Monthly Archives: April 2014

South Africa’s indigenous energy resource base is dominated by coal. Internationally, coal is the most widely used primary fuel, accounting for about 36 percent of the total fuel consumption of the world’s electricity production. About 77 percent of South Africa’s primary energy needs are provided by coal. This is unlikely to change significantly in the Continue Reading

South Africans have once again been called upon to use 10% less electricity, which had again highlighted how dependent the country is on Eskom’s coal-fired power stations.  No matter what mitigation steps are taken, coal will remain essential to electricity production for decades to come. In terms of sales value, coal was the most valuable Continue Reading

Solar power, a clean alternative to both fossil fuels and nuclear power, would help alleviate the pressure on South Africa’s largely coal-based energy supply while boosting the country’s overall energy capacity and helping the country achieve its target of a 34% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020. The government is driving a project to build Continue Reading

Introducing the Shongololo – the train, whose name means millipede in Zulu.  It has the capacity to carry 200 coal wagons, is as long as eight Eiffel Towers laid end-to-end and can haul 16,800 metric tons of coal at 80 kilometers per hour (50 miles per hour) non-stop to the country’s main export port. The Continue Reading