Make sure switch to clean energy is a working reality for SA
CONGRESS of the People is delighted that government has identified additional preferred bidders in respect of energy producers. They will harness onshore wind and solar radiation via photovoltaic panels.
These partnerships between the government and the private sector, to secure clean energy, are very welcome. It will serve no purpose to have abundant dirty energy or dangerous nuclear energy at the same time that climate change is threatening to devastate the planet.
We need to generate abundant clean energy and achieve massive climate change mitigation simultaneously. Nothing else will do. Therefore, we must not be afraid to run ahead of the pack where we can, and to keep abreast with countries like Norway and Germany, that are sourcing their electricity primarily through clean means.
Increasing the allocations in Bid Window 4 is also good news. The fact that the preferred bidders will add another 1 084MW to the grid on top of the 5 243MW already procured since 2011 is placing South Africa on the correct path. The combination of wind and solar will even out the supply of electricity.
If the government proceeds to harness tidal power and encourage the incremental increase of rooftop solar installations, we can steer away from coal and nuclear sources. Lining to the Grand Inga Dam electricity supply will keep us moving along the green electricity path.
After what happened at Medupi and Kusile, South Africans must never again allow government to handle large projects. We should put our foot down against any multitrillion-rand nuclear build programme.
The cost of the two coal power stations under construction escalated from R30 billion to R300bn. It shows howinept government is at handling large projects or in preventing corruption. With Eskom in dire financial straits, government is selling non-core assets to bail it out. Our country’s credit-rating balances on a knife’s edge. Where do we go after this?
South Africans must pronounce a resounding “no” to multitrillion nuclear power stations. If it starts at a trillion rand, it will end up at 10 trillion, and the country will be completely bankrupt.
South Africa has more than abundant solar radiation, and all the technological advances taking place indicate that we should seek the bulk of our electricity supply from the solar lamp that shines above. A solar solution will certainly expand the economy of the Northern Cape and the North West, and these provinces deserve economic injection.
Government must support the creation of a public participation scheme in a massive solar plant to give impetus to a sustainable solar electricity solution. This will allow South Africans to invest in the scheme and enjoy the double dividends of a cleaner environment and healthy financial returns.