S Africa to increase coal-fired energy, sparking climate outcry

South Africa's government announced Friday that the country would increase its use of coal-fired energy, provoking outrage from climate groups.

Africa's biggest polluter and most industrialised nation was facing rolling blackouts -- in part due to ageing coal plants -- as the government released its energy blueprint for the next decade.

Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe unveiled the long-awaited Integrated Resource Plan, saying "coal will continue to play a significant role in electricity generation".

The 10-year plan includes increasing the country's current 47,000 megawatts of energy by 1,500 megawatts from coal, 2,500 megawatts from hydro, 6,000 megawatts from solar and 14,400 megawatts from wind.

Mantashe said coal would contribute 59 per cent of the country's energy, as "the country has the resource in abundance" and coal-fired power plants "are going to be around for a long time".

Greenpeace Africa and the Life After Coal campaign condemned the coal energy increase as ...