Contact Details Name : Lindelwa Nzimande Company : Shell SA Phone :011 563 4900 Email : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. URL : www.shell.com Renewable energy sources are essential to secure South Africa’s energy supply in future. At a recent Shell Energy Dialogue held at UKZN, experts from across the country unanimously agreed that the South African government needs to find ways to ensure the effective implementation of energy policies.
Solar, hydrogen and other renewable energy sources proved to be contentious topics, with a spotlight placed over government policies to address the energy challenge. Experts and business people alike have suggested that existing energy policies should be set against concrete targets and time frames to maximise energy security for the country.
During the dialogue calls were made from members of the audience for investment to be focussed on harnessing solar energy. Questions were also raised as to why this energy source was not being included in government energy policies, especially considering South Africa’s high solar radiation.
On average, South Africa has one of the highest of sunshine in the world at 2 500 hours of sunshine per year. Sunshine is one of the most accessible alternative power sources in Africa. Not only is it readily-available, but once it is in place, it is far more cost-effective than expensive fossil fuels.
The meeting saw calls made for the government to look at innovative ways to encourage the uptake of alternative energy and to possibly consider tax incentives and revisiting current energy polices.
Hydrogen technology is one area that South Africa has managed to notably advance in. Dr Boni Mehlomakulu, Group Executive for Research, Development and Innovation at the Department of Science & Technology suggested that South Africa’s expertise in hydrogen technology and coal to liquid (CTL) and gas to liquid (GTL) could mean that hydrogen could provide the answer to energy security.
“South Africa already possesses the know-how in this alternative energy sector, we don’t need to import the technology as we already have the skills right here on our door step,” Mehlomakulu explained. “Platinum is a vital in the conversation of hydrogen to electricity and with South Africa’s massive platinum resources the country is particularly well positioned to take advantage of this global drive.”
However, Mehlomakulu warned that hydrogen technology was not a quick fix solution with real market expansion only really occurring in 2025 and fuel switching taking close to 50 years to complete.
Dr Tony Surridge, Senior Manager for Advanced Fossil Fuel Use at SANERI, suggested that Carbon based Capture Storage may answer South Africa’s energy challenge. Coal forms the basis of energy-use in the economy and this technology (which returns carbon dioxide back into the ground) could enable SA to optimise fossil fuel use.
Dr Faizel Mulla, Corporate Strategy Manager of PetroSA, highlighted that mastering carbon capture and diversifying into the production of hydrogen were both costly and difficult undertakings, explaining that the existng transport infrastructure would be unable to cope with demand.
Mulla called for the government’s regulatory framework to provide a climate that facilitates significant capital expenditure needed to remove these constraints. In order for South Africa to meet its current energy demands, Mulla concluded that a new CTL plant needs to be built every 3-4 years with SA relying heavily on imports to meet demand as well. He also called for the government to incentivise the GTL and CTL industry to stimulate further growth.
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About Shell Energy Dialogues
Spearheaded by Shell South Africa, the Shell Energy Dialogue series is designed to stimulate discussion around the energy challenge in South Africa and encourage workable solutions towards meeting the energy challenge. Dialogues have taken place in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and now Durban with a further dialogue schedule in Bloemfontein.
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