The Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle campaign, [1] together with Greenpeace Africa, welcome the rigorous research undertaken by the energy unit of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). [2] This research has been described as a “comprehensive alternative” to the draft Integrated Resource Plan Base Case (IRP) published for comment by the … [Read more...]
New partnership aims to protect endangered birds from power lines
As South Africa’s electricity needs continue to grow, power lines and other accompanying electrical infrastructure are expanding daily. Eskom and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) formalised their long-standing relationship by entering into a partnership in 1996 to address the problem of wildlife interactions with electrical infrastructure in a systematic manner on a national … [Read more...]
Western Cape High Court sets aside all nuclear deals
It’s back to the drawing board for government, which has received a bloody nose in the Western Cape High Court where its nuclear procurement processes to date have been declared unlawful and set aside. Judge Lee Bozalek on Wednesday ruled in favour of the case brought by Earthlife Africa Johannesburg and the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) … [Read more...]
Solutions for Africa’s energy crisis more likely to be renewable
No country has ever reduced poverty without investing substantially in energy. Not only is it central to all human development goals, but it is also central to how we are globally dealing with climate change. Earth Day (22 April) is an important reminder for all South Africans to be cognisant of their country’s energy situation especially now, as the Government is facing … [Read more...]
South Africa no longer leading the continent on renewable energy
Although South Africa is the country with the most potential “by far” in terms of its renewable energy programmes, it is stuck in a the “(Fitfully) Waking Giant” category, financial services provider Fieldstone Africa said in its first renewables index for the year. When the Fieldstone Africa Renewables Index (FARI) was introduced, South Africa was the leading country on the … [Read more...]
First SA climate change ruling – minister guilty of not considering impact
In South Africa’s first climate change litigation the court’s key finding was that Earthlife Africa (ELA) was correct in claiming that the Minister should have considered the new power station’s climate change impacts before deciding whether to authorise it. On 8 March 2017, the North Gauteng High Court handed down a landmark ruling in Earthlife Africa Johannesburg’s (ELA) … [Read more...]
SA’s draft energy plans must respect constitutional rights
On the eve of the deadline for comments on the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for Energy, South Africa was struck by the highly disruptive and sinister Cabinet Reshuffle announced by the Presidency. The gutting of principle and expertise in key Ministries has direct implications for the energy and resource planning process underway. There is now a clear divide between those … [Read more...]
Shale gas fracking in Karoo gets a green light
The government has given the go-ahead for shale gas development in the Karoo region, Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane said on Thursday. He revealed this during a community engagement on shale gas development in Richmond, in the Northern Cape. "Based on the balance of available scientific evidence, government took a decision to proceed with the development of … [Read more...]
Renewables can create 130,000 jobs and promote industrial development
When we are faced with adversity, it is always easy to look for scapegoats and blame others for our misfortunes. The complication with wrongly blaming others is that it does not alleviate anyone’s plight and, most importantly, it prevents people from turning their setbacks into comebacks. It is how we react to challenges that determines whether we overcome them or wilt under … [Read more...]
Eskom’s coal-fired power struggle
Eskom’s closure of five old coal-fired power stations over the next 10 years, at a loss of about 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, was foreseen more than a decade ago. In the next five years it will close the 2,000MW Hendrina, 1,600MW Camden, 1,000MW Komati and 3,000MW Kriel power stations, spokesman Khulu Phasiwe says. A fifth station, the 1,200MW Grootvlei, will close … [Read more...]
Cape Town goes green with a fleet of electric buses
The ever-expanding MyCiti buses are making another innovative introduction with the rolling out of the Mother City’s first-ever electric vehicles. Come June 2017, Cape Town will see a new fleet of eco-friendly buses navigating our roads, as the innovative and slick MyCiti bus service looks set to roll out 10 12-metre-long electric buses. Aside from an obvious reduction in … [Read more...]
It’s time for Eskom to lead the way in renewable energy
Eskom’s on-going scapegoating of renewable energy as the reason behind its financial woes shows a lack of vision, particularly in the light of the urgent need to develop new jobs beyond the coal industry. Instead, the utility should be leading the country into a greener, more equitable energy future which will help South Africa both create new, cleaner jobs and meet its … [Read more...]
Activists demonstrate fossil fuel risks with funeral procession
Today, activists of the BREAKFREE coalition have taken part in a funeral procession outside the Department of Energy (DoE) in Pretoria to highlight the impacts that coal-fired power stations are having on South African communities. The solemn procession depicted tombstones to which activists were chained with the message “The IRP is our chance to Break Free from fossil fuels” … [Read more...]
