LETTER: Maligning researchers is becoming prevalent

I am staggered by this newspaper’s apparent willingness to dismiss the findings of legitimate research in favour of claims put forward by vested business interests (“Get moving on gas plan before it evaporates”, August 31).

The research done by the International Institute for Sustainable Development does not “argue against” investment in gas as claimed in your editorial.

What it has done is provide results of fact-based, logical economic analysis that shows a large-scale gas-to-power strategy is unnecessary to achieve electricity supply security, is far more costly than a least-cost system solution, and creates significant economic risk.

If such gas-to-power assets are procured with state backing, via power purchase agreements or direct ownership, this risk will be to public finances.

Attempts to malign researchers are unfortunately becoming more prevalent in SA, along with other tactics such as falsely accusing energy researchers of being bribed by foreign funding when their objective, open, public domain research results do not suit the powers that be.

Your editorial uses typical misinformation techniques to use a maligning tone that mixes facts with “straw man” tactics (putting words into others’ mouths that they did not utter) to “play the man, not the ball”. It also presents the laws of the land that protect citizens, public finances, the economy and the environment as mere hindrances.

As a researcher long involved in this area I am convinced by objective evidence and analysis in public domain research published by the University of Cape Town Energy Systems Research Group, the CSIR Energy Centre and Meridian Economics, which supports the conclusion that public-backed investment in large-scale gas-to-power is wholly unnecessary in the near to medium term to secure reliable electricity supply in SA, and would pose a substantial risk to public finances.

Hilton Trollip
Via email

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