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1
Jobela, Sonwabo. "Investigating the socio economic impact of electrification in Mnquma Municipality." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011507.
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The aim of this research was to investigate the socio economic impact of electrification in Mnquma Municipality in the province of Eastern Cape. Mnquma Municipality has a backlog of about 25475 households that have not yet been electrified. There is a high demand of electricity in villages that have not yet been electrified. Eskom Southern Region has about 5 Million electrified households. The year 2012 was declared as year of universal access of electricity in South Africa. In the last three years amount of electrified households has been coming down at alarming rate. It is against this background that the study sought to investigate the socio economic impact of electrification of households. This study is a comparative study where two villages are compared. One village is electrified whilst the other village is not electrified. The study is based on the questionnaire opinion survey where respondents‟ views and opinion are solicited to test if electricity improves the socio economic conditions of Mnquma households. The study confirmed the findings of the research if electrification has improved the socio economic condition and if electricity is a preferred source of energy. The study proposed recommendations encompasses strategic responses to check if Government is achieving the desired goal through electrification of households.
2
Tobich, Ralf Georg. "The electrification of underdeveloped areas : a case study in Ciskei." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18585.
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More than 20 million people in South Africa live without electricity in the household. Perhaps half of them live in underdeveloped rural areas in the 'homelands', which comprise about 14% of South Africa's land area. While considerable work has been done on methods of electrifying underdeveloped urban areas, little research has gone into the need for, and especially the cost of, electrifying the rural homeland areas. This dissertation documents an investigation into this question, using Ciskei as a sample area. The study is based on research that was carried out between July 1987 and January 1989. This research included a literature review of rural electrification and development, two field trips to Ciskei to gather relevant information, two questionnaire surveys to assess people's perceptions of electricity, and the design and costing of distribution and reticulation networks for a rural sample area in Ciskei.
3
Patel, Himal. "Techno-economic comparison of standalone microgrids for rural electrification in South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29728.
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Rural electrification is a global problem that primarily affects developing countries. The people worst affected are people living in sub- Saharan Africa. There are number of reasons why rural electrification is generally low. People in rural areas generally live in small communities, located far away or from the grid or in geographically tough terrain. As a result, it is not financially viable to extend the grid to these areas and therefore they remain unelectrified. Another dictating factor, is the fact that people in these areas are generally poor, and therefore this discourages any investment from the private sector. This dissertation focuses on rural electrification in South Africa specifically. Most people in South Africa affected by not being electrified live in rural areas on the border between the Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal. As it is too expensive to extend the grid to these areas, off-grid options, such as microgrids were investigated. A large amount of research has been carried out on hybrid microgrids as a solution to rural electrification. However, a limited amount of research has been carried out on single source microgrids. Furthermore, South Africa is fortunate to have an abundance of solar, wind and microhydro resources, however, it is unclear which resource would be cheapest based on the location of the rural area. As a result, the aim of thesis was to analyse the impact of the strength of the resource when implementing a microgrid and comparing the three different renewable resources systems against one another. In order to carry out this analysis, three unelectrified villages were selected with each village located in an area of a strong resource, whether it be wind, solar or microhydro. i.e. one village was selected in an area with a strong solar resource, the second in an area with strong wind resource and the third in an area with strong microhydro resource. Once selected, a load for each village was modelled and the resource data for each village was obtained using open source sites. Solar-battery, wind battery and microhydro-battery systems were modelled for each village using HOMER. From the results it was clear that when comparing the same resource in each of the villages, then the strength of the resource did affect the levelised cost of energy i.e. the stronger the resource, the less the lower the cost of energy which was as expected. However, when comparing the solar, wind and microhydro system in each village against each other, it was apparent that the strength of the resource did not dictate the type of technology to be used in that area. It was found that wind systems were not suited to small scale generation, whilst microhydro was the cheapest technology in each village, however, its implementation may be deterred by non-technical issues such as the social and environmental impacts of constructing a dam. The cost of the solar system was comparable to microhydro only when the irradiation was above a certain level. As solar systems are easier and quicker to implement it is possibly the best system in general for rural areas in South Africa. Implementation of off-grid systems for rural electrification in South Africa is a viable option however, as the private sector is not incentivised to implement these systems, then government back in the form of grants and subsidies are required to implement these systems. However, as renewable technologies improve and get cheaper with time, this option to electrify rural areas is always becoming cheaper.
4
Syed, Usman Hassan. "Estimation of Un-electrified Households & Electricity Demand for Planning Electrification of Un-electrified Areas : Using South Africa as Case." Thesis, KTH, Energisystemanalys, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-125590.
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“We emphasize the need to address the challenge of access to sustainable modern energy services for all, in particular for the poor, who are unable to afford these services even when they are available.” Section 126: The Future We Want (Out Come Document of Rio+20-United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development June 20-22, 2012). The lack of energy access has been identified as a hurdle in achieving the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals, leading towards the urge to set a goal for universal electrification till 2030. With around 600 million people in Africa without access to electricity, effective and efficient electrification programs and policy framework is required to achieve this goal sustainably. South Africa is an example in the continent for initiating intense electrification programs and policies like “Free Basic Electricity”, increasing its electrification rate from 30% in 1993 to 75% in 2010 and a claimed 82% in 2011. The case of South Africa has been analysed from the perspective of universal electrification in the coming years. The aim was to estimate the un-electrified households for each area of South Africa in order to provide the basis for electrification planning. The idea was to use available electrification statistics with GIS (Geographic Information System) maps for grid lines and identifying the suitability of on-grid or off-grid electrification options, which may help in planning the electrification of these areas in the near future. However, due to lack of readily available data, the present work has been able to estimate the un-electrified households & their possible electrical load. The estimates have been distributed in different income groups for each province and district municipality of South Africa, which can be used for electrification planning at national, provincial and municipal level. As a result, some simple and useful data parameters have been identified and an estimation methodology has been developed, which may be employed to obtain similar estimates at lower administrative levels i.e. local municipalities and wards. The work can be utilized further and feasible electrification options may be suggested for different areas of South Africa, with the help of GIS maps and data. Depending on the availability of useful data, the data parameters & indicators used in this work will be helpful for planning the electrification for rural households in other places of Africa.
