Keep coal’s current share of the energy mix, says NUM
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called for coal to be retained far more strongly in the country’s energy mix. In its submission on the draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2018, the NUM Western Cape said it was concerned that coal’s share in the energy mix was set to be reduced.
“As the NUM, we submit that the reduction of coal in the mix should be reversed. South Africa still has huge coal reserves. We can’t just stop using this strategic resource. What we suggest is that we venture into clean coal technology.”
The NUM Western Cape said the proposed energy mix in the draft IRP 2018 "does not, in any way, provide a reliable and stable base load".
The union said that even if South Africa scaled back on coal locally, it would continue to be exported.
“The mining of coal is not going to stop. Coal will be mined and exported to other countries like China [that are] going to burn the coal in the very same atmosphere we are trying to save.”
The union said research had shown that water use for the generation of electricity could be reduced through the adoption of new coal technology. Reducing water use should not be used as one of the reasons for phasing out coal.
“Medupi and Kusile will use less water than Grootvlei and Komati,” said the NUM.
Comments
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
