eco adaptions
Menu
coal energy
Questions on coal energy
South Africa depends on coal energy. We have just survived a severe energy supply crisis which could have led our electricity market and power supply methods in a new direction, but the opportunity was missed. We had an extended period of rolling blackouts and power cuts in the last two years which ravaged many industries and contributed to the nosedive taken by our currency. The state owned utility brought it under control eventually. But its methods leave further questions to be answered.
why are we saddled with unusually dirty coal energy
Our state owned utility, Eskom, promised last year to spend 100 billion in the next five years on augmenting power supply. We have a capacity at present of about 38000MW and peak demand is 34000MW growing to 55000MW by 2020.
However judging from the supply plants envisioned to provide extra power, it is going to be largely non renewable. According to Eskom’s offical website
“in South Africa, our most abundant source of energy is coal….”
I have to ask what about some of the highest levels of sunshine hours in the world. We are 5th in the world behind Chad, Sudan, and Egypt, with Arizona, USA heading the global sunshine hours count. But like the American energy suppliers, something is wrong with our thinking. In England…yes… England… solar energy exceeded coal energy supply several times this month during the periods described below in various articles.
The Eskom website goes on to explain “Most of our coal is low quality with a low heat value and a high ash content” Ouch, ouch, dear oh dear oh dear … and the coal fired plants are proliferating in Botswana, one of the sunniest areas in the region, and one dense with game parks and conservancies. Research on an explanation for why coal energy has to be the main option are not given in on the official website, and their solar energy program has two lines of text, but I think budgeting issues are paramount. Recent council plan submissions revealed to me that solar water heating is now compulsory with any new building of habitation, and the website claims the solar water heating program is affordable, implying that large solar plants are not. But I do know of private entrepreneurs getting licenses to harvest and sell solar energy in the Northern Cape. So its government that is cash strapped. Its hard to understand and I long for communication with an informed energy lobbyist.
why are we saddled with unusually dirty coal energy
Our state owned utility, Eskom, promised last year to spend 100 billion in the next five years on augmenting power supply. We have a capacity at present of about 38000MW and peak demand is 34000MW growing to 55000MW by 2020.
However judging from the supply plants envisioned to provide extra power, it is going to be largely non renewable. According to Eskom’s offical website
“in South Africa, our most abundant source of energy is coal….”
I have to ask what about some of the highest levels of sunshine hours in the world. We are 5th in the world behind Chad, Sudan, and Egypt, with Arizona, USA heading the global sunshine hours count. But like the American energy suppliers, something is wrong with our thinking. In England…yes… England… solar energy exceeded coal energy supply several times this month during the periods described below in various articles.
The Eskom website goes on to explain “Most of our coal is low quality with a low heat value and a high ash content” Ouch, ouch, dear oh dear oh dear … and the coal fired plants are proliferating in Botswana, one of the sunniest areas in the region, and one dense with game parks and conservancies. Research on an explanation for why coal energy has to be the main option are not given in on the official website, and their solar energy program has two lines of text, but I think budgeting issues are paramount. Recent council plan submissions revealed to me that solar water heating is now compulsory with any new building of habitation, and the website claims the solar water heating program is affordable, implying that large solar plants are not. But I do know of private entrepreneurs getting licenses to harvest and sell solar energy in the Northern Cape. So its government that is cash strapped. Its hard to understand and I long for communication with an informed energy lobbyist.
New EU clean energy records in May 2016
According to an article in the guardian, some countries in the world have reached the stage where they can operate days on end with only renewable energy sources.
As James Watson, CEO of SolarPower Europe says, the energy transition process is gathering momentum with new records being established across Europe.
Portugal managed to operate for four consecutive days in May 2016 only on renewable energy sources. Lasting 107 hours from 6.15 am on Sat 7 May to 5.45 pm the following Wednesday.
Germany managed to be powered by clean energy alone on 15 May, this month. Last year Denmark managed to achieve these runs of clean energy too.
The UK went without coal energy for a week in May. The electricity generated by coal has fallen to zero several times according to grid data, on Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th of May, and on Thursday the 12th it lasted for 12 hours. This is the first time the UK has been without coal energy for any length of time probably since 1882.