5
Mthiyane, Zibuyisile. "Towards universal access : status of the KZN electrification programme 2013/14." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/96213.
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Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.<br>Census 2011 put the rate of electrification in South Africa at 84 percent. Even though this is a
positive outcome to the previously recorded 34 percent, it has served as a clear indication that the
target for Universal Access to Electricity by 2014 as set by President Jacob Zuma is unlikely to be
achieved. In June 2013, cabinet approved the implementation of the new household electrification
strategy and in support of this decision the Department of Energy was tasked to develop a new
electrification roadmap or implementation plan.
The intention of this research study has been to contribute to the development of this strategic plan
by analysing the status of electrification in KwaZulu-Natal, as extracted from the provincial
Geographical Information System, in order to identify the optimal electrification roll out plan and to
develop guiding principles for the electrification of the province. The research outcomes provide a
view of the current state of electrification within the province, identify the major technical
constraints which hinder the progress, and provide recommendations for implementation roll out for
KwaZulu-Natal province.
The finding of this research is that of the 497 799 thousand un-electrified houses, 169 506 HH are
not electrifiable as there is not sufficient capacity on the existing networks to cater for these
households. Of those, 132 007 households are dependent on the establishment and construction
of new bulk infrastructure such as substations and lines, while 37 499 are dependent on the
upgrade or refurbishment of the existing infrastructure. The research has identified and categorised
the ‘critical’ bulk infrastructure that will benefit 5 000 households or more as well as the high impact
infrastructure projects that cater for 3 000 households or more.
The research has also identified municipalities that are above the average of 84 percent
electrification and categorised these as quick win areas to help in the progression toward universal
access. As the research has also identified the dark havens, named as such due to being less than
50 percent electrified and plagued by technical constraints which makes any electrification of these
areas not possible in the next five to ten years. Recommendations for responding to all four
categories of findings are put forward.
6
Theron, Paul Richard. "Public and private sector involvement in the provision of electricity in urban areas of South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21961.
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Bibliography: pages 163-172.<br>This study examines the involvement of public and private sector institutions in the provision of electricity in urban areas of South Africa. Access to electricity in South Africa is highly unequal and little progress is currently being made to bring electricity to all, mainly due to institutional and financial problems. The focus on public and private sector roles is adopted because of the social importance and economic nature of electricity provision, the global and national significance of privatisation policies, and the current importance of allocating appropriate roles to the public and private sectors in widening access to services, including electricity, in South Africa. The distribution sector of the South African electricity supply industry (ESI) is highly fragmented. Municipal electricity departments, which mostly serve white residential, commercial and industrial areas, are generally highly profitable and provide an effective service, but are not highly efficient by international standards. These departments are self-sufficient in the implementation of electrification projects, and have access to adequate capital to finance such projects. Electricity distribution authorities set up to serve black areas, especially electricity departments of black local authorities, are ineffective, and often financially unsound. Due to the weakness of public authorities charged with the task of undertaking electrification projects in black areas, the implementation of these projects is dependent on the involvement of private electrical consultants and contractors. However, few such projects are currently being undertaken due to inappropriate planning and shortages of concessionary finance. After close consideration of the benefits and drawbacks of public and private involvement in range of activities that arise from electricity provision, it is concluded that the key challenges facing the ESI in South Africa will best be met if the distribution sector is restructured on a regional basis in order to utilise existing expertise, and retained within the public sector. Accelerated electrification initiatives, planned and co-ordinated by these distribution authorities, would draw upon the experience and capabilities of private electrical consultants and contractors. Public sector leadership in mobilising both public and private investment would also be necessary. Thus, whilst public institutions would be dominant, important roles would remain for the private sector in the provision of electricity in urban areas. The results of this study suggest that far from privatising service provision in South Africa, it will be essential to allocate a dominant role to the public sector in widening access to services to all.
7
Davis, Mark. "Electrification and institutional reform in power utilities : case studies in South Africa and Swaziland." Thesis, University of Sussex, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.361297.
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Koko, Sandile Phillip. "Techno-economic analysis of an off-grid micro-hydrokinetic river system as a remote rural electrification option." Thesis, Bloemfontein: Central University of Technology, Free State, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11462/272.
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Thesis (M. Tech. (Electrical Engineering )) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2014<br>Remote rural electrification via grid-extension is a challenging solution due to high connection costs and low electricity consumption rate. As a result, it is difficult to recover the initial investment costs. Therefore, electrification is made possible by means of the commonly used off-grid approaches such as solar, wind, diesel generator and conventional micro-hydro. However, owing to non-continuous availability of sunlight and wind, high cost of diesel fuel, and requirements for construction of diversion weirs, these off-grid approaches might not offer a cost-effective and reliable solution to low income rural residents.
