Snapping the connection between renewables and climate science….

I was on a TV panel this morning with Hilary Joffee and Azar Jamime interviewed by Karima Brown about ‘lowest cost option for South Africa’s future energy mix’ – the focus of my Daily Maverick article a few days ago that seems to have hit a nerve across many different circles! I am beginning to realize something: I should do what Gwede Mantashe did when he spoke in Australia recently about the discovery in SA of a new metal that did not exist (because the speechwriter did not realize that the report was a April fool’s joke). I should say we found the Wakanda rock that generates unlimited energy and it only costs 60c/KWh, and guess what it is spread out all around the country so everyone can benefit by setting up their own energy generator. If could prove it existed and ran countless models proving it works, I could convince South Africa to give up on coal and adopt the Wakanda rocks. It would be easy, actually. But when you mention renewables, immediately people think climate change, and then they secretly say they don’t “believe in the science” – as if it is a matter of belief or not. This is why in this interview I said forget about the science – just focus on the money. Price, price, price. Maybe that is what we need to do – snap the connection between renewables and climate science!