South Africa’s Eskom expects to hit its 71 million metric tonnes carbon emissions target by the end of the decade. Moreover, six coal-powered fire stations will have been suspended by 2030.
According to Eskom’s new CEO, the plant’s effective management of coal resources has led to reduced blackouts over the last 3 months. He adds that the success has also been due to the private solar installations, and the consistent supply from the 5 GW power generation.
However, achieving the CO2 emissions target won’t be easy. According to CEO Marokane, the country will get to the target by curbing the emissions of three of these power stations to meet about half the planned reductions. The remaining cutback might come from other existing stations within the fleet.
The suggested clean energy solutions majorly focus on large scale rollout of renewable energy capacity.
Eskom’s plans call for a massive expansion of transmission capacity; according to Marokane, the company has only been able to roll out at a rate of 850 km per year. The target was 1,400 km (870 miles) each year.
The respective projects are approximated to cost $16 billion. Marokane states that the private sector is expected to contribute almost half of the amount.
It’s high time Eskom sorts its issues and provides consistent power supply to all SA citizens. Importantly transitioning to green energy sources is the best move for South Africa, and other nations should emulate the same.
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