Browsing by Subject "Energy Research"
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- ItemMetadata onlyAligning South African energy and climate change mitigation policy(2009) Tyler, EmilyThis paper considers the alignment of energy policy in South Africa with the Cabinet’s mitigation vision of a ‘peak, plateau and decline’ greenhouse gas emissions trajectory to 2050. First, the term ‘policy’ is defined as having a number of components, ranging from the broad ‘policy paradigm’ which guides the approach to policy development in a particular area, to statements and intentions, written documents and institutional orientation and capacity. Following from this definition it is argued that, at the level of written and stated energy policy, the intention exists to move towards a more diverse, efficient and less carbon-intensive energy sector. A number of policy instruments are being developed which go some way towards achieving this. However, the targets set are too low, and all initiatives are hampered for institutional and financing reasons. On the other hand, however, the dominant energy policy paradigm and the orientation and capacity of the country’s energy institutions are fundamentally misaligned with climate mitigation policy. In particular, conflicts between these institutions constrain policy co-ordination and hence alignment. The primary causes of misalignment are argued to be, firstly, existing and entrenched institutional orientation and capacity and, secondly, the lack of a single, overarching, co-ordinating energy policy institution which has sufficient power and influence to deal with the vested interests of the existing energy institutions. The paper then explores, by means of thought experiments in the areas of renewable energy and energy efficiency, what would be required to align energy policy with Cabinet’s mitigation vision. The establishment of a single, overarching, co-ordinating energy policy institution is identified as a pre-requisite to any chance of alignment. This institution would then establish and govern appropriately oriented institutional capacity, either by creating new institutions, or mandating existing institutions to deliver on low carbon initiatives. It is suggested that whilst new capacity would be optimal, it may be unrealistic to attain this level of sector transformation within the timeframes required by mitigation policy, given the strongly entrenched interests in maintaining the status quo. The paper concludes that intervention at the highest political level is required to enforce energy institutional co-ordination and achieve actualisation of emissions mitigation aligned energy policies.
- ItemOpen AccessAnalysis of energy efficiency in South Africa's primary mineral industry: a focus on gold(2012) Johnston, Oliver Ross; Cohen, Brett; Broadhurst, Jennifer LeeEnergy use is the human activity responsible for the majority of its greenhouse gas emissions. In 2010 the global energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide - the principal greenhouse gas-jumped by 5.3% from the previous year, to a record 30.4 gigatonnes (IEA 2011a). The International Energy Agency (2011) has projected that the world's primary energy demand could increase by 33% and that energy related CO2 emissions will increase by 20% to 36.4 Gt between 2010 and 2035 (IEA 2011a). South Africa is one of the most energy intensive countries in the world, measured as GHG emissions per Gross Domestic Product produced. South Africa's energy intensiveness is a result of the energy intensive nature of a number of its key industries. The mineral industry is one such industry. It plays a crucial role in South Africa's economy and is the largest industry in its primary economic sector (Chamber of Mines 2010). Energy efficiency has been identified as one of the cheapest and most effective measures to reduce energy consumption and its associated greenhouse gas emissions. The Long Term Mitigation Scenarios coordinated by the University of Cape Town's Energy Research Centre identified that South Africa's industrial sector had cumulatively the greatest potential to reduce its GHG emissions through improved energy efficiency, ahead of the commercial, residential or transport sectors(Winkler 2007). South Africa's continued reliance on unsustainable energy production, particularly coal, increases the need for maximising energy efficiency to mitigate resource consumption and the GHG emissions associated with the production and use of fossil fuel generated energy. This project aims to identify and holistically evaluate the potential opportunities that exist for the reduction of energy and climate footprints of South Africa's gold industry sub-sector, with the aim of providing guidance to both government and industry for a path towards a more energy efficient industry with lower associated GHG emissions. To this end the thesis begins with a comprehensive review of the potential drivers, barriers and opportunities for increased EE and GHG emissions mitigation for the local minerals industry.
