The suitability of Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) as a source of peaking plant capacity in South Africa is examined in this research report. The report examines the current state of CAES technology including examples of operational and planned facilities. It further evaluates the potential challenges and benefits of the use of CAES in South Africa. A high level proposal for plant design capacity is documented, and potential costs for construction thereof are estimated. The cost of a CAES plant is compared to generating options using the Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) method. The study proposes that by 2018 additional peaking plant capacity will be required and that a CAES plant able to provide additional capacity up to 3 500MW would help to alleviate the potential shortfall which may be experienced at this time. The report further proposes conversion of underground mines for use as air receivers for high pressure storage of large volumes of compressed air required for CAES. The research report concludes that CAES presents a feasible solution to the potential future shortfall in peaking plant capacity in South Africa, and that site identification and construction of a suitable storage cavern presents the main obstacle to the implementation of this technology.

Includes bibliography. / This report is aimed at evaluating the potential of alternative energy devices to satisfy the energy requirements of the underdeveloped rural regions of South Africa. A literature survey of the energy requirements of the inhabitants of such regions is first undertaken. Thereafter energy conversion devices using solar energy, wind energy, biogas, hydro energy, human energy and wood as their energy sources are evaluated according to their efficiency and "appropriateness" in supplying their energy needs. In each of the above categories a brief description of the energy source is given. Thereafter a survey of the typical village-scale energy conversion devices is given. It has been attempted to give at least one example of the more common devices and applications of each energy source. However, some subjective editing of the more expensive or impractical devices has been necessary. In each section, information is given on the availability of that particular energy resource in South Africa, and the potential of that resource to supply the rural energy needs is evaluated. Cost analyses are carried out, assuming funding by means of a 'soft' loan over the estimated life of an energy conversion device. Information covering many village-scale alternative energy devices has been assembled under one cover. It is hoped that this will guide those embarking on the development of alternative energy supply devices along the most appropriate path.

M.Phil. ( Energy Studies) / In contrast to conventional energy sources, the advantage of renewable energy lies in the fact that it is virtually inexhaustible and that its utilisation is accompanied by minima environmental pollution. I t is, furthermore, very appropriate especially seen in the light of the large Third World component of the South African energy economy. It therefore becomes necessary to evaluate the adequacy of Government strategy as far as the optimal development and utilisation of the renewable energy sources with the best potential in South Africa are concerned, against present and future needs for and the utilisation possibilities of these sources...

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements of a Master of Science in Building. / Introduction: Literature shows that an organization that participates in learning broadens its competitive advantage, capabilities and efficiency ensuring overall improved performance. This study reviews organizational learning in small and medium Energy Service Companies (ESCos) undertaking energy efficiency projects in the South African building industry. In addition, the study examines what impact the organizational learning has on the performance of ESCos. Furthermore factors and practices that influence organizational learning in small and medium sized ESCos are identified and reviewed. Aim: The study develops a framework for the effective learning practices which lead to better performance in implementing energy effiency projects. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses a combination of interviews, document and literature review. Interviews and literature were used to gather information on organizational learning and learning practices in small and medium ESCos undertaking energy efficiency building projects. Company documents, government policies and Eskom’s operational documents were documents used for analysis. All the findings were triangulated to ensure validity and reliability. Outcome: ESCOs are instrumental in promoting energy efficiency. This study identified current learning practices and the factors that promote learning within ESCos. This enables ESCos to strategize on the possible improvement on their performances. Keywords: Buildings, Energy Efficiency, Energy Service Companies (ESCos), Organizational Learning, Performance, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and South Africa 1 Eskom is a utility company in South Africa that generates, transmits and distributes electricity to various sectors within the country and other SADC region.

Since 1994, with many of its sanctions lifted, South Africa became a stronger economic power house in Africa leading the continent‘s industrial output and mineral production and generating a large proportion of Africa‘s electricity. The South African economy has since been growing at a fast pace which has also led to an increase in the demand for electricity. South Africa‘s generating capacity has remained constant through a consistently increasing demand, leading to an electricity shortfall. An immediate threat to South Africa‘s continued economic growth is a capacity constraint in terms of energy supply. Increasing economic growth coupled with the rapid industrialisation and mass electrification programme of the last decade, as well as planned and unplanned maintenance and coal stock pile problems led, in January 2008, to demand out stripping supply. With electricity being an important component of economic development, it is vital that the impact of the supply of electricity on the economic growth of the country be well understood. Currently few studies have been done on the analysis of this relationship in South Africa specifically and how this relationship impacts specific sectors of the economy that contributes to the total GDP of the country. This study has assumed rigorous application of Granger technique with proper statistical verification of assumptions, selection of relevant variables and provides trusted statistical forecasts. In an attempt to understand this relationship, an Econometric model has been developed to assess the impact of electricity supply and price on the economic growth of South Africa. In the empirical analysis section of this study it was found that with a forecast for GDP, past values of electricity prices and coal sales may be used to forecast electricity supply. It was also found that if we have a forecast value of future electricity price we can use past values of electricity supply and coal sales to forecast GDP for the next quarter. We also found that electricity supply is granger caused by GDP; electricity price; and total coal sales. And that economic growth is granger caused by electricity supply; electricity price; and total coal sales. It was concluded that in order for government to improve the economic growth of South Africa, a major focus on the energy industry is needed to ensure sustainable supply capacity. The energy sector, as was shown in the study, has a major impact in the functioning of the Gross Domestic Product of the country.

