Sasol's emission sources at our operations in South Africa are regulated in accordance with atmospheric emission licenses which are based on the Minimum Emission Standards (MES) of 22 November 2013 published in terms of section 21 of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004).
On 11 July 2023, Sasol was informed that the National Air Quality Officer (NAQO) had declined its application of June 2022 in terms of Clause 12A of the MES to be regulated on an alternative emission load basis for the sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions from the boilers at its Secunda Operations' steam plants from 1 April 2025 onwards.
Sasol will appeal the decision to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, as provided for in Section 43(1) of the National Environmental Management Act, 107 of 1998. The appeal process allows the Minister to consider the application afresh.
Clause 12A of the MES permits existing plants to be regulated on an alternative emission load, as opposed to the current concentration-based limit (the mass of pollutant per cubic metre of air emitted) specified in the MES. Sasol applied to the NAQO to be regulated on alternative load-based limits for the sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions generated from the boilers at its Secunda Operations' steam plants from 1 April 2025 onwards.
Since 2015, Sasol has implemented several projects at Secunda, Sasolburg and Natref, to progressively reduce emissions to comply with the MES, and has spent more than R7 billion over the last 5 years on emission reduction projects. As such, we have achieved MES compliance for 98% of our emission sources at these operations. The remaining sources (2%) are part of our ongoing journey to enable MES compliance by 1 April 2025. The only remaining challenge relates to achieving the concentration-based limit for sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions from the boilers at the Secunda Operations' steam plants.
An integrated emission reduction roadmap, which intends to deliver emissions reductions in terms of both greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), SO2 and other pollutants, was identified as the optimal approach and best aligned with the objectives of NEMAQA and the purpose of the MES. This involves the turning down of boilers, reducing coal usage and ramping up our imports of renewable energy to 1 200 MW by 2030, which is aligned to Sasol's strategy.
Sasol has already seen a reduction in emissions through the implementation of energy efficiency projects and is progressing the deployment of more than half of the committed renewable energy target from 2025 onwards.
Sasol remains committed to ambient air quality improvement, legal compliance, transforming our operations and reducing our environmental footprint in line with our strategy.
