Made in South Africa The company introduced the first official indicator of the carbon intensity of electricity production, confirming its position as one of the world's top producers of greenhouse gases per capita.
The Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment announced this month that the domestic power grid emission factor (DGGEF), a measure of the carbon intensity of domestically produced electricity, was 1.013.t Carbon dioxide or equivalent per megawatt hour. The department used 2021 data.
Although direct comparisons are not possible because different methodologies are used to determine the factors, climate think tank Ember has found that South Africa has the most carbon-intensive energy system of the Group of 20 (G20) countries. and Saudi Arabia will follow suit. Arabia and India.
The introduction of the measure will further move the country, which relies on coal for more than 80% of its electricity, in transitioning its power grid away from fossil fuels. The process has been plagued by political infighting, but the country has ambitious emissions reduction targets and plans to reduce its dependence on coal.
“Governments can use these factors to monitor and analyze electricity emissions trends, guide climate change mitigation models and inform climate change mitigation policy responses,” the ministry said in response to questions. .
South Africa's grid emissions factor, independently measured by Ember, is lower, but the country “may be using a more tailored methodology based on actual power plant emissions”.
Carb0n credits
The gauge can be used by operators of carbon credit projects aimed at removing or stopping climate-warming carbon dioxide or equivalent emissions into the atmosphere to determine the impact of their programs.
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In addition to the DGGEF, which is based on the 216.2 million tonnes of emissions emitted by South Africa's power plants, the department estimates that the country's grid emissions factor, including imported hydropower, is 985 kg of carbon dioxide or equivalent emissions per megawatt hour. It was announced that the amount. . — (c) 2024 Bloomberg LP
