Consequently, the Czech Republic and South Africa share many similarities in relation to their coal-mining legacy, the energy mix and energy transition. Coal supplies just over a third of global electricity generation, and until newer technologies are available will continue to play a crucial role in industries such as iron and steel. The IEA's Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario envisions that all unabated coal generation ends by 2040. To get on track with the Net Zero by 2050 Scenario, an annual average emissions reduction from coal-fired power plants of around 8% is needed through to 2030. To have a place as a cleaner energy source in the decades to come, governments and the coal industry need to develop and deploy less polluting and more efficient technologies, including but not limited to Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage.

With that in mind, the commercial section had an honor of welcoming the Czech Extraction and Mining Technology Association companies, namely, DSP Přerov who are leaders in the field of crushing, sorting and washing systems with a complete range of crushers, sorters, feeders, dewaters and other machines, ENELEX spol. s r.o whose main selling areas are design and implementation of Coal Quality Management Systems for coal homogenization, TRANSROLL – CZ who specialize in manufacturing conveyor rollers, sleepers and drive drums for belt conveyors and roller tracks and ŽDB DRÁTOVNA a.s. the biggest manufacturer of patented wire and steel ropes in the Czech Republic. 

During the course of their five (5) days, the Czech delegation companies had an opportunity to meet and engage in high-level meetings with a number of key local stakeholders and institutions, such as the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) InvestSA National One Stop Shop, the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency, Trade and Investment Kwazulu-Natal, the Mining Equipment Manufacturers of South Africa (MEMSA), the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) and DRA Global. 

In between the already intense high-level business itinerary that was organized by the commercial section, the Czech Republic Embassy in Pretoria also hosted a business seminar titled "Czechia-South Africa Mining Industry Overview & Opportunities" that took place on 9 May wherein various local companies, stakeholders and institutions in the mineral raw materials sector were invited. The CDT association companies presented their respective companies, and the local institutions presented an overview and opportunities of the coal mining industry in South Africa for the Czechia companies. 

Likewise, in an effort to establish new business connections and opportunities in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, the CDT Czech delegation also had an opportunity to meet with the Botswana Investment Trade Centre at the Botswana Consulate offices in Sandton. 

The biggest highlight of the CDT Czech delegation visit was the great exposure that ENELEX spol. s r.o received at the CoalSafe conference as gold sponsors; the President of the Czech Extraction and Mining Technology Association, Mr Daniel Vacek was given the honour to hand out awards on stage to the various local company winners of the day in the Coal Mining industry towards their respective endeavours to uphold safety standards. The CDT also had a stand at the conference wherein the companies displayed their sustainable and clean coal tech solutions applied in the process of Czechia's Just Energy Transition.

Author: Sean Hlomane, Industry and Trade Specialist