COMMENTS ON POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF PROPOSED NEW COAL GENERATION UNDER THE SOUTH AFRICA 2019 INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN

The report argues that the 2019 IRP's goal of adding 1500 MW of new coal generation is technically and environmentally problematic. It concludes that 'clean coal' is a myth, as even high-efficiency, low-emission (HELE) technologies cannot eliminate significant air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The author finds that advanced ultra-supercritical plants and carbon capture technologies are currently unproven or cost-prohibitive at scale, making them unlikely to be implemented. Furthermore, the report asserts that the 2023 timeline for the first 750 MW is unrealistic and that new plants would inevitably cause harm to human and environmental health through emissions of toxic organic compounds, trace metals, and acid gases, as well as impacts from the broader coal supply chain.

• Ultra-supercritical (USC) efficiency is the highest thermal cycle efficiency realistically achievable for the 1500 MW of new coal under the 2019 IRP, as advanced ultra-supercritical (AUSC) plants do not meet the IRP's requirement for operational project experience.
• Carbon capture (CC) technologies are considered impractical and unlikely to be implemented for the proposed capacity due to prohibitive costs, lack of commercial-scale operational success, and a significant energy penalty that reduces thermal efficiency by 8-10 percentage points.
• The concept of "clean coal" is described as a myth because emissions of toxic organic compounds, trace metals, and acid gases are inescapable, and the entire supply chain—from mining to ash disposal—creates significant environmental and health impacts.
• Circulating fluidized bed (CFB) technology, while preferred by the IRP for its ability to handle low-quality coal, emits significantly more nitrous oxide (N2O)—a potent greenhouse gas—than pulverized coal technologies.
• The 2019 IRP's timeline for bringing 750 MW of new coal generation online by 2023 is deemed unreasonable given the time required for technology selection, design, and procurement.
• Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) and underground gasification combined cycle (UGCC) are unlikely candidates for the 2019 IRP due to high capital and operating costs and a lack of full-scale operating experience in South African conditions.

APA

Sahu, R. (. (2021). COMMENTS ON POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF PROPOSED NEW COAL GENERATION UNDER THE SOUTH AFRICA 2019 INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN. Centre for Environmental Rights. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Annexure-B_SAHU_SA_2019_IRP.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Sahu, Ranajit (Ron). COMMENTS ON POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF PROPOSED NEW COAL GENERATION UNDER THE SOUTH AFRICA 2019 INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN. Centre for Environmental Rights, 2021. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Annexure-B_SAHU_SA_2019_IRP.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sahu |first1=Ranajit (Ron) |title=COMMENTS ON POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF PROPOSED NEW COAL GENERATION UNDER THE SOUTH AFRICA 2019 INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN |publisher=Centre for Environmental Rights |date=July 2021 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Annexure-B_SAHU_SA_2019_IRP.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sahu2021comments, author = {Sahu, Ranajit (Ron)}, title = {{COMMENTS ON POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF PROPOSED NEW COAL GENERATION UNDER THE SOUTH AFRICA 2019 INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2021}, month = jul, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Annexure-B_SAHU_SA_2019_IRP.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }