Browsing by Author "Davidson, Ogunlade R"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) : analysing the financial viability of potential CDM projects, and assessing associated sustainable development impacts for South Africa
    (2003) Oganne, Galonkge; Davidson, Ogunlade R
    A growing concern regarding the limitation inherent in the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for encouraging prompt global action on climate change has been key in vitalising climate change negotiations. The UNFCCC process has triggered further negotiations and related international forums on climate change that eventually led to the birth of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. This outcome represents a legally enforceable strategy for reinforcing the UNFCCC. Being among the first key climate change regime milestones, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted to enable a working environment for international co-operation against the threat of climate change to humanity. To this end, incorporates carbon emissions reduction instruments known as 'flexibility mechanisms' to achieve the overall objective of “... stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere ...” (UNFCCC 1992). Of the four climate change mitigation implementation instruments (or mechanisms), the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) stands out as the only one relevant for the developing world. The thesis investigates the potential for the CDM to both protect and promote the indigenous development policy objectives of the Southern project-host countries in the context of a new paradigm of sustainable development The CDM would support local capacity building and provide a tool for enabling technology reception in the South; and would set up a unique arrangement by which the Northern parties will have access to more cost-effective avenues in fulfilling their climate commitments than pursuing domestic measures. The core of the rationale behind the thesis stems from a need for expanding the insight into how the CDM will achieve its primary purpose of enhancing sustainable development for developing country-based participants. Austin et al (1999) reviewed this question for three other developing countries (Le. Brazil, China and India), in an effort to enhance the insight into measuring sustainable development outcomes arising from the CDM. The thesis employs a South African socio-economic development context for investigation. The thesis also assesses how supporting CDM-driven activities will be worthwhile, from an economic standpoint, for potential project investors or developers in developing countries. The thesis investigates the investment (or financial) performance of CDM projects by comparing the impact, on a project's Internal Rate of Return (IRR), of incorporating an associated carbon investment component within a conventional project investment framework. For this, it focuses on four of the country's potential energy sector climate mitigation projects as case studies for its investigation.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Electricity production from sugar industries in Africa : a case of South Africa
    (2002) Banda, Azel; Davidson, Ogunlade R
    Low access to electricity is a problem in Africa. Apart from South Africa and Mauritius access to electricity generally falls below 30% of the population. The situation is even worse in the rural areas which housed about 70% or more of the population and whose access to modern energy services in these areas is between 5%-10%. Hence, this work aims at providing means of increasing access to electricity for the larger portion of the continent. This work looked at the potential of using bagasse, a waste from sugar production, to produce electricity beyond the sugar factory to the national grid. It shows that bagasse generated electricity can contribute to increasing this access in Africa as a whole by as much as 9.4 TWh, using Condensing Extraction Steam Turbines. However, this increase varies among countries with the highest being Swaziland, 67%, and the lowest South Africa, 1.5%, due to the current capacity. The actualization of this technical potential, however, can only come about with proper application of relevant policies and measures that need to be in place for Africa in general and South Africa in particular as more detailed work was done on the latter. Due to limitation in scope, this work did not cover the social, financial and agronomic aspects and neither was optimization of sugar considered in evaluating electricity from bagasse.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Energy from sugarcane by-products : analysis for Kenya
    (2003) Mbithi, Justus M. P.; Davidson, Ogunlade R
    The Kenyan sugar industry continues to face the task of being competitive in a liberalized global economy that has witnessed a trend in declining sugar prices and increasing local production costs. This dissertation attempts to investigate possible options that could assist Kenyan sugar industry to cope with the crisis. One such option is the diversification of the sugar industry's product base. Expanding their business to energy as a co-product to sugar processing, sugar companies could generate additional revenue from surplus electricity sales to the national utility. In Mauritius, gross revenue of USD 50 million, equivalent to 90% of that accruing to the miller for cane processing is generated from bagasse-based energy sales. On the basis of the Mauritian and other experiences the research concludes that Kenya sugar industries have the potential to export 43, 258, and 306 GWh of electricity to the national grid, depending on the mode of operation of the power plant. Thus the potential for revenue expansion through power sales for the Kenyan sugar industry is substantial. Power sector reforms have seen the entry into the electricity market of independent power producers (IPPs), and so this presents a good opportunity for sugar companies to enter into power purchase agreements with the national utility for the supply of power. Anaerobic digestion systems, used in the treatment and management of industrial effluent provide an additional benefit of generating boiler fuel in the form of biogas in sugar industries of Kenya. This technology and its application to the sugarcane industry are reviewed as part of this thesis.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Energy policies for sustainable development in South Africa's residential and electricity sectors
    (2006) Winkler, Harald; Davidson, Ogunlade R; Parnell, Sue