- ItemOpen AccessBattery performance characterisation for stand-alone photovoltaic systems(1991) Purcell, C J de V; Eberhard, Anton; Cowan, BillOne of the main factors limiting optimisation of PV system designs over the life of the system has been the lack of battery test data appropriate to PV applications. The main objective of this study was to determine accurate empirical data for locally available lead-acid batteries which could be used in photovoltaic systems and to present this data in a format directly applicable to PV system designers. The study included (i) a review of battery performance regimes typical of PV systems; (ii) a literature review of lead-acid battery performance and reactions important to PV applications, battery electrical models, battery life models, a review of specialist PV battery designs and the interaction of battery and voltage regulator in PV systems;. (iii) a review of testing and research literature, and the design of a suite of experimental procedures suitable for characterising batteries under PV operating regimes; (iv) the design and construction of a specialised battery test-unit to automatically perform tests and capture data; (v) selection, testing and characterisation of five generic types of batteries which could be used in local PV applications. The five types of lead-acid battery were: 1) conventional calcium alloy positive and negative grids, flat plate, flooded electrolyte, vented casing; 2) low antimony alloy positive grid, conventional calcium negative grid, flat plate, flooded electrolyte, vented casing; 3) low antimony alloy positive grid, heat treated calcium negative grid, flat plate, immobilised absorbed electrolyte, sealed casing with 0 2 cycle gas recombination; 4) antimony alloy positive and negative grids, flat plate, flooded electrolyte, vented casing; 5) antimony alloy positive and negative grids, tubular plate, flooded electrolyte, vented casing. Selenium grid alloy cells and gelled electrolyte batteries were not represented amongst the batteries tested, owing to problems of availability or cost.
- ItemOpen AccessComputer simulation of stand-alone photovoltaic systems with battery storage(1991) Geerdts, Philip Clifford; Eberhard, AntonThis report describes a computer program which has been developed to simulate accurately the performance of stand alone photovoltaic systems with battery storage on an hourly basis for one simulated year. The program incorporates models of the POA irradiance, the photovoltaic cell · temperature and the battery temperature to simulate the environmental conditions of the system. These require hourly weather data as input. Typical meteorological years, which constitute a suitable form of input weather data, have been generated for those weather stations in Southern Africa which contain sufficient data. The energy flows within the system are simulated using models of the following parameters: photovoltaic module current, regulator efficiency and voltage, battery current and voltage, inverter efficiency, load shed voltage and load current. These models incorporate versatility in the level of modelling complexity (determined typically by the availability of the data used to characterise the components). The various models are encapsulated in modular units to facilitate alteration and updating at a later stage. The program is designed to simulate photovoltaic systems without maximum power point trackers, necessitating the use of interactive curve solving to compute the system operating point at any time. A robust and comprehensive algorithm has been implemented to execute this function. Improved battery modelling has been effected using data and experience acquired from a parallel research project. The program facilitates, with the judicious selection of input weather data, the economical sizing of systems in that it incorporates loss of power probability analysis and offers a high level of modelling precision. The simulation performance of the program compared favourably with that of PVFORM. The system performance estimated by PVFORM was marginally better, which is expected because PVFORM assumes that the system operates with a maximum power point tracker. In the development of the program there has been a focus on creating an effective user interface. This is designed to simplify and speed up program operation, and to present output in a form which is useful and illustrative.
- ItemOpen AccessThe cost of power : externalities in South Africa's energy sector(1996) van Horen, CliveThe long-awaited birth of political democracy in South Africa in 1994 has led to a fundamental re-assessment of policy in most sectors of society. Although the energy sector has witnessed a clrar shift away from the self-sufficiency concerns of the apartheid era, to more universal goals of economic efficiency, social equity and environmental sustainability, there has, as yet, been very little analysis of problems at the energy-environment interface. In this context, this thesis investigates environmental externalities arising in South Africa's energy sector. Two questions are posed: first and foremost, which environmental problems give rise to the most significant social costs? Secondarily, how helpful is an environmental economic analysis in this context? With respect to the first question, it is hypothesised that the external costs arising from two sectors are significant: the electricity generation sector, and the low-income, unelectrified household sector. Of these two, it is suggested that externalities in the latter are most serious. After reviewing the literature on externalities and environmental valuation, the thesis undertakes an empirical investigation of external costs in both energy sub-sectors. A classification system is developed and used to select those externalities in each sector which are potentially serious and regarding which there is sufficient information for quantification purposes. After reviewing a larger number of impacts, data are collected from both published and unpublished sources for four environmental externalities in the electricity sector, and six in the household sector.
