Energy in South Africa describes energy and electricity production, consumption and export in South Africa. South Africa was 6. top hard coal producer in 2009. Hard coal production was 1,620 TWh in 2009 and total energy production 1,995 TWh in 2008. The environmenatal concerns of old abandoned coal mines are high. Many abandoned mines have been burning since the 1940s. Persistent and toxic mine chemical leakages pollute waterways and kill animals. In 2006, about 80% of South Africa’s coal exports was in Europe.[1]
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| Energy in South Africa[2] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capita | Prim. energy | Production | Export | Electricity | CO2-emission | |
| Million | TWh | TWh | TWh | TWh | Mt | |
| 2004 | 45.51 | 1,525 | 1,814 | 279 | 226.5 | 343.4 |
| 2007 | 47.59 | 1,562 | 1,856 | 254 | 238.6 | 345.8 |
| 2008 | 48.69 | 1,564 | 1,895 | 203 | 232.2 | 337.4 |
| 2009 | 49.32 | 1,675 | 1,868 | 158 | 224 | 369 |
| Change 2004-2009 | 8.4 % | 9.8 % | 3.0 % | -43 % | -1.3 % | 7.6 % |
| Mtoe = 11.63 TWh, Prim. energy includes energy losses | ||||||
South Africa was 6. top hard coal producer in 2009: 247 Mt hard coal, below Australia 335 Mt and Indonesia 263 Mt and above Russia 229 Mt. South Africa was 5. top hard coal net exporter in 2009: 67 Mt hard coal of the world total hard coal export 836 Mt.[3]
In 2009 247 Mt hard coal production is 247 Mt*0.564 toe/Mt*11.630 TWh/toe = 1620 TWh and export 67 Mt*0.564 toe/Mt*11.630 TWh/toe = 439 TWh.
Coal production and use creates in South Africa ”Coal combustion wastes” (CCW), coal mine wastes (AMD) and toxic coal land fires. Coal combustion wastes (CCW), contain toxic substances like arsenic, cadmium, chromium and lead. Hundreds of South African old coal mines are filled with sulphate salts, heavy metals and carcinogenic substances like benzene and toluene. This AMD damages wildlife and spreads illness and disease. According to Greenpeace most shockingly is eMalahleni ‘place of coal’, Mpumalanga province, surrounded by 22 collieries and steel, vanadium and manganese plants. One of the biggest old mines is the Transvaal and Delagoa Bay (T&DB) mine, closed in 1953. 60 km downstream from Emalahleni AMD leaked into the water supply in 2006 and 2007 killing thousands of fish, crocodiles and freshwater turtles and poisoning the water used by communities. Coal fires continue in the disused mines.[1]
Coal mine owners include Anglo Coal (ex Amcoal) a subsidiary of Anglo American plc and BHP Billiton.[1]
In 2008 electricity was produced 241 TWh with coal. In 2008 electricity production + imports – exports – losses was 232 TWh.[4]