Performance
Highlights
Our investment decision-making process integrates sustainability
issues from the “idea” identification stage right through to build,
and thereafter operation and maintenance. In the last year,
we developed a shadow price for carbon to enable equitable
evaluation of different technologies based on our carbon
emissions. This was a positive step in support of our aspiration to
diversify towards lower carbon-emitting technologies and ensures
that longer-term issues are taken into consideration in decisionmaking.
We have also completed a carbon trading strategy that
looks at the management of carbon credits.
Renewable energy plays an important role in meeting our
diversification aspirations. In the last year we decided to invest
in a 100MW wind facility in the Western Cape which will consist
of 50 turbines, each rated at 2MW. Subject to the necessary
approvals being obtained, the plant could be in operation by
2010. Further decisions to increase the renewables component
to at least 1 600MW by 2025 are under consideration.
With regard to “off-grid” applications, we started the national
rollout of solar water heating and compact fluorescent lamp
(Cfl) programmes. The uptake of these can contribute greatly to
the reduction in the country’s carbon footprint by reducing the
amount of electricity needed for water heating and lighting.
The two new coal-fired stations being built will be classified as
supercritical plant, which will employ clean coal technologies.
This means that the boilers operate at much higher temperatures
than did the previous fleet of subcritical coal plant, resulting in
higher efficiencies and therefore less coal burnt per unit of
electricity generated. In addition, the pilot underground coal
gasification plant allows for higher efficiencies and therefore
lower carbon emissions.
Lowlights
There was an increase in the level of CO2 emission from 208,9Mt
(2007) to 223,6Mt1 (2008) mainly due to the increased quantities
of coal burnt and electricity produced, reduction in our average
coal calorific value and an overall drop in thermal efficiency of
our power stations.
1 Calculated annual figure is based on coal characteristics and coal-fired power station design parameters (excluding liquid fuels).
Benchmarking
Eskom has been part of the WBCSD for a number of years.
We co-chair the electric utilities sectoral project. This grouping
includes 10 utilities from around the world. In the last year they
compiled the “Powering a Sustainable Future” report on the
policies and measures required to progress the climate change
regime from a utilities’ perspective. This was well received and
has often been quoted by the executive secretary of the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as the type
of information they want to see from business. Eskom played a
pivotal role in the development of this report. |