- ItemOpen AccessDesign considerations for low pressure solar water heating in South Africa(2012) De Meyer, Oelof; Pillay, Pragasen; Sebitosi, A B; Okou, RichardThis thesis investigates the application of solar water heating in South Africa. The solar water heating system investigated work on the thermosiphoning effect or natural convection. An extensive literature study has been undertaken to investigate this phenomena. The three partial differential equations (governing equations) are non-dimensionalized and a similarity solution is applied to obtain two coupled non-linear ordinary differential equations. These equations are then solved in MATLAB to obtain the velocity and temperature profiles. Two scenarios were considered, a vertical wall with a constant wall temperature and a vertical wall with a constant heat flux. LP SWH systems use vacuum tubes to absorb solar radiation and transfer it to the water, which is similar to the vertical wall with a constant heat flux. A simulation model has been developed for a LP SWH system which is able to simulate the system performance for a given geographical location, where the user can specify the system component attributes. Experiments on the system were conducted to validate the simulation model. The simulation model accompanies a 6-Step Design Guide developed to assist the user to design a system able to satisfy the consumer's hot water demand. The 6-Step Design Guide developed can be used in future design considerations for LP SWH systems in South Africa.
- ItemOpen AccessThe effect of sulphur in fuel on the performance of automotive catalysts(1994) Siemelink, Johannes Jacobus; Dutkiewicz, Ryszard KarolCatalysts have been used on cars since 1974 to reduce tailpipe emission levels of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen. Initially, oxidation catalysts were used that operated under very lean air/fuel conditions and gave rise to increased sulphate particulate emissions. These sulphate emissions could fortunately be reduced by better air/fuel control. However, the introduction of more active catalyst compositions, in particular the use of cerium oxide components on the wash coat, led to bad odour complaints from motorists. In the report it is shown that under fuel-lean conditions, sulphur, originating from the fuel, is stored as aluminium and cerium sulphates onto the washcoat. Upon a rapid change to fuel-rich engine operation the stored sulphates are released as hydrogen sulphide and is the cause for the smell observed. The sulphur storage/release process results in hydrogen sulphide emissions many times higher than is possible from steady-state conversion from the fuel sulphur level. By using a catalyst/engine combination on a testbed the experiments have shown that the hydrogen sulphide release is a kinetically limited reaction and, apart from the air/fuel control, depends mainly on the catalyst temperature.
- ItemOpen AccessEmissions and efficiencies of domestic appliances burning various fuels in South Africa(1998) Graham, James Alexander Norman; Dutkiewicz, Ryszard KarolAssessments of pollution from domestic fuel burning in South Africa have, in the main, based their conclusions on measured ambient pollutant concentrations. This approach does not allow for direct comparison of emissions from different domestic fuel burning appliances. Pollution from domestic fuel burning depends both on appliance efficiency, since a more efficient appliance· will burn less fuel, and appliance emission rates. A test cell was designed and built to measure efficiencies and emissions of various fuel/appliance combinations during cooking and space heating tests representative of field operating conditions. A range of fuels, liquid petroleum gas (LPG), paraffin, coal and wood were burnt in domestic appliances commonly used in South Africa. Emissions of gaseous pollutants, C02 , CO, NOx and HC, and particulate pollutants, total suspended particulates (TSP) and particles less than 2.Sμrn aerodynamic diameter, were measured.