There are many rural communities throughout the world without access to grid electricity and with access to flowing water. An off-grid micro-hydrokinetic river (MHR) system is one of the promising technologies to be used in remote rural areas with flowing water. It can bring sustainable improvement to their quality of life due to its high energy density and minimal environmental impact. This technology is still in the development stage and there is a lack of application, especially in rural areas. Hence, this study investigates the current status of MHR technology in rural applications.
To demonstrate the economic feasibility of an off-grid MHR system, a rural site with multiple energy sources within South Africa has been used. The economic benefit offered by this proposed system at the selected site is compared to the economic benefits offered by other commonly used standalone systems such a solar, wind and diesel generator (DG). This economic comparison has been performed by making use of a Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER) simulation tool. Grid extension has also been used as a comparison method for obtaining an economical distance between grid lines and the remote rural site. The results highlighted the acceptable economic performance of the MHR system. Finally, most of the available modelling and simulation tools for mechanical and electrical systems are not equipped with hydrokinetic modules. Hence, an MHR system model has been developed in MATLAB/Simulink in order to study its dynamic performance as submitted to variable water resource. Its performance has then been compared to the performance of a wind system counterpart for generating the same amount of electrical power. This proved/verified that the proposed system can generate electricity markedly cheaper than a wind system even in areas with adequate wind resource within South Africa.
9
Themeli, Tshimangadzo Booi. "A cost-benefit analysis of electricity supply in a developing country, with reference to Venda." Thesis, Rhodes University, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002757.
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This study concentrates specificaUy on assessing those elements of private and external costs and benefits which need to be accounted for in analyzing the role of electricity supply in a developing region. To facilitate this aim, three interrelated questions are addressed. The first question examines the reasons why a critical need for electrification in developing areas exists. In this regard, a selective review of the literature on development economics is offered, illuminating the previous neglect of the rural dimension in development and the associated problems of poverty and inequality, a lack of infrastructure and the general inability to fulfill basic needs. The second question is devoted exclusively to an economic analysis of the supply of electricity in developing areas. A broad theoretical review on whether an unregulated or regulated (private or public) sector should be responsible for the provision of electrification is presented. This evaluation highlights the various welfare implications and efficiency considerations that appear to be relevant in the present context. The final question, which constitutes the central proposition of the thesis, establishes how electrification should be supplied in developing areas. To this end, the conditions specific to a region in Venda are discussed. An attempt is made to identify the private and external costs and benefits relating to electricity supply and the corresponding costs and benefits pertaining to alternative sources of energy. Since the incidence and nature of these costs and benefits could only be ascertained from individual households, it was deemed necessary to undertake a questionnaire study of residents in Makwarela township and its periurban settlement of Lufule-Tshisele. A number of basic trends were evident from the research results. As far as the various benefits are concerned, respondents tended to place a much higher value on both the private and external benefits associated with electricity than its alternatives. At the same time, the survey found that although the private (or monetary) cost of electricity far exceeded the corresponding cost of alternative energy sources, the external costs were significant in the case of alternative energy sources, but virtually non-existent in the case of electricity. On the whole, the Venda survey seems to suggest that an economic case can be made for involving the broader community in subsidising the supply of electricity in Makwarela, Lufule-Tshisele and other areas. While such a subsidy can perhaps be justified on distribution grounds alone, and more specifically in terms of the rapid and pronounced effect it is likely to have on the quality of life in the region, its real worth lies in the fact that it may confer certain external benefits on the community.
10
Mamphweli, Ntshengedzeni Sampson. "Implementation of a 150kva biomass gasifier system for community economic empowerment in South Africa." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/262.
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There is growing interest in research and development activities on biomass gasification technologies as an alternative to fossil fuels technologies. However not much has been done in terms of technology transfer, particularly in under-developed and developing countries such as South Africa. This is mainly because of the lack of resources such as funding. Most parts of the under-developed and developing countries fall within rural areas and semi-urban centers, which are endowed with biomass resources. South Africa has a number of sawmill operators who generate tons of biomass waste during processing of timber; the large proportion of this is burned in furnaces as a means for waste management while a very small proportion is collected and used by people in rural areas for cooking their food. The majority of people in rural areas of South Africa are either unemployed or cannot afford the current energy services. The main aim of this research was to establish the viability of electricity generation for community economic development through biomass gasification, specifically using the locally designed System Johansson Biomass Gasifier™ (SJBG), and to establish the efficiency of the gasifier and associated components with a view of developing strategies to enhance it. The study established the technical and economic feasibility of using the SJBG to generate low-cost electricity for community empowerment. The study also developed strategies to improve the particle collection efficiency of the cyclone. In addition to this, a low-cost gas and temperature monitoring system capable of monitoring gas and temperature at various points of the gasifier was developed. The system was built from three Non- Dispersive Infrared gas sensors, one Palladium/Nickel gas sensor and four type K thermocouples. The study also investigated the impact of fuel compartment condensates on gasifier conversion efficiency. This is an area that has not yet been well researched since much has been done on energy recovery using combined heat and power applications that do not utilize the energy in condensates because these are produced in the gasifier and drained with chemical energy stored in them. The study established that the condensates do not have a significant impact on efficiency.
