Has the DA become a lobby group for foreign energy interests? Its support for privately owned “green” energy options, when criticising mineral resources & energy minister Gwede Mantashe, might seem environmentally friendly and a response to load-shedding, but it places SA at enormous risk.
Green infrastructure will be billed to independent power producers, or Eskom, in dollars, inflating local energy prices. Given our currency volatility, this is a dangerous choice over time. (Remember the runaway cost of the corrupt, dollar-based arms deal?). Claiming that green energy is cheaper cannot be guaranteed over time.
In response, will the DA in the Western Cape compel solar panel and wind turbine manufacturers to set up factories locally, to eliminate this risk? We now know how green lobbies destroyed Germany’s energy independence, in favour of imported gas from Russia. Was it captured?
Further, how will we recycle old wind turbines and solar panels? They will become an environmental nightmare for our children some day. How about privately built, and owned, coal-fired power stations instead?
If we do choose cleaner energy, 95% of all components and infrastructure should be made locally, priced in rand. Resources for battery storage and electric cars, like lithium, cobalt and others, will have to be imported.
Larger economies already have a monopoly on these, creating a risk of future supply shortages, or resource hoarding. A cleaner energy future is too filled with unknowns, risks and unplanned costs, for SA to consider.
It can be done, but local foresight, resource acquisition and local manufacturing are essential. We all want a clean environment, but at what cost? When will the DA put SA first?
Hitesh Naran
Johannesburg
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