The development of technologies and structures providing energy for household use in South Africa have for many years been dominated by the needs of "white" households. While these needs have been comprehensively met through cheap and efficient energy supplies, the needs of those in the "homelands" and townships have effectively been ignored. Thus, for roughly two-thirds of the population in South Africa, the struggle to meet basic energy needs for cooking, water heating, space heating and lighting is time consuming and expensive. The planning of a national energy strategy for the future can no longer overlook the energy needs of underdeveloped areas. While the immense task of building institutions and techniques for providing all with adequate and affordable energy supplies will require substantial technical intervention and a large amount of capital, ignoring these problems will incur even greater political, social and environmental costs. Interest in the field of energy for underdeveloped areas has been increasing in recent years, and has led to research on various appropriate energy technologies and the highlighting of energy problems in various locations. However, there has been no overview of experience to date, nor any comparative assessment of these technologies and their potential role in an energy supply strategy. By drawing together the body of research into one publication, this thesis hopes to provide an overview, to allow different energy technologies and supply options to be assessed and compared, and to provide a starting point for debate on suitable energy strategies for underdeveloped areas.

Bibliography: leaves 273-276. / The thematic focus of this dissertation is the specificity of user requirements for domestic energy applications in informal urban settlements and how these are fashioned by the contextual pre-conditions of poverty and instability. The fieldwork focused on a group of people who can be defined by the facts that they are people who house themselves, possibly fall into the lowest or no income sector of the population, are peripheral to the mainstream economic activity in the country and are temporary or permanent or roving urbanites. The research approach is done from the viewpoint that user requirements should inform the design of systems for domestic energy applications and that these subjective requirements constitute the correct point of departure from which to evaluate the efficacy of energy support services. The bulk of this dissertation consists of recounts of research interviews, illustrating some aspects of user requirements. These are presented as 'primary data' with the purpose of rendering the research more transparent and of feeing an information resource with the option of re-interpretation by the reader. The dissertation concludes that appropriate energy services will have to be characterised by adaptability and diversity as well as by sensitive responses to the micro networks of urban subsistence household economies.

Includes bibliography. / A proposal to develop the Upper Tugela Location in KwaZulu, Natal, prompted this study. This study aims to investigate the means to enhance the availability of, and access to, affordable energy sources in the Upper Tugela Location. A further aim is to match appropriate energy sources with the socio-economic conditions prevailing there. The Upper Tugela Location is an ecologically sensitive area of the Upper Tugela catchment. Rural energy planning has been criticized for the development of energy-conversion technologies while there is insufficient understanding of energy procurement practices in rural subsistence economies in South Africa. Qualitative information gained from a questionnaire survey, informal group discussions and direct observations suggest that the inhabitants of the Upper Tugela Location are relatively poor. For this reason a basic rural energy needs approach, which attempts to address the needs of the poorest, has been adopted to provide a theoretical base for the study. Research has revealed the following. Wood is the dominant energy source in the Upper Tugela Location. It is estimated that the annual household consumption of fuelwood is 3000 kg which is below the average fuelwood consumption for a rural area in South Africa. This reflects that this resource is being depleted to the degree that the local inhabitants are supplementing their use of fuelwood with expensive commercial fuels such as coal and paraffin. Locally available wood is in short supply, particularly in densely populated areas of the Upper Tugela Location. Most people are buying fuelwood from Natal farmers living on the borders of the study area. This results in an economic leakage from the Upper Tugela Location and dependence on extralocally available sources of energy. There appear to be few attempts to establish woodlots at present in the Upper Tugela Location. Equitable access to local supplies of wood are curtailed. Renewable sources of energy such as thermal and photovoltaic solar energy, micro-hydro and wind generated power, and afforestation have been investigated as have non-renewable sources of energy such as grid electricity and commercial fuels. It is concluded that no single technical option adequately addresses the energy needs of the inhabitants of the Upper Tugela Location. Most of the renewable sources of energy, except wood, are too expensive for subsistence economies and can be unreliable as they are still at the developmental stage. It is recommended that electricity from the national grid should be made available to those who can afford it. The means to improving the distribution of commercial fuels in the Upper Tugela Location should be addressed. Woody biomass management and agroforestry programmes provide the best options for an energy strategy for the Upper Tugela Location as they are inexpensive, require little maintenance, are sustainable and reliable, and serve conservation requirements at the same time.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg / Power system adequacy has been historically insufficient in the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) region with resulting negative effects on economic growth and electrification efforts. Existing domestic regulatory frameworks and opaque longterm bilateral contracting for procuring capacity in the region have been shown to be insufficient in ensuring system adequacy. The concept of an adequacy product in the form of a Capacity Mechanism (CM) introduced into the SAPP region has not yet appeared in the literature. A Capacity Mechanism (CM) for the SAPP region has been proposed and designed as part of this research to address this. A framework has been developed to consider CMs via the combination of a screening assessment, quantitative (model-based) analysis of more favourable CM options and an identification and quantification of key design elements. The developed framework can also be generalised and applied to other jurisdictions where CMs are under consideration. A regional CM which transparently and explicitly values capacity is proposed in the form of a forward-looking annual Capacity Auction that is locationally disaggregated, supplied by all possible supply-side resources with all feasible SAPP market participants included. The CM should be technology agnostic and account for the dual requirement for firm capacity to meet peak demand and firm-energy to meet annual energy requirements considering the dominance of hydrobased capacity in the region when excluding South Africa. There should be a leadtime of 3-4 years with the possibility of long-term auctions for large hydro-based capacity. Strict market monitoring and adherence to performance incentives and penalties will need to be ensured to avoid exercising of market power considering the dominant size of the South African power system. Appropriately mandated institutions to run Capacity Auctions would include the SAPP Co-Ordination Centre as well as a sufficiently mandated regional regulatory body. A further contribution is made in the form of a public domain power system dataset of the SAPP region with sufficient detail to be used in power system operations and planning efforts by future researchers and practitioners. / E.K. 2020

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.