11
Mmola, Dinkgolang Matildah. "An assessment of the role played by Polokwane Local Municipality in service delivery within Manthorwane Community of Limpopo Province." Thesis, University of Limpopo (Turfloop Campus), 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/760.
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Thesis (M.DEV.) --University of Limpopo, 2012<br>The main purpose of this study was to assess the role played by Polokwane Local Municipality in delivery of basic services such as water, sanitation, electricity , and housing in the village of Manthorwane, Limpopo Province. It was of critical importance for the researcher to investigate this area, as there was no study done before related to basic services delivery.
The objectives of the study were ,to assess the extent to which the municipality is providing basic services, investigate the strength, weaknesses , examine the impact of the Municipality‘s role in the development of Manthorwane Village and recommending strategies for enhancing the level of basic service delivery.
Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used because the study combines the use of instruments and methods for measurement and the way the researcher interacts with the people. Interviewees and questionnaires were used to understand the community’s feeling towards delivery of basic services.
The researcher has gone through a detailed process of investigation, where it is found that there is no delivery of basic services (electricity, sanitation, housing). Only water has been provided in this village. The researcher also discovered that there are no valid reasons why the Polokwane Municipality has not delivered the services above. It is also revealed that there are no stakeholder’s participation and consultations meetings when the decisions for service delivery are taken. Evaluation and monitoring tools are not applied when implementing projects.
There are some recommendations proposed to the municipality. The municipality could intensify their training process in a way in which the officials could be productive to the community. Transparency must always be practiced for the municipality to excel in their delivery services.
Intergovernmental relationship is also encouraged. Awareness programs must be done effectively so that the community is aware of all activities done in their area.
12
Myoli, Mncedi Eric. "An evaluation of the quality customer service delivered by Eskom to rural household customers in the Eastern Cape." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013564.
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[Abstract - Conclusion]: This research study confirms the theory in the literature review on delivery of quality service to customers and premise that there is a statistically significant difference between Eskom service as perceived by rural prepaid household customers and their expectations. This study also highlights the need for Eskom management to take into cognisance the unique rural prepaid customer service needs and how to meet them, perhaps a differentiated service approach rather than a one-strategy-fits-all approach. This is in view of gaps created between expectations and perceptions of service, especially in the reliability dimension that could require a concentrated or changed performance approach to close them.
13
Azimoh, Chukwuma Leonard. "Sustainability and development impacts of off-grid electrification in developing countries : An assessment of South Africa's rural electrification program." Doctoral thesis, Mälardalens högskola, Framtidens energi, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-30762.
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Previous studies have shown that provision of sustainable electricity supply to rural households is essential to bring development to off-grid populations. For this reason, most developing countries put large efforts into rural electrification programs to stimulate development and reduce poverty. However, to be sustainable these programs need to recover costs, which poses a challenge to remote low income populations. This often forces governments and other institutions involved in rural electrification to subsidize the electricity production. It also affects the choice of technology and places a barrier on the level of energy provided in line with the ability to pay for services. As a result of this, most programs have failed to achieve the desired objectives, as the technologies used often do not support income generating activities that could increase the payment capabilities of the beneficiaries and contribute to development. This thesis is focused on the rural electrification program of South Africa, the country in sub-Saharan Africa that has the highest access to electricity. It investigates the success elements that influence the sustainability of rural electrification programs and their contributions to socio-economic development. This was achieved by evaluating the South African program that provides solar home systems to off-grid communities, and a hybrid solar-wind mini-grid project in South Africa. The study also draw lessons from other rural electrification programs in neighbouring countries, i.e. an evaluation of a hybrid solar-diesel mini-grid system in Namibia, and a review of two systems, a hybrid solar-biomass mini-grid project in Botswana and a hydro mini-grid program in Lesotho. The study revealed that hydro based hybrid mini-grid systems provide the most cost effective way of bringing energy services to rural settlements. Regardless of technology, successful programs depend on adequate support from the government, implementation of a progressive tariff system that allows the high consuming high income earners and businesses, to cross subsidize the low consuming , low income users. It shows that it is more likely for rural electrification programs to survive if the design considers the existing businesses, population growth and the corresponding load increase. The thesis further shows that provision of sufficient energy to induce income generating activities is essential to decrease the need for subsidies and to ensure the sustainability of programs. In addition, availability of spare parts and a capable management team is essential for the successful operations and maintenance of these systems.
14
Carter-Brown, Clinton Geoffrey. "Effect of conductor size on the total cost of electricity distribution feeders in South African electrification." Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5257.
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Includes bibliographical references (p. 191-201).<br>There is an optimum conductor size that minimises the lifetime cost of domestic electrification networks. The lifetime cost consists of the initial capital cost and ongoing running cost. Technical load losses are an important running cost and consideration for conductor size optimisation. Traditional conductor size optimisation methods base technical load loss costs on upstream generation and network costs. These loss costing methods assume that consumers behave as constant power loads. The impact of conductor voltage drops on changes in consumer energy consumption and demand and hence changes in utility bulk purchase cost and sales revenue are ignored. Traditional load loss calculation methods do not adequately describe the stochastic nature of individual consumer loads. In low-voltage domestic networks traditional methods may account for less than 25% of the actual lifetime running cost due to load losses and conductor voltage drop. It is shown that the results of traditional conductor size optimisation methods are severely compromised.
15
Veck, Griffith Alan. "The politics of power in an economy in transition: Eskom and the electrification of South Africa 1980-1995." Thesis, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10539/22193.
