RUS | ENG | All
Укажите логин или email, которые вы использовали при регистрации.
Если вы не помните свой пароль - просто оставьте это поле пустым и вы получите новый, вместе со ссылкой на активацию.

Еще не зарегистированы?
Добро пожаловать!

2022-09-01 14:20:00

EUROPEAN RENEWABLE SHUTDOWN

EUROPEAN RENEWABLE SHUTDOWN

BLOOMBERG - Sep 1, 2022 - South Africa’s energy minister dismissed the notion that renewable electricity can bring an end to years of rolling blackouts, pointing to Europe’s pivot back to the use of fossil fuels as evidence of the constraints of using green energy.

Solar and wind plants could be used to supplement coal, gas and nuclear power generation, but had limitations when it came to meeting South Africa’s needs, such as supplying mines, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe said.

“The excitement of moving from coal to renewables is becoming a myth,” Mantashe, a former miner and labor-union leader, said in an Aug. 30 interview in his office in Pretoria, the capital. “Many think that renewables are the so-called savior, and we know that it is not. Germany has learnt that painfully.”

South Africa relies on coal to generate more than 80% of its electricity, and has been subjected to intermittent outages since 2008 because state utility Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. can’t meet demand from its old and poorly maintained plants. While the government has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 and taken steps to increase purchases of renewable power from private producers, it’s encountered opposition from Mantashe and unions who represent coal miners and fear job losses.  

The argument for the continued use of fossil fuels has gained traction as Europe grapples with its worst energy crisis in decades, with Russia down-scaling natural gas deliveries to the region, France contending with nuclear power-plant outages and electricity prices reaching record highs.

Germany, which has the European Union’s biggest economy, and other countries intend restarting mothballed coal-fired power plants and extending the life of their nuclear power plants to reduce their reliance on Russian gas and coal following its invasion of Ukraine.

Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk weighed in this week, saying the world needs more oil and gas now to counter energy shortages even as it transitions to renewable power.

South Africa should consider investing in additional coal and nuclear generation capacity, with backup coming from renewable energy, according to Mantashe. While options such as battery storage or pump storage are currently expensive, they will still be considered, said Thabang Audat, a chief director in his department.

Mantashe said a pledge made last year by developing nations to help raise $8.5 billion to help South Africa transition to clean energy is still being discussed, and that any final decisions on how the money should be used will be accommodative of the country’s energy needs. The availability of the funds has become a “moving target,” he said.

The minister called for an end to the “polarized” debate on South Africa’s energy transition.

“The co-existence of various technologies” is required to meet the country’s needs, he said.

-----


Earlier:

EUROPEAN RENEWABLE SHUTDOWN
2022, August, 31, 11:25:00
EUROPEAN CRAZY GAS PRICES
Asked if there are guarantees that Gazprom will restart gas flows via Nord Stream 1, the Kremlin's Peskov said: "There are guarantees that, apart from technological problems caused by sanctions, nothing hinders the supplies."
EUROPEAN RENEWABLE SHUTDOWN
2022, August, 31, 11:20:00
EUROPEAN GAS BLOCKOUTS
A three-day halt of the Nord Stream pipeline -- a key source of natural gas for the European Union -- starts on Wednesday, and concerns are widespread that Moscow will find another excuse to clamp down on supplies, putting the region at the mercy of the weather.
EUROPEAN RENEWABLE SHUTDOWN
2022, August, 30, 11:15:00
EUROPEAN GAS PRICES DOWN ANEW
European natural gas prices on Monday plunged the most since March after Germany said its gas stores are filling up faster than planned.
EUROPEAN RENEWABLE SHUTDOWN
2022, August, 30, 11:10:00
EUROPEAN ENERGY CRISIS: NO MEASURES
Europe’s benchmark electricity price has risen to 10 times its decade-long average, in line with a 14-fold increase in the cost of gas, amid fears of shortages this winter.
EUROPEAN RENEWABLE SHUTDOWN
2022, August, 30, 11:05:00
EUROPEAN UNBEARABLE WINTER
With Russia squeezing gas deliveries and power-plant outages further sapping supply, pressure is growing on EU leaders to act quickly or risk social unrest and political upheaval.
EUROPEAN RENEWABLE SHUTDOWN
2022, August, 26, 12:10:00
EUROPE CUT ENERGY
While some countries like Germany, where nearly half the homes rely on gas for heating, are more exposed than others, the European Union is seeking to band together.
EUROPEAN RENEWABLE SHUTDOWN
2022, August, 12, 08:40:00
GERMANY'S HARD WINTER
With nearly half of German homes relying on gas for heating, the country faces potential rationing if it fails to secure sufficient reserves.
All Publications »
Tags: EUROPE, COAL, RENEWABLE, ENERGY, NUCLEAR, OIL, GAS