A hybrid power station, which would combine concentrated solar power and coal, could be an option for South Africa, a speaker at the Renewable Energy Africa conference said on Wednesday.
South Africa’s National Energy Research Institute (Saneri) CEO Kadri Nassiep said that senior officials from State-owned utility Eskom indicated at a National Planning Commission workshop that a hybrid model could be considered for a third power station, after the construction of the coal-fired Medupi and Kusile plants.
He said that initially the institute had proposed a hybrid model for Kusile, as additional power capacity in the form of concentrated solar power was already coming on stream in the country.
“They responded by saying that they would be willing to discuss such a model for coal-three, but that Kusile were not up for discussion,” Nassiep said.
Saneri is a public entity, under the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Energy, entrusted with coordinating and pursuing public interest energy research, development and demonstration.
