Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Use me More

South Africa is one of the best countries for using solar power

And if you live anywhere near the coast you will know that we certainly don't lack wind power.
The trouble is we are not harnessing much of this available power. At the moment the bulk of our alternative energy is left to private individuals and the cost is exorbitant. We are not even offered the opportunity of putting excess power back into the grid. 

 Eskom is still investigating new nuclear power plants and investing in coal fired plants. What are they thinking? Clearly they aren't.
Despite the ridiculous salaries their top management earn (R18.5 million) see:
 Salaries of Eskom execs doubled-20110627
Eskom and Government keep arguing that alternative energy is too expensive and so we have to keep using coal. The problem is they are not looking at the real cost of coal generated power. When calculating the cost they forget about about the strain placed on our water resources, they forget about the health issues of the people living around these plants and they definitely haven't thought about the impact on climate change. You can read more about the cost of Coal fired power here:

If you are as horrified by these facts as I am then please join me in asking Government to use the sun & wind more.
USE ME MORE
(Sorry this technologically challenged person can"t get the link pic to work properly - so please click the USE ME MORE  text)
 To make my bulb shine brighter, Click here: PetitionLinkButton.png


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8 comments:

  1. DesireeNovember 9, 2011 at 6:59 AM

    An excellent post highlighting an important issue. Thank you. I have signed up. Since you are environmentally concerned, you might be interested in checking out this SA blog: blog.dhec.co.za

    ReplyDelete
  2. cathy@homeNovember 9, 2011 at 7:32 AM

    I agree with you also in an area of possibilities of solar energy not just for heating water.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mark WillisNovember 9, 2011 at 9:10 AM

    If we were able to harness the energy in all the hot air generated by our politicians, we would never be short of electicity!
    Governments should make it mandatory to build new houses with solar panels, wind turbines, water-saving facilities as part of their original design.

    ReplyDelete
  4. garden girl in SANovember 10, 2011 at 6:22 AM

    Hi Desiree - Thanks for the info, interesting site.
    Cathy, do you use any solar power?
    Mark, Good One!

    ReplyDelete
  5. stoneware70November 10, 2011 at 2:36 PM

    Real costs are never really taken into account when you have an agenda...

    I watched an Eskom spokesperson say that we might as well use coal because we have such huge reserves of it, and if we don't use it, we'll export it for use elsewhere in the world.

    That sounds like a fair argument, but as long as we use that reasoning, we have no real motivation to change our ways?

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  6. cathy@homeNovember 13, 2011 at 1:09 PM

    We have solar panels for water heating but not for electricity we have a problem not only is it very expensive(the solar cells) how to put the excess into the grid .
    The kibbutz has a water turbine so the electricity is at a lower tariff.
    But I would love solar panels and maybe a wind turbine on the roof.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Diana StuderDecember 10, 2011 at 11:56 AM

    There is a thriving new business in the Western Cape manufacturing wind turbines.
    Pictures from Scotland show wind turbines catching fire in the fierce storms they have just had!

    ReplyDelete
  8. cathy@homeDecember 20, 2011 at 3:31 PM

    Wishing you and your famili season Greetings and a Happy new year.

    ReplyDelete

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