Eskom is offering at the Komati power station.
project would receive technical President Ramaphosa says that government’s responsibility is to create an environment
assistance from Eskom. where the private sector can invest and unleash the dynamism of our economy. He stresses
that it must however be an environment in which South Africans can “live a better life and
International support unleash the energy of their capabilities – no one must be left behind”.
The launch of this documentary coincides But according to those interviewed in the documentary, Government messages are
with a visit to South Africa by the United confusing because the minister of energy seems to contradict the president regarding
Nations Conference of Parties (COP) 26 the transition from coal to renewables. Mining licences are still being issued, the
President, Alok Sharma. During Sharma’s commentators say.
week-long visit, he will hold meetings Dr Titus Mathe, GM, Group Technology, Eskom says that what will happen at Komati
with government ministers, communities will be repeated at “Hendrina and all the other stations which are earmarked to be shut
and business leaders to discuss the down”. In other words, this is the beginning of a process.
country’s just energy transition. These
discussions are intended to strengthen Send your comments to rogerl@nowmedia.co.za

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