That was at 2011 usage levels, and it is hardly likely we have economised since then. Why coal? Well, Eskom’s Medupi power plant, which is currently in the news, is to be the world’s largest coal fired power station. Once that monster starts gobbling fuel, you should expect its life span to be a lot shorter.
Don’t think either that power is the only thing coal is good for either. From mountain bikes, to kidney dialysis machines, coal is used in thousands of products. Not all coal is suitable for power generation, which means Medupi’s lifespan is going to be a lot, lot shorter. Maybe a little pessimistic, but I expect Medupi to fizzle out before I do, and I’m talking 40 years or less.
The news that Medupi is not coming online yet is not all bad. Listening to Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba’s spokesman on the radio, it appeared one of the problems was weak welds in certain pipes. Rather have the power station safe than be a R105 billion hole in the ground when it goes boom because of sloppy workmanship.
This doesn’t explain the implementation of a dinosaur technology. Really, a coal fired power station in a water stressed country in the best we could do? Remember, these power stations work on a turn of the 19th century principle of heating water to spin a turbine to generate electricity. This country is renowned for having some of the best minds in the scientific community and this is what we come up with. Yawn.
Worldcoal.org also estimates we have proven oil and gas reserves of about 46 and 54 years at current production levels. Alternative energy production options are not keeping pace with the consumption of natural resources.
Time, and power, is running out.
