Green energy the solution, Eskom

One of the biggest stumbling blocks to ideas and campaigns to “save the planet” is, we are often told, the money factor.

One of the areas where that argument has been used ad nauseum is that of renewable energy.

Our parastatal electricity supplier, Eskom, has over the years trotted out the mantra that electricity from wind or solar power is just too expensive to include in our national grid.

It has now been reported that over the past few years, the cost of renewable energy has fallen dramatically.

Wind power has gone down from R1.51 per Kilowatt/hour to below 70c. Solar costs have fallen from R3.65/KWh to below 90c/KWh.

Investment analyst Chris Gilmour says that, by comparison, the mega-expensive Kusile and Medupi coal-fired power stations will be producing power at R1.40 to R1.50 per KWh.

To recoup the huge expenditure, Eskom is no doubt going to ask for major power tariff hikes in the not-too-distant future.

The figures show that renewable is affordable and including it in the national power mix will not only encourage investment in new projects but will also grow jobs.

Wind and solar power are the sources of the future. And they could become Eskom’s saving grace too…

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