SA GOVT. TO DISCONTINUE THE USE OF COAL FOR NATION’s ENERGY MIX

South Africa Government has announced that there are currently no plans to discontinue the use of coal as part of the country’s energy mix.

Deputy President David Mabuza made the statement while responding to oral questions in the National Assembly.

He said the country’s energy generation is guided by the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2019, which provides for the use of all energy resources available, including, among others, coal, gas, and renewable energy sources.

“Currently, there are no plans for the discontinuation of the use of coal as 99% of South Africa’s electricity supply is derived from coal and 30% of liquid fuels are derived from the same commodity.

“Coal remains one of our largest natural endowments that will continue to form part of our energy mix in terms of the IRP 2019,” he said.

He said, however, that despite this, the country is committed to forging a low-carbon growth path that prioritizes environmental sustainability.

“We need to ensure that we deploy new infrastructure, technologies, and solutions that enable us to adhere to ambient air quality standards and protect the lives of communities from negative environmental externalities.

“Going forward, the IRP 2019 proposes the use of high efficiency, low emissions coal technologies. The government is currently working on other measures such as the Gas Utilisation Master Plan and the Renewable Energy Master Plan.”

The Deputy President said the government is exploring the development of the Nuclear Procurement Framework as proposed in the IRP 2019.

He said these are part of the medium to long-term plans in ensuring the security of the energy supply.

“Having said that, it is important to point out that, out of the entire fleet, there are planned optimized plant shutdowns that are aligned with the Integrated Resource Plan, to balance capacity, environmental, social, and economic considerations.

“This is inevitable because, in the main, these plants are approaching the end of their lifespan, and have become uneconomical, unpredictable, and costly to run.

“Nine coal-fired power stations will be shut down by 2035, thereby impacting significantly on the reduction of generation capacity,” he said.

SOURCE: SA News

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