Eskom is doomed

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Pythonista said:
NO. We do not. We do not need projects that cost billions and need real expert technicians to run. That's just a ticket for more corruption and waste. We need wind and solar power, which can be built using local tech and skill. And yes - solar can generate at night - using molten salt stored in large underground tanks.
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This is called CSP+TS, concentrated solar power with thermal storage. And there are several smaller units like that working in SA, Bokpoort and Kathu among them, 50 and 100 mW . These are plants with only storage of 4.5 till 9hrs, much larger CSP+TS plants have come online in Australia, Chile, the US and Spain that can store the molten salt solution at temps up to 500 C up to 48 hrs, basically making it a 24/7/365 operation.

Read :/www.ee.co.za/article/power-from-the-sun-an-overview-of-csp-in-south-africa.html
The smaller ones in SA produce at R 1.69/kWh, the large ones overseas produce at R 70 to 100 cts/kWh.
PV solar and wind projects came in at 70 to 96 cts in the latest rounds of REIPPs here in SA. All these renewable projects are up and running within 3 years.
Much larger PV projects in the Middle East produce at R 45 to 70 cts/kWh.
Opponents and critics of renewables often quote the amount of R 2.20, but this largely based on the prices for renewables in the first rounds of REIPPs, and this includes AFAIK, what I understand also some private Diesel fueled emergency generators. They use this amount as a false argument against renewables, and a lousy excuse to continue coal mining.
Read the article on Moneyweb by an ex-miner. Our Min of mineral affairs and energy Malome Gwede Mantashe also came first to the fore as trade union leader in the early 80s in the Witbank coal mines. Both are still deeply stuck in the dark, black ages of coal mining and coal fired power stations.
www.moneyweb.co.za/mineweb/coal-and-nuclear-back-on-the-energy-grid/

A 2016 CSIR report on the future of energy in SA states we can easily have 70% of all electricity from renewables, and the rest from natural gas and nuclear by 2040. It will be 20% cheaper than coal, use 30-40% less water and reduces CO2 emissions with 70-80%.
http://climatereality.co.za/wp-cont...161124_Least-cost_electricity_mix_SA_CSIR.pdf
 
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Gordon_R said:
Its like the story of the frog is a slowly boiling pot of water. Nothing different from last week, but if you don't do anything, the situation is going to get worse.

I'm not a big fan of hard-hitting commentators such as RW Johnson, but somebody has to stand up and speak the truth.

Edit: I posted before reading the comment by @evilstebunny, but it reflects my sentiments.
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Talking about it and doing something about it are two different things. They know exactly what they are doing wrong. The pessimist in me don't see that anything will be done about it.
 
RedViking said:
Talking about it and doing something about it are two different things. They know exactly what they are doing wrong. The pessimist in me don't see that anything will be done about it.
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That is mostly how politics works. Elected officials will never do anything that reduces their chances of re-election. Rather postpone the problem for someone else to deal with. In a few years time, once they have retired. /sarcasm
 
I actually love these articles. Makes me look forward to my appointment this week with the bank for a loan for a off grid solar system.
 
Does anyone know where I can buy 20 250V solarelectric panels at a good price?
(Genuine question)
 
JIqlIgR.jpg
 
One of the only SOE's that, if done right, can make an actual profit. Don't know how the actual ****, they keep ****ing it up. They don't seem qualified to do the work, but they're very good at peddling bonuses.
 
spectrum.1 said:
Does anyone know where I can buy 20 250V solarelectric panels at a good price?
(Genuine question)
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250 V solar panels ?!?!

Do they exist ? I thought they were all 12V or 24V DC, or at least lower voltages.
You will need an inverter to change low voltage DC into 220 V AC, preferably a so called PSW one. Pure Sine Wave, as the clean alternating power from those ones can also power electric motors, like the compressors of your fridges.
PSW inverters are also more efficient than the cheaper Square wave inverters. SW units though are OK for electronics like PCs and lights. What you really need is a combined charge/discharge regulator + inverter in one.
They regulate the current from your panels into the batteries and the discharge from your expensive battery bank.
I am really not an expert on this one.

Go to : powerforum.co.za
 
Peon said:
RW Johnson's piece I found ended quite well.

In summary perhaps, "we need this". Perhaps we need a collapse of Eskom and government to rid ourselves of the anc government.

Instead of trying to put plasters over a gun-shot wound, surgery should be performed.

Im not partial to the idea of total anarchy breaking out around the country during the collapse and genocide taking place as many prescribe. I think it will be very rough and stressful but ultimately needed to see the back of the anc.
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The ANC will only be replaced by more transparent socialists.
 
Eskom is not doomed as there will always be tax money to bail it out
 
Rabobi said:
Eskom is not doomed as there will always be tax money to bail it out
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The problem is there isn't tax money to bail Eskom out. The government is selling bonds (i.e. borrowing) to bail them out. They've already increased bond selling in the past few weeks which has caused yields to rise sharply. They are borrowing money to pay the interest on money they've already borrowed.
 
spectrum.1 said:
buy 20 250V solarelectric panels
(Genuine question)
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Start again with your research have a look at these forums there's load written about off grid stuff (also power forum I think?)

Or maybe don't waste your money until you know what a volt and watt is... Genuine answer... I see too many people getting it very wrong, expecting the earth and wasting their money. You don't try to build your car from scratch, so don't try to build a solar supply piece by piece.
 
JayM said:
The problem is there isn't tax money to bail Eskom out. The government is selling bonds (i.e. borrowing) to bail them out. They've already increased bond selling in the past few weeks which has caused yields to rise sharply. They are borrowing money to pay the interest on money they've already borrowed.
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That's promising in a way... Bond markets (and or the IMF) have a long history of making governments do what they need to do, but that voters didn't want.

No such thing as a free lunch SA!
 
richjdavies said:
That's promising in a way... Bond markets (and or the IMF) have a long history of making governments do what they need to do, but that voters didn't want.

No such thing as a free lunch SA!
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True. We're borrowing at 8.4% to achieve 1% economic growth. I think only Pakistan and Venezuela pay more.
 
Read the headline, and thought "duh". Read the first paragraph, and thought ok, "duh" still applies and went to read the comments to catch me up. Sorry, useless to post anything remotely intelligent. All the intelligence is reading the article, those that matter don't give a F.
 
JayM said:
The problem is there isn't tax money to bail Eskom out. The government is selling bonds (i.e. borrowing) to bail them out. They've already increased bond selling in the past few weeks which has caused yields to rise sharply. They are borrowing money to pay the interest on money they've already borrowed.
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I know. Wont stop them using our taxes and increasing it. Eskom wont go under
 
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