The latest European Parliament’s vote is inching to a declaration of nuclear energy and natural gas, as green energy heightened the tension in the local debate as persistent load shedding raises the energy stakes.
Nuclear Physicist Dr Kelvin Kemm said yesterday that the decision cleanses the conscience of European investors who previously would have been crucified for investing in nuclear, as well emboldening South Africa’s nuclear capability.
Kemm said his company had been talking to funders for the South African developed HTMR-100 modular reactor, which is compact enough to be installed at various sites around the country. However, investors had been reluctant because of possible backlash.
“There is no shortage of money, but potential investors faced two barriers: firstly if they could survive in their own country having made the investment and, secondly, if they had confidence in South Africa that there would be no interference. With the EU decision, the first one falls away,” Kemm said.
Kemm said the decision would allow for South Africa’s nuclear programme to tap into the green energy funds provided by international organisations, such as the R100 billion pledged by various countries for South Africa’s just transition to renewable energy by 2035.
“Now that the decision has been made, we can include nuclear in the green energy programme,” he said.
EU lawmakers this week voted to allow natural gas and nuclear energy to be labelled green investments, removing a major barrier to potentially billions of euros of funding from green investors.
The vote means that new gas plants will be able to tap into a fresh pool of money from environmental, social and governance investors, albeit for a limited time and only when those facilities are replacing coal-fired power stations.
Earlier this year the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, reaffirmed the government’s policy of building 2 500MW of new nuclear energy capacity in the country, with the process starting in 2024.
She particularly stressed the role of nuclear energy in achieving net-zero carbon emission energy generation, both locally and globally.
“We recognise that nuclear plays a pivotal role as one of the clean-energy sources that are needed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050,” she affirmed.
On the other hand, President Cyril Ramaphosa is on record declaring that the country would not put nuclear as an alternative in the energy mix, because it was just too expensive, there was no money for it…
Anti-Nuclear Coalition’s Peter Becker said yesterday the EU Parliament’s decision was disappointing, but that it still faced many challenges.
Ultimately, it had no bearing on South Africa, he said.
“This does not affect our nuclear debate in South Africa. It is a non issue for us. It is just like discussing the finer points of a Maserati with your friend. Yes, it is a nice car, but you simply can’t afford it,” Becker said.
He said South Africa had better alternatives in abundant sunshine and various areas where wind energy was viable.
banele.ginindza@inl.co.za
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