In its endeavor to achieve the plans of transformation to clean and green energy, South Africa began implementing projects related to stopping the burning of coal and reducing the emission of carbon dioxide.
After smoke and pollution stopped in the sky of the town of Komati, which ended the burning of coal in 2022, doubts and concerns are increasing among the population about the loss of jobs.
At the Climate Summit (COB 26), which was held in 2021, many Western countries pledged to provide loans to South Africa to support the transition to green energy, and loans and grants reached $ 12.9 billion.
Despite the great support provided by the financiers and donors to South Africa, the amounts were only disbursed in 2023, which makes the scheduled transfer of some of its projects on the horizon of 2027 facing great difficulties.
The use of coal represented 82% of electric power generation operations in 2024, a small decline rate compared to its size in 2015, which represented 90%.
It is scheduled that the construction of a solar power station with a capacity of 72 megawatta, and 150 megawatta of energy storage in batteries next year, which will produce 2,500 jobs, will start 70% of it for the local population, for the three years that takes the construction of the project.
Obstacles
The transition to clean energy in South Africa faces many obstacles, most notably the possibility of loss of jobs, as a government study prepared in 2023 estimated that about 400,000 jobs, including 80,000, in coal mining, are at risk in the Mbumallaga region, in which most of the power and mines are located.
Among the obstacles that stand in the face of South Africa towards a transformation of clean energy is the problem of infrastructure, as it needs to build new facilities, to transfer electricity and link the large energy projects implemented by the private sector, in the stormy southwest and northwest sunny to the national network.
The severe electrical interruptions that reached 12 hours a day in recent years have led to the delay in the closure of 3 coal power stations from 2027 to 2030.
The Minister of Electricity and Energy of South Africa, such as Glosschou Ramokgoba, said that tangible benefits should have been provided before the closure of traditional stations, noting the difficulty of implementing these projects while maintaining the continuation of economic activity in the country.