ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a case that is made for why South Africa should pursue an electrification-of-everything strategy; coupling its progressively decarbonised and least-cost electricity system. The International Energy Agency's modelling shows that 74% of the electricity demand growth will come from industrial motor systems, space cooling, appliances and ICT. As the energy system transitions to one where electricity is the backbone and where solar and wind are the power-generation workhorses, the amount of primary energy falls. It is important to keep in mind that it is the final end-use energy, rather than the primary energy, that is of ultimate interest, because it is this energy that provides the energy services. South Africa's existing ground-based, aviation and maritime transport services for moving people and goods are enabled and energised using the primary energy sources of imported oil and domestic coal. Liquid biofuels, therefore, have limited technical potential to decarbonise the transport sector.