- ItemOpen AccessEmpirical and behavioural economic applications to the energy sector(University of Cape Town, 2020) Klege, Rebecca Afua; Visser, MartineThis thesis contributes to the energy literature by leveraging insights from empirical and experimental economics. The thesis presents four papers with a common goal of understanding specific themes in the energy sector namely: households energy use patterns, behavioural preferences among entrepreneurs operating energy businesses and applications of behavioural nudges to reduce energy use. The first paper set the tone for the two subsequent chapters. The paper: 'Energy Choices and Tenancy in Rwanda' examines the energy choice patterns of households based on their rental status and dwelling types. The fifth Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV5) conducted over one year, October 2016 to October 2017, together with a bivariate probit model is used. A heterogeneous analysis focused on gender and income differentiated impacts, as well as geographical differences based on the tenancy status of households, is further examined. The results signal that households energy choices in Rwanda differ by rental and dwelling types. The second and third papers ascertain the role of competition and risk preferences among entrepreneurs working in off-grid renewable energy microenterprises and its effects on business success in the context of including more women as entrepreneurs in the energy sector. Specifically, the second paper: 'Competition and Gender in the Lab vs Field: Experiments with Off-Grid Renewable Energy Entrepreneurs in Rural Rwanda' examines the gender differences in competitiveness and how this affects the business success of entrepreneurs operating renewable energy enterprises. Results from the economic experiments are compared to the day to day activities of the business. Findings show that female entrepreneurs are not less likely to compete and are not outperformed by male entrepreneurs. This stands in contrast to several studies, mostly conducted on university students of developed countries. The third paper: 'Risk attitudes, Gender and Business Performance Among off-grid Renewable Energy Entrepreneurs in Rural Rwanda' in a similar context examines the risk attitudes among entrepreneurs and its effect on the performance from a gender perspective. The study adopts a choice list experimental approach to elicit risk attitudes. The results indicate a strong risk aversion among entrepreneurs. The risk aversion found is higher for women compared to men. Entrepreneurs with high risk-taking abilities also tend to record better performance levels. The paper concludes that policies geared towards hedging against risk aversion in entrepreneurial programs may be vital in reducing gender gaps in business performance. The fourth paper: 'The power of nudging: Using feedback, competition and responsibility assignment to save electricity in a non-residential setting' answers the question 'can behavioural interventions achieve energy savings in non-residential settings where users do not face the financial consequences of their behaviour?' The paper relies on a randomized control trial and two behavioural interventions. Results show that behavioural nudges can be useful in reducing energy consumption in a non-residential environment.
- ItemOpen AccessEnergy in Central Africa : with special reference to Zaire(1993) Bisengo, Kumbu; Dutkiewicz, Ryszard KarolIn this thesis, the energy sector of the Central Africa region is investigated with a special attention to Zaire. The region's political trends, economic performance, demographic and social patterns as well as their implications in the development of the energy sector are presented. For each country of the region the resource potential and the ability to produce, distribute and use these energy resources, are analyzed. The potential for the development of energy resources of the region is examined and its future energy demand forecast. The scope for energy interchange inside and outside the region is analyzed and regional integration in the energy sector discussed. The findings of this thesis are: * there is an abundance of energy resources though not evenly distributed throughout the region, * there is a heavy reliance on woodfuel, and * there are many problems constraining the development of the energy sector. The principal issues facing the energy sector are: *the shortage of woodfuel due to the non-sustainability of supply, *the low reliability of power supply and the existence of surplus capacity in some countries, *the high supply cost of petroleum products, *the limited size of the local commercial fuel market and the lack of finance to develop domestic energy resources, *the low level of management and financial autonomy for energy utilities, *the lack of energy trade because of political instability, and institutional shortcomings. Forecasts of future energy consumption in the region indicate that woodfuel will continue to be the dominant energy form, followed by oil and electricity, and that electricity will play an increasing role. Recommendations for the woodfuel subsector relates to improving the production and utilization efficiency - valid also for the other energy carriers, increasing the supply through reforestation programmes and accelerating electrification. Other recommendations to improve the development of the energy sector include: * recovering energy supply cost through adequate pricing and improved collection practices, * reducing government interference and introducing private participation in the energy sector with the subsequent benefit of the transfer of new technology and managerial competence, and * strengthening energy institutions to enable them to improve planning, implementations, operations, and ensure the integration of traditional and commercial energy structures . The possibilities of energy interchange are large for oil and electricity, and energy trade could improve energy utilization, lower supply costs, etc. Under prevailing socio-economic conditions, regional integration is thought to be the only realistic strategy leading to the economic exploitation of energy resources and the adequate supply of energy to support industrial development of the region and to meet the social needs of its people. In this connection, major efforts should be directed towards the establishment of appropriate regional energy institutions, but political stability is a prerequisite to any effective energy integration.