This drop in the use of coal energy in the UK was partly caused by maintenance on several coal plants, as well as the closing of inefficient ones. In Southern Africa we’re opening coal plants for example on the Botswana border planned 300MW.
Coal supplies over 90% of South Africa's needed megawatts according to the Eskom website, but Wikipedia puts it at more like 30%, while all other sources are individually less than 10% of this figure, and about 10% of those are non renewable (gas turbines and nuclear).
Spain and Portugal are apparently a source for renewables for the whole of Europe. South Western Africa could power the region with solar and wind energy if Portugal can do it. We have several sunny deserts, and the winds from the southern oceans hit our coast square on. The winds in areas around Cape Aghullas are reliable and strong, and there is a wind plant under construction at Caledon.
The ratio of the input of wind energy into the grid is 20% in Denmark, 13% in Spain, and 11% in Germany. The whole of the EU gets 27% from nuclear, 13% from hydro, 7.5% from wind and 3% from solar.
what shall we do about having too much low grade coal and too little energy?
So where are we ? To achieve the results seen in Europe, a reformed electricity market is necessary, an improved infrastructure of connections or inter-connectors, and political will. This according to James Watson, is what accomplished the records in the EU region. Political will can be powered (pun intended) by the people, so its really up to us to start powering. But we also need alternative electricity suppliers, a web of suppliers, and for Eskom to provide the connections between them. It would be nice if large, medium and very small suppliers could make money too, to further what they call "job creation" but which should really be termed income creation. You don't need a "job" if you own an enterprise, no matter how small, that supplies your needs.
Wouldn't it be amazing if we could fit out gyms with generators. It would add to the feel good factor if you knew you were doing your bit to light streets, lengthen study hours, and make SA safer and more productive.
sitemap
------
home page for more green issues and ideas
------
green energy issues overview
As James Watson, CEO of SolarPower Europe says, the energy transition process is gathering momentum with new records being established across Europe.
Portugal managed to operate for four consecutive days in May 2016 only on renewable energy sources. Lasting 107 hours from 6.15 am on Sat 7 May to 5.45 pm the following Wednesday.
Germany managed to be powered by clean energy alone on 15 May, this month. Last year Denmark managed to achieve these runs of clean energy too.
The UK went without coal energy for a week in May. The electricity generated by coal has fallen to zero several times according to grid data, on Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th of May, and on Thursday the 12th it lasted for 12 hours. This is the first time the UK has been without coal energy for any length of time probably since 1882.
This drop in the use of coal energy in the UK was partly caused by maintenance on several coal plants, as well as the closing of inefficient ones. In Southern Africa we’re opening coal plants for example on the Botswana border planned 300MW.
Coal supplies over 90% of South Africa's needed megawatts according to the Eskom website, but Wikipedia puts it at more like 30%, while all other sources are individually less than 10% of this figure, and about 10% of those are non renewable (gas turbines and nuclear).
Spain and Portugal are apparently a source for renewables for the whole of Europe. South Western Africa could power the region with solar and wind energy if Portugal can do it. We have several sunny deserts, and the winds from the southern oceans hit our coast square on. The winds in areas around Cape Aghullas are reliable and strong, and there is a wind plant under construction at Caledon.
The ratio of the input of wind energy into the grid is 20% in Denmark, 13% in Spain, and 11% in Germany. The whole of the EU gets 27% from nuclear, 13% from hydro, 7.5% from wind and 3% from solar.
what shall we do about having too much low grade coal and too little energy?
So where are we ? To achieve the results seen in Europe, a reformed electricity market is necessary, an improved infrastructure of connections or inter-connectors, and political will. This according to James Watson, is what accomplished the records in the EU region. Political will can be powered (pun intended) by the people, so its really up to us to start powering. But we also need alternative electricity suppliers, a web of suppliers, and for Eskom to provide the connections between them. It would be nice if large, medium and very small suppliers could make money too, to further what they call "job creation" but which should really be termed income creation. You don't need a "job" if you own an enterprise, no matter how small, that supplies your needs.
Wouldn't it be amazing if we could fit out gyms with generators. It would add to the feel good factor if you knew you were doing your bit to light streets, lengthen study hours, and make SA safer and more productive.
sitemap
------
home page for more green issues and ideas
------
green energy issues overview