Eskom gave input into the Departments of Energy IRP2010 (Integrated Resource Plan) – some would say they wrote it on behalf of the Department. One of the key factors in planning electricity generation capacity is knowing what the demand will be. Currently, the electricity demand peaks at just under 40 000MW. Eskom projected than by 2030, the demand would be about 85 000MW, or about 4% compounded demand growth, every year. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: December 2011
Statistically, how safe is nuclear power?
‘Safe’ is an interesting word, in that it means different things to different people. To the public, ‘safe’ often means ‘cannot fail’, whereas to an engineer, it only means that something is within the accepted safety standards. Continue reading
Evacuations and after effects of the Fukushima nuclear disaster
It is not unusual for those who favour nuclear power to downplay the effects of nuclear disasters that have happened. In the article “Nuclear power is a key part of SA’s future”, attributed to the South African Minister of Energy Dipuo Peters, I came across this example: ‘The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to Fukushima at the end of May 2011 concluded that “to date no confirmed long-term health effects to any person have been reported as a result of radiation exposure from the nuclear accident”‘. Continue reading
Top COP or Flop COP?
And finally, its over. Negotiations carried on until 3.30am this morning, and ended with the ‘Durban Deal’. It has three main features.
The Three Part Deal – KP, GCF, and … something
Firstly, the Kyoto Protocol (KP) will be extended in its current form for five years. Civil society is divided on whether this is a flop or ‘top’. Continue reading
Final hours of COP17
The final hours of COP17 are drawing to a close. Everyone is tired after two weeks of this process, and many negotiators have already left. The optimistic feelings of yesterday seem to have evaporated. Continue reading
Zuma confronts faith groups on nuclear power
At COP17 in Durban, there has been strong input from civil society that nuclear power is not the answer for South Africa.
Faith groups have long held the view that nuclear power is ethically indefensible, Continue reading
COP17 Negotiations Update
Hanging around at COP17 is a place to meet many people, and hear many different versions of what is going on inside the negotiations. One version I have heard is that the world may well be on the brink of a new age of climate negotiations. Continue reading
Candlelight vigil at COP17
This evening SAFCEI (the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute) called for a candlelight vigil outside the main entrance to COP17 at 7pm.
It started with a group of five activists lighting candles just inside the exhibition centre in Durban. Continue reading
What is happening at COP17?
A story doing the rounds here is that COP17 is like a doughnut. The centre of it is just air. The sweet part is all around the edges. Continue reading
Nuclear power presentations and panel discussion at COP17 side event
The Heinrich Boell Foundation arranged a set of presentations and panel discussion on the theme of ‘Beyond coal and nuclear’. The three highly distinguished presenters were Kimiko Hirata of the Japanese organisation Kiko network which has its goal the prevention of dangerous climate change; Arne Jungjohann of the Washington office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation (HBF); and Michaele Schreyer, member of the supervisory board of HBF. Continue reading
KOEBERG ALERT ALLIANCE 