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Commerce Faculty, 2000<br>This study traces the history of the programmes to electrify white-owned commercial farms on South Africa's borders and black households, schools and clinics in the period 1980-1995 by Eskom, South Africa's public electric utility. In particular the study investigates why Eskom undertook these programmes and their macro- and micro-economic impact on the South African economy. The history of Eskom's attempt to assume responsibility for the management of Greater Soweto' s electricity supply in the late eighties is also documented. Greater Soweto is South Africa's largest and most important black township, and is situated to the south-west of Johannesburg.
The reasons for this initiative and its connection to Eskom's black household electrification
programmes is exposed. The methodological approach to the study involves analysing political, economic and institutional intelligence concerning Eskom's electrification programmes gathered from primary and secondary literature sources and interviews with senior Eskom staff, and others, in qualitative, and, where appropriate, quantitative terms.
The results of this analysis suggest that politics played a crucial role in Eskom's decision to undertake these electrification programmes and that Eskom was an autonomous entity and lacked adequate regulatory oversight. With respect to the macro- and micro-economic benefits (GDP growth and job creation) arising from the progranune to electrify black households between 1990 and 1995 these are shown to be very much smaller than those claimed by Eskom. The reasons for this difference are explored and explained in detail. It was also found that large scale cross-subsidisation was required to sustain both the farm and black household electrification programmes.
These findings required that matters of energy policy with respect to the sustainability of the programme to electrify black households be addressed. These policy issues are dealt with under three headings, financial issues, economic efficiency and equity. Finally suggestions are made for the way forward so that the electrification of black households in South Africa may be sustained.<br>AC2017
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Reddy, Devan. "The use of small scale hydroelectric power in South Africa, hydro and economic potential for rural electrification." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/9873.
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Small hydro generation refers to generating capacity of less than 10 MW with the most common
being Run-of-River. In South Africa, the level of rural electrification is approximately 50 percent with
most of the energy needs being met with biomass fuels.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the hydropotential regions that were identified by Eskom
and the Department of Minerals and Energy in 2002 and determine sites for small scale development
for rural electrification purposes. Technical and feasible analyses were carried out in order to assess
the applicability of this kind of energy generating system. The aim of this study was to consider the
Free Basic Electrification policy and Solar Home Systems to assess the electrical demand of rural
households and possible funding transfer scheme respectively.
Furthermore, to formulate an appropriate methodology that can be used given the available data and
resources currently available in South Africa. In total, six sites were identified and analysed in this
paper, namely: (1) Berg River at gauge G1H013, (2) Mzimvubu River at gauge T3H008, (3) Orange River at gauge D1H003, (4) Mlambonja River at gauge V1H041, (5) Thukela River at gauge V1H002 and (6) Mkomazi River at gauge U1H005 which are in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and
KwaZulu-Natal Provinces. Flow gauge data were analysed in order to develop monthly mean Flow Duration Curves which were used to determine the design flow, power generation (through Power Duration Curve construction) and renewable energy potentially produced from each scheme. Costing functions were utilised in order to determine the initial capital cost of the system which was used to assess the project’s
feasibility. In order to predict potential power output of the schemes, the streamflow and hydraulic head of the six rivers were assessed. The potential renewable energy production ranged from about 240 to 6060
MWh/year. Through this energy production, it was found between 165 and 10100 houses could be electrified depending on the electrical allowance provided. This significantly exceeds existing housing numbers. Costing bands ranged from 3 – 7 R/kWh which was high but within reason based on the community income and the transfer of the Solar Home Systems pricing policy. The results of this study provide a good foundation for future work in the estimation of hydropower potential in South Africa and will hopefully be a stepping stone to better estimation of both technical
and exploitable hydropower potential for South Africa.<br>Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.
17
Madubansi, M., and C. M. Shackleton. "Changing energy profiles and consumption patterns following electrification in five rural villages, South Africa." 2006. http://eprints.ru.ac.za/420/1/changing_energy.pdf.
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Following the democratic transition in South Africa in the early 1990s the government has implemented a widespread electrification programme, as well as introduced a free basic electricity allowance as a means of poverty alleviation. Yet there are limited longitudinal studies on the impacts of the introduction of electricity on the patterns of household energy use, and even more so in the neglected rural sector. This study reports on the patterns of household energy use in five rural settlements in 1991 and again in 2002. Results indicate a changing pattern of energy use for lighting and powering entertainment appliances, more specifically from dry-cell batteries and paraffin to electricity. Yet for thermal needs, most notably cooking, fuelwood has remained the most widespread fuel, and the amount used per month has not changed, despite increasing scarcity of wood in the local environment. There has been an increase in the proportion of households purchasing fuelwood as opposed to collecting their own. Overall, the mean total number of fuel types used per household has increased, indicating that electricity is simply viewed as an additional energy, rather than an alternative. Yet, electricity accounted for approximately 60% of expenditure on energy sources in 2002, despite the government's policy of a free basic allowance of 5–6 kWh per month. This has implications for energy supply costing, as well as the poverty alleviation dimensions of the whole programme.
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Madubansi, M., and Charlie Shackleton. "Changing energy profiles and consumption patterns following electrification in five rural villages, South Africa." 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006866.