    Harald Winkler's thesis examines "Energy policies for sustainable development in South Africa's residential and electricity sectors: Implications for mitigating climate change". The research question asks whether there are energy policies that will make South Africa's energy development more sustainable economically, socially and environmentally, especially in the context of the local environment. Energy policies for sustainable development are explored as an approach to mitigating climate change. A methodology combining three major components is developed - modelling, evaluation of indicators of sustainable development and policy analysis. The analysis explicitly starts from development objectives. 'Backcasting' from development objectives has been not been implemented in national energy models in developing countries. Within the modeling component, the residential sector is disaggregated into six household types for the first time in a national energy model for South Africa. Energy policies for sustainable development in two sectors are identified to meet the c0untry's development objectives. Making residential energy more sustainable includes cleaner and more efficient ways of providing energy services - lighting, water heating, cooking and heating. The thesis also analyses four major electricity supply options - renewable energy, nuclear, importing hydro or natural gas. The thesis develops an analytical approach that for considering energy policies that incorporates environmental concerns. Identified policies are quantified in an energy-economic modeling framework. A wide variety of data sources is used, drawing on statistical information, official energy data, utility statistics, journal articles and research reports. Indicators of sustainable development provide a framework for assessing the suitability of suggested policy cases, while policy analysis considers their implementation for both energy and climate policies. A contribution of the thesis lies in combining these analytical tools to identify energy policies that promote both local sustainable development and mitigate climate change. The thesis finds solar water heating and efficient housing rank higher than alternatives in all dimensions of sustainable development for the residential sector. These policies provide cleaner energy services, reduce fuel use and yield cost savings for households. The latter is significant in reducing the electricity burden, particularly for poorer households. A more equitable distribution of energy services favours social sustainability and reduces inequalities. Emissions in the order of 1- 10 Mt CO₂-equiv/year can be avoided. The investment requirement is relatively modest. However, the residential sector will not deliver the largest absolute energy savings and associated emission reductions.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Household energy information management system for Africa : a Ugandan case study
    (2003) Opio, Peter; Davidson, Ogunlade R
    An information database built through regular planned surveys in a comprehensive manner is the objective of this study. A foundation for periodic up-date of household energy is necessary and requires a proper institutional or structural set up that gives priority to household energy issues. This study explores the fundamental need to shift away from the current ad hoc surveys to a more reliable, systematic, comprehensive and financially effective way of conducting household energy surveys to generate household energy information that is representative of national picture and which supports effective planning and policy-making. Promotion of the importance of the household energy sector in terms of social equity and improved living standards is vital for investors, developers, financiers and policy-makers and planners to improve the sector. Thus the study addresses the appropriate way of obtaining comprehensive household energy information and harmonized data collection methodology through cooperation in information exchange amongst African countries to achieve comparability of data for a common African energy database.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Power generation and its impact on electricity tariff : a case study of Sierra Leone
    (2003) Conteh, Michael Abu; Davidson, Ogunlade R
    Electricity tariffs are generally high in African countries, but a significant share of it is due to inefficiencies in power generation and supply. This work looked at a case study of the Sierra Leone national utility's power generation and its impact on the tariff system. Sierra Leone is a relatively small country along the west coast of Africa. It is one of the least developed countries in the world, but its electricity tariffs are one of highest in Africa. This is largely due to its inefficient power generation. A significant energy input is wasted and there are high energy output losses in the system. About 10% of the energy input is lost because of poor housekeeping and operating practices. On the average 6% of the power generated is consumed by the plant auxiliaries and the station due to old and inefficient equipment. The technical and non-technical losses of the system are alarmingly high averaging about 38% in recent years. Normally, the level of electricity rates is based on revenue requirement, which depends on the operating cost. The average electricity price in Sierra Leone in 2002 was about US$ 0.18. This high tariff is due to cost associated with the above inefficiencies, which increases the operating costs and the type and age of the generating plants. Besides, on the average there is a net decline on the generation output while operating expenses continue to increase. Using the rate-of-return methodology the tariffs were found to be well below the existing utility tariffs if the fuel is imported from the OECD countries.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Solar water heaters in South Africa : limits and prospects
    (2003) Lukamba-Muhiya, Jean-Marc; Davidson, Ogunlade R
    The objective of this study was to investigate the use of solar water healers (SWH) in South Africa, and identify policies and measures that would promote their use. It has been found that conditions are appropriate for the development and use of SWH in South Africa. but the current market for this technology still remains small. The findings of survey data collected in Lwandle shows that the interviewees appreciate the use of SWH technology provided by the local authorities. However, they complained of problems during winter, as there was no backup system for these units. This was considered as one of the limitations of the project. A comparative analysis between solar home systems (SHS) and solar water heaters in South Africa was made. The findings showed that SHS is well disseminated compared to SWH. The electrification programs in the country accelerated the dissemination of SHS. Government and Eskom are fully committed to the project with significant investments on the electrification in the remote areas. On the other hand, SWH were not financially or subsidised by the government. International donors and NGO's are still promoting the use of this technology. These two technologies are still expensive for many people in South Africa. Furthermore, SHS were subsidised while SWH were not and this has affected the dissemination of SWH in the country. This study gives some recommendations for policies and measures for the future wider dissemination of SWH in South Africa.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    The transfer of energy technology : a case study of hydropower in Lesotho
    (2003) Ntlamelle, Moses H; Davidson, Ogunlade R
    This work investigates strategies for the transfer of energy technologies so as to develop the necessary capability for adapting and adopting such technologies in the recipient country using the transfer of hydropower technology to Lesotho as a case study. The work reviewed the literature on this subject as a background to the development of a technology transfer framework that formed the basis of the analysis. The framework was tested using the Muela hydropower project in Lesotho. Existing mini-hydropower projects in Lesotho were also reviewed to identify possible lessons from them regarding objective of this study.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Utilisation of natural gas as a public transport fuel in South Africa
    (2002) Xhali, Rodney Mbulelo; Davidson, Ogunlade R
    Bibliography: leaves 86-89 .