In Mpumalanga, at the site of the Grootvlei Power Station, Eskom and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have signed a memorandum of intent that will allow for the pre-feasibility study of what it calls a “climate-smart, labour intensive agriculture/horticulture development.”
In accordance with Eskom’s pledges to more environmentally friendly energy production and South Africa’s Just Energy Transition, the development study will examine an integrated and sustainable approach for the repurposing of the coal-fired power station (JET).
“We are eager to evaluate any repurposing ideas for our locations that would guarantee better community involvement, creative revenue production, and improvement of the socioeconomic situation of these places.
The study’s goal, according to Eskom, is to identify the most practical, environmentally responsible, labor-intensive farming and agricultural-related repurposing opportunities for the Grootvlei Power Station site in order to have a positive social, economic, and environmental impact on the neighbourhood while ensuring local community involvement and empowerment.
Along with the renewable energy repowering solutions that are now being considered for the site, these repurposing prospects will be used.
Eskom stated that these initiatives “complement one another and achieve the JET strategy’s goal of achieving both socioeconomic and decarbonization goals.”
Eskom claims that the cooperation with the Netherlands is already starting to pay off.
The partnership, according to Eskom, “has so far produced a Geographic Information Systems study of the Grootvlei area, a repurposing options evaluation, a preliminary situational analysis of the land by horticulture experts, and specialist analyses of soil and water quality.”
Eskom said it is committed to making sure that they are not left behind but are empowered in various ways.
As coal fired power stations wind down operations in favour of green energy, it is anticipated that employees at power plants and surrounding local communities will be socially and economically impacted.
The Just Energy Transition Office at Eskom believes that the adoption of low-carbon technologies and the ability to do so in a way that is just are both equally important.
Eskom pledged to make sure that the transition’s socioeconomic and environmental benefits are realised, that communities and workers are involved in identifying solutions, and that it does not worsen our nation’s already high unemployment rate but instead creates a net increase in sustainable jobs.