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Following the democratic transition in South Africa in the early 1990s the government has implemented a widespread electrification programme, as well as introduced a free basic electricity allowance as a means of poverty alleviation. Yet there are limited longitudinal studies on the impacts of the introduction of electricity on the patterns of household energy use, and even more so in the neglected rural sector. This study reports on the patterns of household energy use in five rural settlements in 1991 and again in 2002. Results indicate a changing pattern of energy use for lighting and powering entertainment appliances, more specifically from dry-cell batteries and paraffin to electricity. Yet for thermal needs, most notably cooking, fuelwood has remained the most widespread fuel, and the amount used per month has not changed, despite increasing scarcity of wood in the local environment. There has been an increase in the proportion of households purchasing fuelwood as opposed to collecting their own. Overall, the mean total number of fuel types used per household has increased, indicating that electricity is simply viewed as an additional energy, rather than an alternative. Yet, electricity accounted for approximately 60% of expenditure on energy sources in 2002, despite the government's policy of a free basic allowance of 5–6 kWh per month. This has implications for energy supply costing, as well as the poverty alleviation dimensions of the whole programme.
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Madubansi, M., and Charlie Shackleton. "Changes in fuelwood use and selection following electrification in the Bushbuckridge lowveld, South Africa." 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006867.
Full textAbstract:
Fuelwood is the primary energy source for domestic purposes throughout the developing world, in both urban and rural environments. Due to the detrimental impacts of biomass use on human and environmental health, many governments have sought to reduce its use through provision of potentially cleaner energies, of which electricity is the dominant form. Yet there are surprisingly few studies of changes in fuelwood use following the introduction of electricity, especially in rural areas of Africa. This paper reports on a longitudinal study of fuelwood use, using identical approaches, in five rural villages in the Bushbuckridge region of South Africa, spanning the period over which electricity became widely available. Almost a decade after the introduction of electricity, over 90% of households still used fuelwood for thermal purposes, especially cooking, and the mean household consumption rates over the 11-year period had not changed, even with a policy of 6 kWh per month of free electricity. The proportion of households purchasing fuelwood had increased, probably in response to a number of factors, including (i) increased fuelwood scarcity in the local environment as reflected by increased fuelwood collection times, changes in fuelwood species preferences, and ranking of scarcity by local collectors, and (ii) increases in the price of fuelwood well below that of other fuels and the prevailing inflation rate. Overall, there was an increase in the number of species harvested over the 11-year period. The implications of these findings for rural energy provision are discussed.
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Bonthuys, Gideon Johannes. "A feasibility and implementation model of small-scale hydropower development for rural electrification in South Africa." Diss., 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/57207.
Full textAbstract:
Small scale hydropower used to play a very important role in the provision of energy to urban and rural
areas of South Africa. The national electricity grid however, expanded and offered cheap, coal generated
electricity and a large number of hydropower systems were decommissioned. Unfortunately, large
numbers of households and communities will not be connected to the national electricity grid for the
foreseeable future due to high cost of transmission and distribution systems to remote communities, the
relatively low electricity demand within rural communities and the current expenditure on upgrading
and constructing of new coal fired power stations. Today, small hydropower projects are the most
commonly used option to supply electricity to isolated or rural communities throughout the world
including countries such as Nepal, India, Peru and China.
It was hypothesized that it is technically possible to provide small?scale hydropower (SSHP)
installations for rural electrification in South Africa, and that for specific configurations of penstock
diameter, penstock length and transmission line lengths, SSHP installations are more feasible for rural
electrification than local or national electricity grid extension or even other energy sources such as
diesel generators.
The objective of the study was to identify potential sites for the development of feasible small-scale
hydropower plants within the OR Tambo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape, and the uMzinyathi
District Municipality in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. The objective was the development of a
feasibility and implementation model to assist in designing and financially evaluating small-scale
hydropower plants for several similarly identified potential small-scale hydropower installations in
South Africa. The implementation model describes steps to be followed in identifying a technically possible and
feasible opportunity to develop a small?scale hydropower site for rural electrification, and categorises
them into three different sections, namely Site Selection, SSHP and Cost Assesment, which combine to
form the implementation model. Continuous referral from the subsequent sections of the study back to
the implementation model provides a comprehensiveness to the model which allows for a sustainable
implementation of the SSHP project from the conceptual phase to the commissioning of the plant.
Several designed small-scale hydropower plants were economically evaluated on Net Present Value,
Internal Rate of Return, Levelised Cost of Energy, Financial Payback Period and Capital Cost
Comparison (CCCR). It was observed that a low levelised cost is not always associated with a low
CCCR and vice versa. The levelised cost of small-scale hydropower is lowered by developing sites with
shorter penstock lengths for higher elevation differences, to obtain a higher head while minimizing
penstock lengths and capital costs. From the financial analysis of several designed installations, generic
formulae for costing a small-scale hydropower plant were developed. By keeping specific variables
constant, design charts for technically executable and financially feasible small-scale hydropower plants
were developed by assuming constant penstock diameters, penstock lengths and potential head
available.
The outcome of this study proved the initial hypothesis. From the feasibility analysis and developed
design charts it was concluded that the levelised cost of small-scale hydropower projects indicate that
the cost of small-scale hydropower for low energy generation is high compared to the levelised cost of
grid connected electricity supply. However, the remoteness of small-scale hydropower for rural
electrification and the cost of infrastructure to connect remote rural communities to the local or national
electricity grid provides a low CCCR and renders technically implementable small-scale hydropower
projects for rural electrification feasible on this basis.<br>Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2016.<br>tm2016<br>Civil Engineering<br>MEng<br>Unrestricted
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Magoro, Salminah Azwinndini. "An investigation into the challenges facing Thulamela Local Municipality with regard to the supply of electricity." Diss., 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/11602/47.
