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C
urrently the South African industry is extremely coal-reliant, with
an estimated 90% of CO
2
emissions resulting from coal production.
The entire economic system is geared towards coal dependency with an
abundance of relatively inexpensive natural resources.
Various options are now being investigated to accelerate moving away
from coal dependency. In this context, the proposed carbon tax will have
significant financial consequences for selected industries in South Africa
who are either unprepared to implement the carbon tax, or unable to
mitigate its effects.
“The ultimate competitiveness of South African businesses affected by
the proposed carbon tax, needs to be urgently evaluated by not only the
relevant business, but also by government,” said
Frost and Sullivan
’s team
leader for energy and power, Johan Muller. “As an investment destination,
South Africa stands to be seriously affected by the proposed carbon tax if
the status quo is upheld.”
South Africa is a developing country with a hybrid economy attracting
foreign investors for a variety of reasons (generally, the relatively low
cost of operation and resource availability). By imposing a carbon tax, the
economic results would vary greatly, depending on the industry.
“Certain industries, motivated by profit considerations, would open
plants in other countries where there is no (or less) carbon taxation, since
the carbon tax would effectively influence their competitiveness to a great
extent,” said Muller. “Other companies not being able to pass on the cost
to the consumer may have to close down.”
The consumer will also be affected negatively should the full price in-
crease be passed onto them by certain industries that have indicated their
inability to shoulder the new financial burden imposed by the tax.This will
have negative effects on various developmental levels in South Africa.
“Businesses need to understand the elasticities of their product, pos-
sible mitigating options of the carbon tax, their specific marketshare and
growth paths,” advised Muller.
IEnquiries:Tel. 021 680 3574 or email samantha.james@frost.com
W
INSCRAPE is a modular cost effective Remote Control ScraperWinch
System designed for sustained productivity and enhanced opera-
tor safety. The mine scraper winch is widely used in underground mining
operations to move ore from mining stopes and gullies to the ore-passes.
The control system is modular and easy to retrofit on existing operational
mine scraper winches. The operator is away from the danger zone working
behind the winch, an improvement on fatigability and enhanced gender
equality. By means of electro-mechanical actuators and electronic control,
the mine scraper winch operational control is effortless and therefore safer.
In the event of failure the operator use the back stop to prevent an overrun.
• Electromechanical actuators – control levers.
• Winch rope tension monitoring.
• Controlled start-up sequence.
• Remote control.
• Auto-scraping between predefined path positions.
• Adaptable to 37kW and 55kW winches.
• Auto sensing via sensors if limits are reached – system shut down to
prevent accidents.
Enquiries:Tel. 086 177 3767 or email info@spero.co.za.
Surviving carbon tax
Remotely operated scraper winch
Engineering
technology
shapes our future
‘E+C Spot On’
shows us how
www.eandcspoton.co.za