- ItemOpen AccessEnergy management in industry : a case study on the brewing industry(1992) De Villiers, Mark Graham; Dutkiewicz, Ryszard Karol; Fraser, Duncan McKenzieThe industrial sector is the main energy user in South Africa, using about half the national total, and compared to most other industrialised countries South Africa has a high in_dustrial energy intensity, thus necessitating improved industrial energy management. The malt brewing industry was chosen as a case study industry to illustrate the potential for improved energy management in industry. Ohlsson's brewery in Cape Town was analysed in detail and energy management improvements identified for that brewery were ·expanded to include the malt brewing industry in general, by comparing Ohlsson's brewery to other breweries in South Africa. It was found that energy requirements at Ohlsson's Brewery could be reduced by 12-20%, by the implementation of economically feasible energy management schemes. However, mainly because of discrepancies in coal prices between Ohlsson's Brewery and most other breweries in South Africa, energy requirements for the brewing industry in general can be reduced by 7-13%. This translates to be a monetary saving of R242 000-R486 000/month, which is evenly spread between coal, electricity, and maximum demand savings. No single large energy saving scheme was identified, but the potential. savings are due to a number of schemes. The potential energy savings identified in this study exclude the savings as a result of the implementation of process sensitive schemes, which were considered beyond the scope of this study. Nevertheless some process sensitive schemes, associated with boiling in the brewhouse, could result in substantial savings. The energy usage target identified for South African breweries is higher than current energy requiiements for breweries in the Britain and Germany when climatic and operational constraints are taken into account. This is because Britain and Germany have higher energy costs relative to production costs, government incentive schemes for reducing energy usage, and more stringent environmental legislation often necessitating the recovery of brewhouse vapours.
- ItemOpen AccessEnergy related services in Kenya: Implications of unbundling the electricity sector on trade in services negotiations(2017) Mburu, Emily Njeri; Hartzenberg, TrudiElectricity is a basic infrastructural service necessary for the achievement of developmental outcomes. The use of electricity, specifically, serves economic as well as social needs. It is universally accepted that electrification enhances quality of life at the household level and stimulates the economy at a broader level. Given its substantial benefits, electrification together with other sources of modern energy such as renewable energy, has been identified as essential for fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals (UNDP, 2005). In most cases, the main challenge in the achievement of these goals is the bundled nature of the electricity supply chain in majority of developing countries. This necessitated the need for policy reforms with the aim of unbundling the sector in Kenya. The literature review sets out to consider the main features of the electricity sector to better understand the legal and regulatory reforms that have taken place in the electricity sector and the impact of the liberalization on rural electrification and the poor in society. It takes note of the changing role of government in the sector with the liberalization and privatization, which has entailed the unbundling of the vertically integrated state-owned utility that has led to the introduction of competition in some segments of the electricity sector value chain such as generation and distribution. In addition, the review considers the classification related issues arising from the reforms that have taken place in the electricity sector and the regulatory imperatives for a competitive electricity services sector. Finally, a review of the reforms in the electricity sector in Kenya is assessed together with the impact of the reforms. Furthermore, the necessary regulatory disciplines instrumental in cross-border trade in electricity services are identified. The rationale of the study focuses mostly on the phenomenological (qualitative) and positivistic (quantitative) types of research. The focus was on identifying, analyzing and reporting patterns (themes) within data to facilitate a clear understanding of the electricity services sector in Kenya. Furthermore, the chapter on methodology presents the research population, sampling strategy, data collection, frame of analysis and a summary of how the data was analysed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the questions. The findings and discussion sections of the study are focused on the reforms in the electricity services sector in Kenya, the pro-competitive regulations for an effectively liberalized electricity sector, and the resultant electricity-related services. Due to the complexity of the issues in the sector, interviewees preferred to be provided with the questionnaire instead of face-to-face or telephonic interviews. The questionnaire consisted of two sections, namely the respondent's demographics and reforms in the electricity sector in Kenya. The questionnaire targeted key stakeholders in the sector and was sent to eighteen potential respondents, and of these, only fourteen were responsive. The study concludes that reforms in the electricity sector in Kenya have brought about clarity in terms of the services that are embedded in the sector and identified the key regulatory elements necessary to enhance competition in the sector. The new services that have surfaced in Kenya, include geothermal exploration, grid connectivity through KENTRACO, generating electricity from crude oil, and ensuring that more households are connected to the national grid through the rural electrification project.
