Parliament of South Africa
Parliament of South Africa
11/19/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/19/2024 09:00
Media Statement: A Move to Green Hydrogen as a Fuel Replacement Should Not Disadvantage Poor South Africans
Parliament, Tuesday, 19 November 2024 - The move to green energy and green technologies should not disadvantage poor South Africans, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Mzwandile Masina, has said.
The committee held a joint meeting with the Portfolio Committee on Science, Technology, and Innovation for a briefing on moves to introduce green hydrogen in an attempt to move towards a cleaner fuel regime and starting to manufacture electric vehicles.
Mr Masina said the committees noted with appreciation the market disruption such a move will bring but such disruption should benefit South Africans. He noted that the departments had not outlined how South Africans will benefit. "Transitioning from combustion engines must benefit the country and we must not just move for the sake of doing it. Can we say with certainty that this is a strategic move that must be done?" Mr Masina asked.
He said replacing fuel with green hydrogen is a massive shift that has the potential to leave many South Africans destitute and without any form of employment. "We closed Komati power plant some time ago and replaced it with renewables. The result was that we were left with a crisis in the country and many other problems," he said.
Mr Masina called on officials to guard against a situation where the debate around climate change and greener energies is weaponised against South Africa, whose economy largely depends on coal, and whose carbon emissions do not constitute a large percentage in comparison to other industrialised nations.
"It is just impossible for us to just move to greener energies. Our country is endowed with massive deposits of coal and the reality is that a country like China is building over 100 coal power plants," the Chairperson said.
He said although it would take a long time to remove entirely the combustion engines in urban centres, the just transition needed to be phased in in a way that does not disrupt the lives of poor South Africans. "South Africa cannot just be an assembly point of these technologies, or even a spectator in the bigger debate around the future of energy generation. We need to reskill the labour force in the coal sector. We should be able to speak for petrol attendants; where will they end up when the move to green hydrogen finally occurs?" Mr Masina asked.
"Product developers needed to look at higher ambitions for South Africans. Future loans should be affordable; we can't just be going to get money from these institutions as our future generations will not afford these. There has to be thinking about the adaptation of the existing infrastructure so that we do not disrupt the existing industries with new industries," he said.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TRADE, INDUSTRY AND COMPETITION, MR MZWANDILE MASINA.
For media inquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee's Media Officer:
Name: Mr Sibongile Maputi
Cell: 081 052 6060
Email: [email protected]
The committee held a joint meeting with the Portfolio Committee on Science, Technology, and Innovation for a briefing on moves to introduce green hydrogen in an attempt to move towards a cleaner fuel regime and starting to manufacture electric vehicles.
Mr Masina said the committees noted with appreciation the market disruption such a move will bring but such disruption should benefit South Africans. He noted that the departments had not outlined how South Africans will benefit. "Transitioning from combustion engines must benefit the country and we must not just move for the sake of doing it. Can we say with certainty that this is a strategic move that must be done?" Mr Masina asked.
He said replacing fuel with green hydrogen is a massive shift that has the potential to leave many South Africans destitute and without any form of employment. "We closed Komati power plant some time ago and replaced it with renewables. The result was that we were left with a crisis in the country and many other problems," he said.
Mr Masina called on officials to guard against a situation where the debate around climate change and greener energies is weaponised against South Africa, whose economy largely depends on coal, and whose carbon emissions do not constitute a large percentage in comparison to other industrialised nations.
"It is just impossible for us to just move to greener energies. Our country is endowed with massive deposits of coal and the reality is that a country like China is building over 100 coal power plants," the Chairperson said.
He said although it would take a long time to remove entirely the combustion engines in urban centres, the just transition needed to be phased in in a way that does not disrupt the lives of poor South Africans. "South Africa cannot just be an assembly point of these technologies, or even a spectator in the bigger debate around the future of energy generation. We need to reskill the labour force in the coal sector. We should be able to speak for petrol attendants; where will they end up when the move to green hydrogen finally occurs?" Mr Masina asked.
"Product developers needed to look at higher ambitions for South Africans. Future loans should be affordable; we can't just be going to get money from these institutions as our future generations will not afford these. There has to be thinking about the adaptation of the existing infrastructure so that we do not disrupt the existing industries with new industries," he said.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TRADE, INDUSTRY AND COMPETITION, MR MZWANDILE MASINA.
For media inquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee's Media Officer:
Name: Mr Sibongile Maputi
Cell: 081 052 6060
Email: [email protected]