Ramokgopa bets on Eskom innovation to drive greener energy future

Minister of Electricity and Energy Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa believes Eskom’s future could be shaped not only by keeping the lights on, but by investing heavily in technology, research and innovation.

Speaking during a visit to Eskom’s Research, Testing and Development (RT&D) Centre in Johannesburg, Ramokgopa said the utility has the potential to become a leader in energy technology as South Africa navigates the transition towards cleaner sources of power.

He said Eskom's research and development capabilities remain one of its biggest advantages and deserve greater investment.

“We really want to position Eskom as a leader in terms of technology innovation, so there’s a lot of investment that needs to be made in terms of research and development,” Ramokgopa said.

He said the utility's ambitions were not limited to restoring its past successes.

“We will look to invest more and more of the earnings that Eskom is recording so that we go back to the glory days and, in fact, surpass those,” he said.

The RT&D Centre plays a key role in testing and developing technologies that could address Eskom's current operational challenges while preparing the utility for the future energy landscape.

A major focus is finding ways to reduce emissions from Eskom's coal-fired power stations while ensuring the country continues to meet its electricity needs.

Ramokgopa said several projects aimed at reducing emissions were already underway at the facility.

South Africa is required to comply with environmental regulations governing emissions from power stations, and the minister said government intended to meet those obligations.

While countries such as China and Japan have made significant advances in emission-reduction technology, Ramokgopa said Eskom was also making progress.

Although some of the technologies have not yet reached commercial scale, he said they could eventually allow South Africa to continue using coal as part of its energy mix while reducing its environmental and health impact.

“The positive outcome of this is that we will be able to continue to exploit our natural endowments, which is coal as part of the broader energy mix, and that we are able to meet our obligations with regard to emission standards,” he said.

Government is also considering partnerships with international technology companies to bring more advanced solutions into the country.

But Ramokgopa said Eskom's plans stretch beyond coal and emissions compliance.

The utility is also positioning itself to take advantage of South Africa's renewable energy resources through Eskom Green, while research is underway into opportunities in green hydrogen.

“Eskom must also be able to position itself to exploit our renewable energy endowments,” Ramokgopa said.

With research into cleaner technologies gathering pace, the minister said Eskom was moving in the right direction as it seeks to balance the country's current energy demands with a greener and more sustainable future.