CAPE TOWN (miningweekly.com) – Day two of the twentieth annual McCloskey Southern African Coal Conference opened here on Friday with carbon emission reduction being highlighted as one of the coal industry’s key challenges.

Electricity and Energy Ministry special adviser Silas Zimu, in delivering the keynote address during the opening session chaired by McCloskey senior VP John Howland, gave recognition to the importance of the pragmatism that had characterised South Africa’s coal-dominant energy and electricity sector in recent years as it had worked in tandem with the emerging necessity of renewable-energy generation.

‘We really appreciate the cooperation you have given to Eskom,” Zimu commented as he spelt out the significant learnings of the past two years in which coal has continued to play its crucial ongoing role, accompanied by the contribution of sun and wind energy initiatives.

“It’s not about coal versus renewables. It’s to ensure that energy is available, accessible and affordable.

“We’ve learnt a lot in the past two years. Are we out of the bush? Not yet,” Zimu commented as he drew attention to the need for a focus to be placed on clean coal as well as carbon emission reduction, which he noted was already a discernible prospect in Mpumalanga, where most of South Africa’s coal-fired power stations are located.

The generation of renewables by Eskom was posed as a good pursuit, as was the cessation of plans to close old power stations.

Interestingly, to reduce emissions further, he reported at the coal conference covered by Mining Weekly that a close look was being given to the manner in which Japan was making use of green ammonia, a derivative of green hydrogen, to generate coal-fired power in a lower carbon manner.

This, Zimu revealed, followed the visit to Japan in December by South Africa’s Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, about which the publication ESG Africa reported that Japan's pursuit of a sustainable hydrogen future presented an opportunity for South Africa.

During the visit, Ramokgopa showcased South Africa's commitment to advancing flagship hydrogen projects, such as Boegoebaai and the Coega Green Ammonia Project, and engaged with key Japanese stakeholders, including major financial institutions and trading companies.