Renewable Energy Contradictions

The only way to describe the plunge into so-called renewable energy into which South Africa is being manoeuvred is that it constitutes a reckless disregard for reality (Business Report, November 14).

Besides the billions that this totally unnecessary direction will add to the existing and increasingly unserviceable debt, the blatant contradictions in the scheme expose the farce that it is.

Development Bank of Southern Africa CEO Patrick Dlamini claims that the “clear goal is to improve energy security because South Africa is suffering from climate change.” His assertions are absolute nonsense. In the first place, South Africa is not “suffering” from climate change because climate change is a natural, historical reality devoid of man’s influence. Dlamini’s projection that wind and solar energy will improve energy security is refuted by California and Germany’s energy insecurity because of their extreme reliance on those sources.

Beyond those irrefutable realities, the renewable energy narrative descends into cloud cuckoo land. While reducing CO2 emissions by 3,6 million tonnes – which means reducing coal mining by tens of millions of tonnes – renewable energy will “create hundreds of new jobs.” So, in return for cancelling thousands of jobs in coal mining, transportation of coal, and loading onto ships for export, we may expect just a few hundred new jobs.

But, wait, it gets even better.  This whole exercise, according to European Investment Bank vice-president, Ambroise Fayolle, will be a “just transition.” So plunging the country into new depths of debt for the sake of proving, ultra-expensive, unreliable energy sources, exacerbating unemployment in pursuit of the falsehood that decarbonisation will save the planet – all that equates to a “just” deal.

The only beneficiaries of this illogical renewable energy narrative are the international bankers and China which manufactures wind turbines, solar panels and most lithium batteries. Like the Covid/vax mania, the renewable energy narrative is a scam to diminish national sovereignty through debt and extend the dependence of populations on state welfare by exacerbating unemployment.