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Booi, Bongani Mpumelelo. "Cost effective electrical reticulation of the rural areas in Transkei at the district of Lady Frere (Nkolonga)." Thesis, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10321/2876.
Full textAbstract:
A research report submitted in partial partial compliance compliance with the requirements for the Master's Diploma in Technology: Electrical Engineering, M.L.Sultan Technikon, 1995.<br>The purpose of this study is to investigate the most cost effective way of electrifying rural areas in the Transkei concentrating in the district of Lady Frere. One Administrative Area (A.A) was used for research. Questionnaires were send to people of this area where a like rat format was followed. For the purpose of this study, 20 families were randomly selected for investigation.<br>M
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Greyvenstein, Laurence Cornelius. "Energy management : technological, environmental and economical factors influencing the operating regime at Majuba Power Station." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7522.
Full textAbstract:
M.Ing.<br>In a country that ranks forty seventh on a list of fifty countries in a world competitive survey economic growth should be a high priority in South Africa. The main player in South Africa's energy industry took up the gauntlet and is moving to economic growth with the vision 'to provide the world's cheapest electricity for growth and prosperity." Competition was introduced among the electricity producers by a process called trading and brokering. Majuba power station, the most expensive electricity producer on the South African grid, was left out in the cold. Management of Majuba is challenged to derive resourceful strategies to ensure sustained profitability. These strategies will require a study into world trends to enable them to be more competitive. Crystal ball gazing is not needed to know that major restrictions on pollution of the atmosphere by industry will be curbed by stringent legislation. The current electrification programme in South Africa is bound to impact the shape of the daily load curve. Labour cost and the rate of inflation have been increasing and can be expected to keep on rising in the foreseeable future. It is important to know what macro effect these factors will have on the South African power industry. Majuba must be able to identify the changes lurking on the horizon and have contingency plans in place to meet these challenges. In this work different types of plant needed to meet the daily load demand are researched from literature. It is then compared to the types of plant installed in South Africa. This leads to the conclusion that the installed plant in South Africa is not sufficient to meet the daily demand effectively. A case study is done on Majuba Power Station that has been operating in a two shifting mode since December 1996. This means that the units is started every day to be on full load in time for morning peak and then shut down after evening peak. It is also shown that this mode of operation is proffitable for a relatively expensive power generator.
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Scharfetter, Beate Gudrun. "A roadmap for navigating the institutional complexities of implementing small-scale hydropower projects for rural electrification in South Africa." Diss., 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/57502.
Full textAbstract:
The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) White Paper of 1994 laid the foundation for South Africa?s developmental trajectory, focussing inter alia on providing basic water-, electricity-, health care- and education infrastructure and services, to all the people of South Africa. In South Africa, the Government has over the last 20 years been able to provide at least a basic level of electricity service to 86% of the people, with the remaining backlog mainly lying in the rural areas of the country, where topography, location and available technology pose challenges to being able to extend the distribution grid. The Department of Energy (DoE) estimates that the total number of non-grid household connections to be connected between 2014 and 2025 amounts to approximately 300 000. Taking into consideration that between 2002 and 2013, approximately 68 000 non-grid household connections, mainly through stand-alone solar home systems were made, the non-grid electrification programme will need to scale-up considerably; to approximately 25 000 per annum for the period between 2013 and 2025.
The DoE?s ?New Household Electrification Strategy? allows for any appropriate and affordable technology option to be applied towards achieving the non-grid electrification target.
An appropriate energy solution could entail the application of small-scale hydropower (SHP) technology, either on its own or in hybrid formation, in conjunction with a mini-grid distribution system.
Based on personal experience, risk management on any project is paramount to ensure the success of a project; with risks commonly being identified within specific project work-streams. Risks associated with technical and financial work-streams can traditionally be clearly quantified and mitigated, whereas risks associated with institutional work-streams are often more challenging to identify, quantify and mitigate due to subjective and often political influences.
The necessity therefore of understanding the institutional environment within which small-scale hydropower projects would be implemented, in order to navigate through the complex maze of South Africa?s vertically- and horizontally co-ordinated Government architecture, is important. It was hypothesised that South Africa?s robust legislative-, policy- and planning architecture would allow socially driven stand-alone, small-scale hydropower projects with mini-grids, to provide electricity to those sparsely populated areas with low demand potential where it is not economically feasible to provide grid connected electricity.
The primary objective of the research was to develop an institutional roadmap illustrating potential approaches for the implementation of small-scale hydropower electricity generation and distribution projects within the ambit of South Africa?s complex legislative-, policy- and planning environment; towards achieving an accelerated rate of delivery of non-grid electrification connections in the deep rural areas of South Africa.
The Study considered National Government planning- and legislation across sectors that have an influence on rural electrification projects, as well as the point where all the national planning, legislation, policies and strategies are to be implemented and operationalised at Local Government level.
This institutional setting within which rural electrification projects in South Africa would need to be implemented, is applied to analyse ownership and operator model options, specifically focussed on small-scale hydropower projects with a mini-grid distribution system.
The outcome of the Study showed that within the ambit of South Africa?s current legislative-, policy- and planning environment in South Africa, potential approaches to opportunities exist to implement socially driven, small-scale hydropower projects, as part of the ?New Household Electrification Strategy?.<br>Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2016.<br>tm2016<br>Civil Engineering<br>MEng<br>Unrestricted
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Mudzanani, Nkhangweleni Seth. "Institutional capacity of electricity supply services for rural communities in Mutale Local Municipality of Limpopo Province." Diss., 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11602/418.