- ItemOpen AccessEnergy utilisation in selected industrial sectors in South Africa(1986) Huggett, Anthony Court; Dutkiewicz, Ryszard KarolThis thesis presents tha findings of an investigation into the use of energy, between the years 1975 and 1984, in five of the major energy-intensive industries in South Africa. Energy use in all economic sectors, from 1964 to 1974, was surveyed in the report "Energy Utilisation in South Africa", published by the Department of Planning and the Environment in 1978. As this report showed the major primary industries to be the largest single users of energy in South Africa, it was decided to isolate a number of major energy-intensive industries for investigation in this study. The 1979 Census of Manufacturing showed five industrial sectors to have consumed 41% by value of the total industrial energy consumption in that year, and it is those with which this thesis is concerned. The five industries are: The Structural Clay Products Industry, The Portland Cement Industry, The Glass Making Industry, The Iron and Steel Industry, The Pulp and Paper Industry.
- ItemOpen AccessThe environmental effects of air pollution from the energy sector in South Africa(1992) Gerson, R; Eberhard, Anton; Dutkiewicz, Ryszard KarolThe literature and data describing the environmental effects of air pollution in South Africa were examined, with a focus on the effects that are produced by the use of energy. This examination consisted of three parts: The emissions resulting from the use of the different fuels were calculated, with a complete sectorial and regional breakdown for pollution sources. A review of the data obtained from pollution monitoring programmes conducted in South Africa was completed. It was found that while monitoring is conducted in various regions and urban districts, there are areas with recognised pollution problems, such as townships, where little or no monitoring has been conducted. Often the resulfs of monitoring programmes were not published, or only available in unprocessed form. The literature describing environmental effects related to air pollution was reviewed. The number of studies pertaining to South African environments was found to be limited and tended to focus on certain areas, while neglecting others. Areas requiring further study and research were identified.
- ItemOpen AccessAn estimation of the performance of spark ignition methanol engines(1981) Yates, Andrew David Bennett; Dutkiewicz, Ryszard Karol; Bennett, Kevin FrankThe possibility of using methanol as an alternative fuel for petrol and diesel engines has been investigated at the University of Cape Town in recent years by the Energy Research Institute. Engines, taken from existing road vehicles, were converted to methanol operation and evaluated. During the planning phase of each conversion, it was apparent that there was a need for a method of estimating the probable performance of the converted engine. The objective of this thesis was therefore to develop a generally applicable formula for predicting the rated performance of a methanol-fuelled, spark-ignition engine given only the bore, stroke, number of cylinders and maximum rated engine speed. The prediction was based on an estimate of the indicated efficiency, the volumetric efficiency and the frictional losses of a methanol engine, from which the shaft power and overall efficiency could be determined. The performance of three engines, which were converted to methanol operation, was used to test the theory. The conversions were each of a very different nature: - a) An automotive petrol engine of which only the carburettor was modified. b) An automotive petrol engine that was modified to take advantage of the properties of methanol to improve the performance. c) A truck diesel engine that was converted to spark ignition for operation on methanol. The predicted results were found to compare favourably with the experimental results, with the exception of one spurious reading. An analysis of the range of error in the theoretical estimate was used as the basis for comparison: Range of error in predicted overall efficiency ± 6%. Range of error in predicted shaft power ± 10%. The work of this thesis would be applicable in situations where a quick answer was required and few details were available. With the aid of a programmable calculator, the anticipated performance map could be obtained in a few minutes.
