Coal is one of the most common types of fossil fuels. Coal is used to generate electricity in power plants. The coal is burned and the heat from the fire causes water to boil, producing steam. The steam turns a turbine which generates electricity.
The main source of coal in South Africa is from mines in Mpumalanga province and Limpopo province.
South Africa has various mines that produce coal, but there are two main types of coal – hard coal and soft coal.
Hard coal has a higher carbon content than soft coal, meaning it produces more energy when burned than soft coal. South African power plants use both types of coals, with hard coals being used for peak loads or when there’s not enough supply of soft coals because they are more expensive to mine and transport than hard coals.
How do coal power plants work in South Africa?
Coal power plants in South Africa are a major source of electricity. The country is the sixth-largest coal producer in the world and has one of the largest coal reserves in the world. A coal power plant is usually a large industrial facility that converts coal into electricity. Coal power plants use an enormous amount of water, which is why they are often built near plentiful sources of water. In South Africa, these are usually dams or rivers that have been dammed for hydroelectricity generation purposes.
