Cape Town - The coal industry has to increase its investment
in clean coal technologies and research programmes, Mineral Resources
Minister Susan Shabangu said on Thursday.
Although the industry had an important role to play in the
economy, it had to remain "current and relevant", Shabangu told the
SA Coal Export Conference in Cape Town.
"The industry needs to raise the level of investment in
clean coal technologies research programmes. This is likely to present the
country with opportunities to continue exploiting this vast resource without
the risk of raising further the carbon intensity of its economy."
Shabangu said while South Africa had made clear its
commitment to reduce its carbon footprint through various programmes, including
diversification of its energy mix, coal still had a vital role to play in the
country's energy generation.
Scientific advances
She said advances in science were providing more accurate
feedback on the environmental impact of fossil fuels. This information was
starting to guide international and local industries on how to
"mitigate" the negative impacts resulting from exploitation of coal,
which contributed 90% to South Africa's electricity and 30% to its liquid fuel
requirements.
The Council for Geosciences (CGS) was conducting research to
quantify the extent of the acid mine drainage problem and was identifying
possible rehabilitation measures. This, she said, would help ameliorate the
impact of acid mine drainage in the sector, which produced 316 million tonnes
of coal and earned R37bn from export sales in 2010.
Acid mine draining is water that is rendered acidic from
mining and which flows into rivers and dams.
A study by the CGS on the country's coal resources and
reserves had also been completed and a report was being finalised.
The results of the study, likely to be released in the first
half of the year, would help inform the government's long range planning on
security of local supplies. The study could provide opportunities for the
growth and expansion of the industry.