- ItemOpen AccessFunding on energy research and development in South Africa(1981) Dutkiewicz, Ryszard KarolAn analysis is made of the funding on energy research and development in South Africa and is compared with the funding of seventeen countries making up the International Energy Agency. The survey is incomplete because of the lack of adequate accounting methods in certain organisations supplying statistics which did not allow for a sub-division into energy and other funding. It is also incomplete because certain organisations were unwilling to give information because of fear of contravening the Petroleum Act. An analysis of research funding by private industry, and especially by overseas controlled companies, has shown that very little is done in this country, most companies preferring to rely on research carried out by their parent companies overseas. Sufficient information was obtained to show that with the exception of funding for nuclear power South Africa's research effort is below that of most countries of the IEA. This is especially true of funding on coal research where South Africa should, in terms of its position as a major coal exporting country, and because of its heavy reliance on domestic coal consumption, be one of the world's leaders in coal research. However, only Italy, of the 17 IEA countries, spends less on coal research in terms of funding per ton of coal mined. In the field of research into renewable energy forms South Africa is far behind any of the other countries considered.
- ItemOpen AccessImplementing community renewables: institutional work in South Africa's renewable energy procurement programme(2017) Wlokas, Holle Linnea; Rennkamp, BrittaIn 2014, for the first time in its history, South Africa fed the national electricity grid with electricity generated through utility-scale renewable energy projects. The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) is the policy instrument driving this change. The process requires bidding private energy companies to commit resources in alleviation of local socio-economic needs. This thesis analyses the question how the institutions evolve in the implementation of community benefit requirements. The theoretical frameworks of institutional work and logics helps to analyse this new organizational field and interaction of various actors in government, industries and communities. An action research approach grounds this research empirically and aims to create the opportunity for actors to reflect on their actions and engagement in the community benefit implementation process. The research asks how are government, companies and communities shape institutions in the implementation of the community benefit requirements in South Africa's REIPPPP? The study first analyses the procurement requirements for community benefit and ownership, then, secondly, reviews the first 64 approved project bids for suggestions made in response to these requirements. A third research step involves fieldwork in 13 wind and solar projects across the country, the fieldwork consisting of interviews with project stakeholders about their experiences. The research negotiates access to an emerging and competitive, but also enquiring industry, one that has shared with the researcher important insights into its evolving community engagement and its development practices and considerations. The findings reveal that, in the implementation of South Africa's community renewables, government and companies dominate institutional work efforts in the stages of policy formulation and project development. But communities, the least informed and capacitated actor among the three, face the results and they have particular ways of responding, including corrective and disruptive ways. Reflective spaces are dominated by industry and strategically exclude communities from both asserting their experiences as well as from the opportunity to participate in creating collective understanding and agreeable processes that would foster the long-term relationship between company and community. This is a shortcoming that requires urgent attention to ensure positive institutional work and developmental impact.
- ItemOpen AccessIndependent power projects in Africa : balancing development and investment outcomes(2007) Gratwick, Katharine Nawaal; Eberhard, Anton AIn the early 1990s, a new model emerged for the provision of electricity generation across developing regions. The model involved private sector participation in the form of independent power projects (IPP). Driving this change in business was insufficient public finance from host country governments, a reduction in concessionary loans from multilateral and bilateral development institutions, and a push for improved efficiency in a state-owned utility sector that was considered to be underperforming. This dissertation reviews how IPPs developed across both North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis focuses on the extent to which positive development outcomes (viz. reliable and affordable power) and investment outcomes (viz. favourable investment returns and the opportunity to grow investments) were both achieved. The dissertation posits that balancing development and investment outcomes leads to greater sustainability for projects. It further explores a range of elements that contribute to the success of projects, namely: the investment climate; policy, regulatory and planning frameworks; competitive procurement practices; availability of competitively procured fuel; favourable debt and equity arrangements, including new trends in the nature of IPP firms and credit enhancement arrangements; and new risk management techniques. In-depth case studies of IPP experiences in Egypt, Kenya and Tanzania are used to explore the question of balancing outcomes and sustainability. Reviews of IPP experiences in Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia also supplement the analysis together with an evaluation of the foreign direct investment context and related theory. Framing the whole discussion is an examination of how the new model for electric power provision evolved and how power sector reform models need to be adjusted to better reflect the reality in developing countries and emerging economies.
