South Africa:Eskom to green its energy by 2040,but challenges remain.

South African electricity giant Eskom is embarking on a profound transformation:To move away from coal and rely predominantly on clean energy by 2040. This pivot aims to reduce coal’s share from 39 GW to 18 GW while reaching 32 GW of renewable capacity, compared with less than 1 GW today.

To achieve this, Eskom intends to ]modernize old power plants and build new ones, while creating a dedicated entity for green energies, open to private partnerships.

But the transition remains fraught with obstacles. Chief among them: a colossal debt of 400 billion rand, or over $22 billion, which severely limits the company’s investment capacity. Added to this are increasing unpaid bills from South African municipalities and regulated tariffs too low to cover costs.

Yet this switchover is crucial: South Africa, still over 80% dependent on coal, remains one of the continent’s biggest CO₂ emitters. A successful transition would position Eskom as a key player in Africa’s energy greening, but financing remains the Achilles heel of this strategic shift.

source: africa news