[ANALYSIS] How does Eskom stack up in the pollution stakes?
. But are emissions from Eskom really so high, and if so, why? Should South Africans be worried about these emissions?
Eskom is by far the largest emitter of the pollutants sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides and the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in South Africa due to its reliance on coal. Emissions of these gases from Eskom’s coal-fired power stations have dropped slightly over the. South Africa hasn’t, like other countries, markedly decreased air pollutant emissions from the electricity sector even though there are technologies to do this.
Eskom’s emissions are detected over most of the north-eastern region of South Africa through satellites. The large hotspot seen is due in part to the close proximity of the majority of the country’s power stations in Mpumalanga. However, Eskom emissions are not the only source of pollution in this region. Ultimately, if South Africa wants to improve air quality and meet climate change goals, it needs to move away from coal.
The main constituent of the exhaust gases emitted from coal-fired power stations is nitrogen , an inert gas that naturally makes up 78% of the atmosphere. Other major components are oxygen and water vapour . All three are normal constituents of the earth’s atmosphere and are not toxic.changing the climateAir pollutants make up a small percentage of the total flue gas: sulphur dioxide, 0.1%; oxides of nitrogen, 0.05%; mercury and fly ash in trace amounts., around 1.
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