- ItemOpen AccessIntegrated resource plan for South Africa using electricity load profiles(2006) Rosin, Menachem MendelIntegrated resource planning aims to fulfil electricity requirements with supply and demand resources. Least cost resources are optimised as supply expansions compete with measures to modify the load in meeting energy services. A demand side study is conducted to determine representative load profiles for electricity use within South Africa. Analysis of electricity consumption us in g load profiles of each sector ' s end-use electrical loads is essential for determining the appropriate supply technologies as well as the impact of demand side management and energy efficiency measures . A supply side study considers all existing and future power generation options required for expected electricity growth and system load characteristics. Energy model, TIMES, provides time-slices for adequate load profile representation TIMES is a Partial Dynamic Equilibrium Model as constraints are placed on the investment, usage and availability of technologies. All optimisations are for the least cost to the system. Demand and supply options are integrated into a single plan using the TIMES model and the supply expansion plan is changed when demand reduction targets are achieved using DSM and EE. The base case us in g a business-as-usual approach is compared with a low and medium impact DSM and EE scenario. Demand resources are estimated from the industrial, commercial and residential economic sectors. The scope of the plan is 22 years and there is full utilisation of all existing supply capacity with small amounts of decommissioning. Mothballed power stations are recommissioned initially. Peak-load plants are needed from 2007 and OCGT are selected using natural gas or LNG. Intermediate-load capacity is needed by 2011 using CCGT. Base-load capacity demands are met using new coal PF power stations in 2014. FBC stations using discard coal begin operation in 2016. The capacity expansion plan anticipates 2. 93GW of OCGT, 2.5 GW of CCGT, 7. 2GW of coal PF, 2. 8 GW of FBC plants and 2 GW of pump storage stations to be in use by 2020. Imported hydroelectric capacity of0.9 G W and PBMR capacity of3 GW is expected to be commissioned by 2024. Approximately 4 % less installed capacity is needed when a medium impact DSM and EE strategy is implemented. The marginal cost of energy gradually increases from 0. 06 R/kWh in 2002 to 0. 175 R/kWh in 2016 and to 0.325 R/kWh in 2024 as supply capacity is added. Compound load profiles from all national electricity usage provide an effective means whereby appropriate supply technologies are selected whilst incorporating load modifications due to DSM and EE.
- ItemOpen AccessIntegrated rural energy planning for South Africa(1996) Loon, Marc John; Eberhard, Anton APoor rural communities of South Africa frequently face shortages of convenient, affordable energy services. Sub-sectoral energy interventions that are not properly coordinated with each other and with the development context are unlikely to address the problems effectively. The methodology of 'integrated rural energy planning' (IREP) is a possible means of achieving this coordination. This process encompasses a new paradigm which is an improvement on the supply-driven thinking of the past. It seeks to overcome anomalies in the rural energy system in a way that places the final users of energy services at its centre, that coordinates planning between different energy sub-sectors, and integrates energy planning with economic planning processes. It emphasises continuity, efficient utilisation of resources, and genuine participation of rural people. Although originally designed for the energy sector as a whole, the theoretical methodology is applicable to rural regions of developing countries with only small modifications. International and local experience in IREP is not extensive, but it nevertheless provides valuable lessons regarding methodological and institutional requirements. The current trends in the institutional framework in South Africa show that while there are many obstacles to implementing an IREP process, there are also many unique aspects which suggest that an IREP process could be very effective. It seems clear that an appropriate way forward would be to launch a well-resourced and strategically-located initiative that would investigate, with care and foresight, the potential and relevance of an IREP process in South Africa.