Amid unstable power supply, the development of a wood bioeconomy could help support South Africa's energy needs while ensuring that the country meets its carbon emission reduction targets, says University of Pretoria Graduate School of Technology Management senior lecturer Schalk Grobbelaar.

The country intends to limit greenhouse gas emissions tobetween 398 t of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) and 510 t CO2-e by 2025 and to between 350 t CO2-e and 420 t CO2-e by 2030.

“Bioenergy can be used as baseload power supply and is typically used in thermal power plants, offering similar flexibility in terms of minimum load and ramp rates, as well as startup and shutdown times, to coal-fired power plants. Assuming the biofuel is sourced from sustainably managed resources, the power generated is considered to be carbon neutral.”

Published in Engineering news, Schalk Grobbelaar , 22 July 2022  Read more...