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Thanyani, Maduvhahafani. "Forecasting hourly electricity demand in South Africa using machine learning models." Diss., 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/11602/1595.
Full textAbstract:
MSc (Statistics)<br>Department of Statistics<br>Short-term load forecasting in South Africa using machine learning and statistical models is discussed in this study. The research is focused on carrying out a comparative analysis in forecasting hourly electricity demand. This study was carried out using South Africa’s aggregated hourly load data from Eskom. The comparison is carried out in this study using support vector regression (SVR), stochastic gradient boosting (SGB), artificial neural networks (NN) with generalized additive model (GAM) as a benchmark model in forecasting hourly electricity demand. In both modelling frameworks, variable selection is done using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso). The SGB model yielded the least root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) on testing data. SGB model also yielded the least RMSE, MAE and MAPE on training data. Forecast combination of the models’ forecasts is done using convex combination and quantile regres-
sion averaging (QRA). The QRA was found to be the best forecast combination model
ibased on the RMSE, MAE and MAPE.<br>NRF
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Lourens, Karin. "The impact of 100kWh free electricity on meeting the energy needs of poor urban households." Diss., 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/25112.
Full textAbstract:
Energy poverty is a major obstacle to human development. Energy services supply the benefits that “trigger” wider social and economic changes and create the conditions for improving social equality and economic growth. The South African government has scaled up electricity access to its poor population to such an extent that 85% of the country’s population had access to electricity in 2017. Nevertheless, access to electricity is not the same as the ability to use it, as the poor find the price of electricity unaffordable. The government therefore embarked on a programme to provide households’ that they consider
‘indigent’ or ‘poor’ 50kWh of free energy. This is criticized by many as not being enough to sufficiently satisfy household energy needs. Even the generous supply of 100kWh electricity provided by the City of Tshwane and the City of Johannesburg municipalities is considered
to be insufficient. This study investigates the impact of the 100kWh free basic electricity subsidy on the energy use of the urban poor in the township of Soshanguve in the City of Tshwane municipality. It focuses on whether the 100kWh is enough to meet these household’s’ energy needs. The finding of the study is that the 100kWh FBE is enough to meet these households’ needs for lighting, some cooking and appliance use, but not for space and water heating.<br>Development Studies<br>M.A. (Development Studies)
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Ntobeng, Ntwampe Albert. "Rural energy systems and the rural development process: a case study from Limpopo Province." Thesis, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/777.
Full textAbstract:
The rapid and sustained development of the rural regions of South Africa continues to pose an
extraordinary challenge to the development community of the country. Policy makers continue to be overwhelmed by the lack of development in the rural areas in spite of the various efforts made to develop them. A review of the publications and development plans of the study region indicates that the planners have for long been pre-occupied with taking limited perspectives of the development
planning problems. Development plans have been conceived and implemented in terms of individual
sectors instead of looking at their relations with other sectors and regions.
This study seeks to make a contribution to the solution of the development problems of the rural
areas of the former homeland regions by demonstrating how an integrated approach to the research process and to development planning could make a difference to the lives of the rural communities.
This theme is illustrated with reference to the rural energy sector and its relations with the broader regional development problems, challenges and plans of the Sekhukhune district municipality of the Limpopo Province.<br>GEOGRAPHY<br>MA (GEOGRAPHY)
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Mojapelo, Molapo Pheladi Malebo. "Meeting basic needs-patterns and the problem of energy sustainability : a case study of the Matome community, in the Limpopo Province." Thesis, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/2227.
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Ahunamure, Solomon Eghosa. "An assessment of household energy use, emissions and deforestation in the Thulamela Local Municipality." Diss., 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11602/360.
Full textAbstract:
MENVM<br>Department of Geography and Geo-Information Sciences<br>Fuel wood is regarded as a major source of energy around the world, particularly in developing nations. Most rural communities around the world, consider forests as the repository of stored energy. The high dependence on forests as a source of fuel wood has a major impact on vegetation because trees take a long time to regenerate to maturity, hence high dependence leads to deforestation. Fuel wood is used for household needs, such as cooking and heating and its uses contribute to the emissions of Green House Gases (GHG) such as CO2, CH4, and Black Carbon amongst others. The study assesses household energy use, the amount of carbon dioxide emitted from the combustion of fuel wood, the extent of de-vegetation and strategies to ensure sustainable energy provisions in the case study areas. Primary and secondary methods were used to collect data. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 21.0), showing the frequency distribution, measures of central tendency and chi-square to determine the extent of fuel wood used in relation to electricity. The primary data were collected through personal observations, field surveys, interviews and questionnaires, while secondary data included the 2011 South Africa Census data and remote sensing images, which with the aid of GIS, were used in mapping the vegetation change.
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Rasimphi, Thilivhali Eugene. "A techno-socio-economic potential assessment of organic waste-to- energy conversion through biogas technology for rural households in Vhembe District of Limpopo." Diss., 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11602/366.
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Sikrweqe, Mabhelonke Marshall. "Electricity as an energy source : the impact and effectiveness of rural electrification on improving the quality of life of households in rural South Africa : a case study of the Mount Ayliff district in the former Transkei." Thesis, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/9428.
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