Medupi's killer fumes: Eskom has 'a comprehensive climate change strategy' | SarahPeace6
News24 reported this week that Eskom failed to install flue gas desulphurisation technology at its Medupi power plant, potentially endangering the lives of thousands of people through pollution. The technology forms part of several projects that Eskom committed to as part of a bundle of World Bank loans, to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Many of these are years behind schedule.
Eskom supports the South African Centre for Carbon Capture and Storage based in the South African National Energy Development Institute which is currently progressing with characterisation of potential storage areas in South Africa and planning a pilot injection. Nonetheless, this is expected to be a long term solution, with existing international demonstration plants proving to be very expensive.
However, one area that receives attention is that of thermal efficiency. Technology developments have enabled new coal-fired power stations to be designed and built to run at higher pressures and temperatures which has a greater efficiency than subcritical power stations. A 1% improvement in efficiency, reduces CO2 emissions by approximately 2%. However, it is not easy to retrofit supercritical technology as one basically has to scrap the existing boiler and replace it.
Eskom has proceeded with delivering demand management savings, the build programme as well as Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme, the roll out of photovoltaic plants to supplement generation at existing coal-fired power station sites, the operation of Sere and many research initiatives, from rural microgrid and smartgrid applications to wave energy to electric vehicle testing. Eskom Transmission has also enabled the connection of over 3 000MW renewable energy projects to the national grid.
This is not something we can afford to do – overnight – as a company and a country. While Eskom is committed to transition from coal to lower carbon technologies such as renewables, we are just as committed to seeing that this transition occurs in a 'just' manner, which does not impede socio-economic development.
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