China’s refusal to buy Australian coal has resulted in the Asian country taking the unprecedented step of turning to South Africa for its supply of combustible black rock – a very welcome fillip in our hour of need.
Coupled to ongoing traditional demand for South African coal from the likes of India, Pakistan, and increasingly Sri Lanka, the bull pull that China has helped to create for our coal looks like being ongoing throughout 2021. But as helpful as this may be, we should guard against continuing to rely overly on coal export revenue.
This is because coal is on the way out globally. There is, thus, an overwhelming need for us to look to new energy opportunities that have the potential to provide our workforces with a just transition towards a new opportunity that has an infinite horizon. One of the most far-reaching of these is the hydrogen opportunity, which should be grasped with both hands.