Importance of sustainable energy underlined
In dealing with its current energy crisis, South Africa must ensure that it shores up reliable short- and long-term supply options that adhere to sustainable energy objectives.
This was indicated by speakers on the first day of the eleventh yearly Sustainability Summit on September 21, during the Sustainable Energy Seminar in partnership with DNG Energy.
World Nuclear Association senior communication manager Jonathan Cobb indicated that there was a global need to increase energy generation, but emphasised that in aiming to provide reliable supply, cognisance had to be paid to climate change, with the world no longer in a position of “trying to avoid it, but rather, trying to stop the worst effects”.
Therefore, emissions need to be cut globally, he emphasised. Cobb said that while this could be done, it required commitment, and pursuing all available options. He commiserated on the lack of progress over the last 20 years, with fossil fuels still constituting “far too much” of the energy mix.
South African National Energy Development Institute centre manager Dr Karen Surridge-Talbot said that sustainable energy for the country would be part of a balanced blend of energy, which would engender energy security.
By blending fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables, technology can be used to allow fossil fuels to be used responsibly, she indicated.
South African Nuclear Energy Corporation chairperson David Nicholls indicated that sustainable energy should be both environmentally and economically sustainable.
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Energy Centre head Dr Clinton Carter-Brown indicated that the conversation around sustainable energy had shifted over the past few years, owing to considerable strides in new technological developments in renewable energy, batteries, fuel cells, hydrogen and the green economy.
He indicated that owing to its endowment of natural resources, South Africa boasted considerable potential to spur these technologies. He said that it was now a question of understanding the opportunities and options, and then accelerating these.
Nicholls emphasised that South Africa needed to make sure that it tackled its energy crisis in the short term with a long-term view and environmental cognisance in mind. These would be two different plans; however, it is vital that both are equally addressed, he emphasised.
Comments
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