3 Energy Transition in Africa: Context, Barriers and Strategies
79
temperate climate. As of 2018, it was estimated to have a population of
57,779,622, 24% of whom live in its rural areas.
24
SA’s Energy Resources and Supply
SA has limited oil and gas reserves and meets its oil and gas requirements
from imports. It, however, has large coal and uranium reserves as well as
hydro, solar and wind resources.
25 Its energy supply is dominated by
coal which accounts for about 77% of the primary energy followed by
renewables at approximately 20%.
26
SA’s Energy Demand and Consumption
The end use of SA’s energy is 25% transport, 25% of electricity and
50% heating/cooling.
27 SA’s economy rests predominantly on energyintensive industries as such its industrial sector records the highest energy
demand (36%) second to its transport and residential sectors, both of
which record a 27% demand.
28
SA’s Energy Outlook
It is forecasted that coal will continue to be the dominant source of
energy for the foreseeable future in SA. SA is also the world’s seventh
largest coal producer and earns approximately USD4.2 Billion in revenue
from exporting coal per year.
29 Its coal industry employs over 100,000
people in the SA population.
30
As regards, its emissions, SA is the 16th largest CO 2 emitter in
the world with 80% of its emissions being from energy supply.
31 The
country signed the Paris Agreement and has committed to peak emissions (398–614MtCO 2 e) by 2025 before plateauing for ten years and
then declining after 2035.
24 Ibid.
25 Department of Energy, South Africa Energy Sector Report (2018), http://www.energy.gov.za/,
accessed 30 August 2019.
26 Ibid.
27 Ibid. (n 23).
28 Ibid.
29 Ibid. (n 23).
30 Ibid.
31 ‘The Carbon Brief Profile: South Africa’, https://www.carbonbrief.org/the-carbon-brief-profilesouth-africa, accessed 30 August 2019.
79
temperate climate. As of 2018, it was estimated to have a population of
57,779,622, 24% of whom live in its rural areas.
24
SA’s Energy Resources and Supply
SA has limited oil and gas reserves and meets its oil and gas requirements
from imports. It, however, has large coal and uranium reserves as well as
hydro, solar and wind resources.
25 Its energy supply is dominated by
coal which accounts for about 77% of the primary energy followed by
renewables at approximately 20%.
26
SA’s Energy Demand and Consumption
The end use of SA’s energy is 25% transport, 25% of electricity and
50% heating/cooling.
27 SA’s economy rests predominantly on energyintensive industries as such its industrial sector records the highest energy
demand (36%) second to its transport and residential sectors, both of
which record a 27% demand.
28
SA’s Energy Outlook
It is forecasted that coal will continue to be the dominant source of
energy for the foreseeable future in SA. SA is also the world’s seventh
largest coal producer and earns approximately USD4.2 Billion in revenue
from exporting coal per year.
29 Its coal industry employs over 100,000
people in the SA population.
30
As regards, its emissions, SA is the 16th largest CO 2 emitter in
the world with 80% of its emissions being from energy supply.
31 The
country signed the Paris Agreement and has committed to peak emissions (398–614MtCO 2 e) by 2025 before plateauing for ten years and
then declining after 2035.
24 Ibid.
25 Department of Energy, South Africa Energy Sector Report (2018), http://www.energy.gov.za/,
accessed 30 August 2019.
26 Ibid.
27 Ibid. (n 23).
28 Ibid.
29 Ibid. (n 23).
30 Ibid.
31 ‘The Carbon Brief Profile: South Africa’, https://www.carbonbrief.org/the-carbon-brief-profilesouth-africa, accessed 30 August 2019.