Constraints on the wide dissemination of photovoltaic solar home systems in the rural areas of South Africa

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dc.contributor.advisorPrasad, Giselaen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMagilindane, Funekileen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-09-08T09:35:21Z
dc.date.available2014-09-08T09:35:21Z
dc.date.issued2003en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractRenewable energy is becoming a key policy issue in the energy sector in most countries in the world. Considering various energy options, renewable energies are seen to be ecologically sustainable and they contribute towards conservation of fossil fuels as well as the environment. The use of renewables on a more significant scale than at present is very likely to replace a further significant proportion of fossil fuel use, thereby reducing the associated environmental impacts. The renewable energy sources of importance to South Africa are solar, wind and hydro-energy and energy derived from biomass. The focus of the paper however, is on domestic PV -based Solar Home Systems (SHSs). This is mainly because the principal technology being considered for household electrification in the remote rural areas at present in South Africa remains SHSs. Previous studies, however, indicate that for a variety of reasons, large-scale SHS implementation has been very difficult to achieve in South Africa. For a number of years, extensive efforts have been made in the research and implementation of solar energy technology, and it was widely anticipated that the actual numbers of installations would have assumed very high figures by now. But this has not been the case. The largest obstacles to the wide dissemination of SHSs have been singled out, namely: the high capital investment often required tor installation (which makes it very difficult tor the rural households to afford the systems); and the expectations for grid electricity. The paper argues that although affordability and grid expectations, no doubt, constrain the wide dissemination of SHSs. other factors play an equally important role. It is argued that a plethora of interlocked and mutually inclusive factors constrain the widespread use of SHS. These include factors such as: negative perceptions amongst potential users - arising from lack of system maintenance and consequent system failure; and socio-cultural dynamics. These had not been given much attention in the literature on SHS applications and programmes. yet they have enormous impact on the daily use of energy.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationMagilindane, F. (2003). <i>Constraints on the wide dissemination of photovoltaic solar home systems in the rural areas of South Africa</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Energy Research Centre. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6930en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationMagilindane, Funekile. <i>"Constraints on the wide dissemination of photovoltaic solar home systems in the rural areas of South Africa."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Energy Research Centre, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6930en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationMagilindane, F. 2003. Constraints on the wide dissemination of photovoltaic solar home systems in the rural areas of South Africa. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Magilindane, Funekile AB - Renewable energy is becoming a key policy issue in the energy sector in most countries in the world. Considering various energy options, renewable energies are seen to be ecologically sustainable and they contribute towards conservation of fossil fuels as well as the environment. The use of renewables on a more significant scale than at present is very likely to replace a further significant proportion of fossil fuel use, thereby reducing the associated environmental impacts. The renewable energy sources of importance to South Africa are solar, wind and hydro-energy and energy derived from biomass. The focus of the paper however, is on domestic PV -based Solar Home Systems (SHSs). This is mainly because the principal technology being considered for household electrification in the remote rural areas at present in South Africa remains SHSs. Previous studies, however, indicate that for a variety of reasons, large-scale SHS implementation has been very difficult to achieve in South Africa. For a number of years, extensive efforts have been made in the research and implementation of solar energy technology, and it was widely anticipated that the actual numbers of installations would have assumed very high figures by now. But this has not been the case. The largest obstacles to the wide dissemination of SHSs have been singled out, namely: the high capital investment often required tor installation (which makes it very difficult tor the rural households to afford the systems); and the expectations for grid electricity. The paper argues that although affordability and grid expectations, no doubt, constrain the wide dissemination of SHSs. other factors play an equally important role. It is argued that a plethora of interlocked and mutually inclusive factors constrain the widespread use of SHS. These include factors such as: negative perceptions amongst potential users - arising from lack of system maintenance and consequent system failure; and socio-cultural dynamics. These had not been given much attention in the literature on SHS applications and programmes. yet they have enormous impact on the daily use of energy. DA - 2003 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2003 T1 - Constraints on the wide dissemination of photovoltaic solar home systems in the rural areas of South Africa TI - Constraints on the wide dissemination of photovoltaic solar home systems in the rural areas of South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6930 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/6930
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationMagilindane F. Constraints on the wide dissemination of photovoltaic solar home systems in the rural areas of South Africa. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Energy Research Centre, 2003 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6930en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentEnergy Research Centreen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherEnergy and Development Studiesen_ZA
dc.titleConstraints on the wide dissemination of photovoltaic solar home systems in the rural areas of South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMPhilen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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