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Fin24 user Jens Horber writes:
Dear Editor,
I would like to share my views regarding the cabinet decision giving Eskom the go-ahead to build a third new coal-fired power station, as well as the view expressed recently by Brian Dames, the Eskom chief executive, that the company would think of powering new power stations with gas derived from fracking, which as we know are both highly contentious issues.
I propose a simple solution towards trying to alleviate South Africa’s current power woes: that the electricity generation capacity needed by Eskom from Kusile and Medupi can be provided by simply installing a solar panel on the roof of every household in South Africa.
Here’s how:
Kusile and Medupi are both planned to generate 4 800 MW each at full capacity. The current cost of solar is roughly R7 per watt (75 US cents, according to the US Department of Energy which says 50 US cents per watt will allow solar power to compete with fossil fuel).
The costs of silicon solar cells are falling, and some analysts think they could eventually drop as low as 25 US cents per watt.
Solar generation capacity to equal the generating capacity of a Kusile would cost around R36bn. With the estimated cost to complete Kusile as of July 2012 at R169.7bn (and Medupi’s latest cost of R105bn), almost five Kusiles worth of solar generation capacity could be built for the same money.
Now for the roof bit:
The solar generation capacity of a small RDP house or shack could conservatively be 200 W based on 2m² of roof space at 100 W per m², a commonly accepted average for wattage/m². On the roof of a larger RDP house this would still leave space for a solar water heater.
The number of households in the country currently stands at 14 450 161 (Census 2011). Total generating capacity of all households if each had solar on the roof would be 2 890 MW. This is 60% of the capacity of Kusile.
With a drop in the price of solar to R2.50/W, current households could generate 180% of Kusile’s capacity. This - together with increases in efficiency (from the current best of around 15% for panels available to the consumer market) and more energy savings - would eliminate the need for both Kusile and Medupi.
With a doubling of efficiency as shown in current lab tests of panels made with the latest new materials, even the building of a third new coal-fired power station recently approved by cabinet would be unnecessary.
The current power stations are already being built, but I sincerely hope that the rough figures I have laid out can provide an opportunity for the government and Eskom to reconsider building a third new coal-fired power station, or relying on fracking to meet future energy needs.
(Reference: A Material That Could Make Solar Power “Dirt Cheap” by Kevin Bullis, MIT Technology Review, August 8 2013)
- Fin24
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Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyFin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views of users published on Fin24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.
Fin24 reserves the right to obtain service providers' comments before publishing any articles or letters, and to edit any material used. Fin24 also reserves the right to edit or delete any and all user comments received.
Dear Editor,
I would like to share my views regarding the cabinet decision giving Eskom the go-ahead to build a third new coal-fired power station, as well as the view expressed recently by Brian Dames, the Eskom chief executive, that the company would think of powering new power stations with gas derived from fracking, which as we know are both highly contentious issues.
I propose a simple solution towards trying to alleviate South Africa’s current power woes: that the electricity generation capacity needed by Eskom from Kusile and Medupi can be provided by simply installing a solar panel on the roof of every household in South Africa.
Here’s how:
Kusile and Medupi are both planned to generate 4 800 MW each at full capacity. The current cost of solar is roughly R7 per watt (75 US cents, according to the US Department of Energy which says 50 US cents per watt will allow solar power to compete with fossil fuel).
The costs of silicon solar cells are falling, and some analysts think they could eventually drop as low as 25 US cents per watt.
Solar generation capacity to equal the generating capacity of a Kusile would cost around R36bn. With the estimated cost to complete Kusile as of July 2012 at R169.7bn (and Medupi’s latest cost of R105bn), almost five Kusiles worth of solar generation capacity could be built for the same money.
Now for the roof bit:
The solar generation capacity of a small RDP house or shack could conservatively be 200 W based on 2m² of roof space at 100 W per m², a commonly accepted average for wattage/m². On the roof of a larger RDP house this would still leave space for a solar water heater.
The number of households in the country currently stands at 14 450 161 (Census 2011). Total generating capacity of all households if each had solar on the roof would be 2 890 MW. This is 60% of the capacity of Kusile.
With a drop in the price of solar to R2.50/W, current households could generate 180% of Kusile’s capacity. This - together with increases in efficiency (from the current best of around 15% for panels available to the consumer market) and more energy savings - would eliminate the need for both Kusile and Medupi.
With a doubling of efficiency as shown in current lab tests of panels made with the latest new materials, even the building of a third new coal-fired power station recently approved by cabinet would be unnecessary.
The current power stations are already being built, but I sincerely hope that the rough figures I have laid out can provide an opportunity for the government and Eskom to reconsider building a third new coal-fired power station, or relying on fracking to meet future energy needs.
(Reference: A Material That Could Make Solar Power “Dirt Cheap” by Kevin Bullis, MIT Technology Review, August 8 2013)
- Fin24
Something on your mind? Share your experience and you could get published.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyFin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views of users published on Fin24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.
Fin24 reserves the right to obtain service providers' comments before publishing any articles or letters, and to edit any material used. Fin24 also reserves the right to edit or delete any and all user comments received.
