IN-DEPTH
Training vital in balancing coal jobs and energy mix
SA faces a tough road ahead as one of the country’s biggest sectors undergoes changes in the way electricity is generated, writes Theto Mahlakoana
The coal mining industry is changing across the world as countries prioritise clean energy to limit environmental effects. But in SA, coal remains an integral part of the economy and industry. While trade unions are agitating for a conversation about the future of the industry following the government’s adoption of an energy mix approach in line with the Integrated Energy Plan, the focus on the inclusion of nuclear has deviated attention from coal. In a 2015 report, Statistics SA said while calls to decrease the world’s dependence on coal were well-intended, SA would need to consider the implications of going the same route. The country is one of the world’s top 10 producers of coal. In 2014, the sector produced 260-million tonnes of coal with a value exceeding R100bn, accounting for 17% of the estimated 400,000 jobs in mining. "Measured at current prices, coal is now king," said the Stats SA report.Without coal, Eskom’s power-generating capacity would be crippled; 92% of SA’s power...
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