CCS in South Africa

• Overview
• Emissions profile
• Policy environment
• Status of CCS
• Members and key organisations
• Global CCS Institute activities in South Africa

Overview

South Africa is actively pursuing carbon capture and storage (CCS) as part of its energy and climate change policies. The South African Government has established the South African Centre for Carbon Capture and Storage (SACCCS) to investigate the technical feasibility of CCS in South Africa. The development of CCS in South Africa is underway in accordance with a South African CCS Roadmap.

Emissions profile

The energy industry contributes the majority of greenhouse gas emissions in South Africa, and the country is rated among the world’s top 20 emitters, according to the World Resources Institute. South Africa's Department of Energy officially recognises its role in addressing climate change while continuing to address issues of energy security, poverty alleviation and household access to electricity. Exploring CCS is one way in which the Government is working toward achieving these goals.

Figure 1. CO₂ Emissions by Sector in 2008 (excludes land use change).

Source: World Resources Institute, Climate Analysis Indicators Tool http://cait.wri.org/

Energy profile

South Africa is a relatively energy and carbon-intensive country, especially when compared to other African nations. Fossil fuels account for almost 90 per cent of the country’s total primary energy needs.

Figure 2. Total Energy Consumption by Type in 2008

Source: US Energy Information Administration

Policy environment

South Africa’s National Climate Change Response Policy, which was endorsed by its Cabinet on 12 October 2012, identifies CCS as one of South Africa’s eight Near-term Priority Flagship Programmes. The CCS Flagship Programme will be led by the Department of Energy in partnership with SACCCS.

In May 2012, the South African Cabinet officially endorsed the CCS Roadmap. The milestones in the Roadmap are:

• 2004 – Assessment of CCS potential in South Africa (Complete);
• 2010 – South African CCS Geological Storage Atlas (Complete);
• 2015 – CO₂ Test Injection in South Africa (Under development);
• 2020 – South African CCS Demonstration; and
• 2025 – Commercial deployment of CCS in South Africa.

South Africa is currently exploring how a test injection project can be accommodated within its current regulatory regime.

Status of CCS

Pilot Projects and R&D Activities

The CO₂ Test Injection Project planned for 2016 is a key focus of CCS in South Africa. The Project will look to store in the order of 10,000-50,000 tonnes of CO₂. SACCCS is undertaking a scoping study, which draws upon domestic and international experiences to construct a business plan that will underpin the test injection.

Storage

In 2010 South Africa published a national storage atlas, which can be found on the SACCCS website.

A key goal of the CO₂Test Injection Project is to demonstrate CO₂ storage potential in South Africa

Members and key organisations

• Department of Energy
• Department of Environmental Affairs
• South African Centre for Carbon Capture and Storage
• South African Geological Survey
• Sasol New Energy

Global CCS Institute activities in South Africa

• Sponsored South Africa’s first CCS Week.
• Arranged and sponsored 10 South African delegates to visit the Otway Project in Victoria, Australia and to meet with Australian Government policy makers. This interview with the Head of SACCCS gives his insights into the benefit of the study tour.
• Institute offers scholarship for South African representative to attend the CO2CRC CCS School.
• Co-sponsored the 2011 CCS Week through the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF).
• Co-funded through the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum a study on the Impacts of CCS on South Africa’s National Priorities Beyond Climate Change.
• Co-funded through the World Bank work on developing a regulatory framework, public engagement activities, and assessing appropriate technologies for the industrial and electricity sector.

 Listen to an interview with the Head of SACCCS talking about South Africa’s CCS journey.