Simulation and performance parameter options for the measurement and verification of South African solar water heaters
- Authors: Chan Wing, Shaun
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Solar thermal energy , Solar water heaters , Solar heating
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/242314 , uj:24989
- Description: M.Ing. (Electrical Engineering) , Abstract: In recent years the DSM residential program has extended itself to include subsidies for solar water heaters. This undertaking is primarily based on the fact that water heating contributes to about 30-50% of a households electricity demand. The National Solar Water Heater Program, encourages residential homeowners to install an approved SABS solar water heater by means of a rebate incentive. The Namibian national power utility NamPower is set to roll out a similar DSM initiative. Often for DSM initiatives, impacts need to be determined with a certain degree of accuracy to ensure the security of the various stakeholders involved. Measurement and Verification (M&V) is a practice where an independent body impartially determines and presents its findings of the impacts of a DSM initiative. The objective of this project looks to correlate the European (EN 12975-2) and American (ASHRAE 93) SWH standards to the South African (SANS 6211) SWH standard. The correlation will focus on finding a relationship between the performance coefficients of equations 9, 10 and 11 that are mentioned in chapter five. This interrelationship should allow PolySun to accurately simulate South African SWH systems that are not found in PolySun’s database. Providing an M&V entity, Utility or SWH consumer the option of simulating SWH systems found in South Africa in PolySun.
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The selection of renewable energy technologies and their cost implications for a developing country : the case of South Africa
- Authors: Pillay, Sedge
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Renewable energy sources - South Africa , Renewable energy sources - Developing countries , Sustainable development - Developing countries , Solar energy
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/225239 , uj:22744
- Description: Abstract: Renewable energy technologies have to be considered and appropriately supplemented in the energy mix. For this mini-dissertation, particular emphasis will be focusing on the developing nation of South Africa. Research previously conducted has indicated there are specific key criteria to consider for selecting sustainable energy methods, particularly for renewable energy technologies in Africa. Within this mini-dissertation consideration is given to renewable energy methods for generating power in South Africa from selected viewpoints that consist of political, social, technical, economic and environmental impact. With the aid of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), this particular mini-dissertation will allow for selecting and prioritizing various renewable technologies for power generation. Potential for electricity generation was accessed from renewable resources, reviewing of relevant scholarly literature and discussion with experts; an appropriate decision-model has been utilised consisting of goal, criteria, sub-criteria and alternatives. Onshore wind energy, solar photovoltaic, concentrated solar thermal, biomass and small hydro energy options are used as the alternatives in the decision model. The mini-dissertation makes use of a real-world case study within South Africa, to apply the decision-model, build upon previous research and showcase its value in energy planning. In addition to prioritisation and ranking of these alternatives to show the best technology will be that of solar energy for the South African market; results of the proposed decision model can also be used to advocate in developing specific policies and energy roadmaps for the country. , M.Ing. (Engineering Management)
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Managing the design and development of high performance buildings through integrated design
- Authors: Beetge, Willem Gerhardus
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Sustainable buildings - Design and construction , Sustainable design , Buildings - Energy conservation , Renewable energy sources
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/213042 , uj:21070
- Description: Abstract: The world population has doubled during the past 45 years [9]. This has created a huge increase in the demand for natural resources. Extremely high levels of carbon dioxide emissions have been witnessed during the last decade. Natural resources like plantations, construction aggregate, coal, oil, water, and agriculture land have come under extreme pressure due to the high demand for these and other scarce resources. During the last two to three decades there have been increased efforts to reduce greenhouse gasses, to save and to protect water sources, and to use materials and products sparingly. Phrases like green buildings, sustainable construction and high-performance buildings are being used more widely amongst role players in the construction industry. High-performance buildings also referred to as green buildings or sustainable buildings are designed and developed with the aim of reducing the demand on fossil fuel energy and potable water. The indoor environmental quality, another major aspect of highperformance buildings, ensures that building occupants show signs of being healthier and more productive. To ensure the successful implementation of green building design and development, some important aspects like design implementation strategies, integrated design, building life cycle assessment, and passive design have to be considered. Management of the design and development processes also requires some technical knowledge of sustainability. The main barriers that prevent the implementation of the development of high-performance buildings have to be addressed and removed. The urgent need for developing energy-efficient and waterefficient buildings has to be acknowledged and supported by senior management and executive officers of organisations involved in building development. The development of highperformance buildings is most effectively achieved through a process referred to as integrated design. This process requires the early involvement of all relevant role players. The development of high-performance buildings through the process of integrated design is regarded by a number of experts as two inseparable concepts. It is therefore essential that managers and leaders who are involved in the development of high-performance buildings are equipped with knowledge and skills in the principles of sustainability and integrated design. , M.Ing. (Engineering Management)
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Cost analysis : power generation plants versus demand side management programmes
- Authors: Mulongo, Ndala Yves
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Electric power-plants - South Africa - Costs , Electric power-plants - South Africa - Management , Electric power-plants - South Africa - Equipment and supplies , Eskom (Firm)
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/213026 , uj:21068
- Description: Abstract: Over the last decade, South Africa has been experiencing an electricity supply crisis. This power crisis has been threatening the stability of the national power grid. The crisis was caused by insufficient generation capacity as well as an increased demand for electricity. In order to counteract this situation, the state owned electricity utility, Eskom decided to increase its power capacity by building new power plants, and implementing demand side management (DSM) initiatives to save energy. All of this came at a cost. Therefore, the present study was aimed at helping decision makers in the South African electricity sector to decide on the optimum funding allocation for the above projects. The research methodology adopted in this study was cost analysis. Three levels of cost comparison were developed in this study. These were based on power generating technologies (coal, gas, nuclear, wind, concentrated solar power, and solar photovoltaic), and on DSM programmes (residential mass rollouts, standard offer programme, standard product programme, performance contracting programme, and energy services companies model mass rollouts). The first level analysed the costs of building power plants as well as costs of producing electricity using different power generating technologies. The second level analysed the costs of implementing DSM programmes as well as costs of saving energy by implementing DSM programmes. Lastly, the third level analysed the costs of building power plants against the costs of implementing DSM programmes, as well as assessing the costs of producing electricity versus the costs of saving energy. The results for both power plants and DSM measures were tested through sensitivity analyses. At the first comparison, it was revealed that renewable energy technologies have the highest costs, higher than other generating technologies. At this level, a conclusion was drawn up in three parts noting that (1) although renewable technologies are expensive, they should be given more weight due to the fact that they are inexhaustible, (2) they guarantee safety to the environment, and (3) they do not emit greenhouse gases into the environment. At the second level of cost comparison, it was demonstrated that residential mass rollout (RMR) has the highest cost, higher than any other programme. At this level, it was concluded that due to the target market of RMR, which is residential sector, RMR should be given more weight, because more energy is wasted in this sector. It was further observed that residential consumers use a lot of electricity during peak period, and this increases during the winter season. The third level of cost comparison demonstrated that DSM measures were the resource alternative available at the lowest cost to the electricity utility. Hence, DSM initiatives could help to alleviate power outages issues and therefore, delay the need for building new power plants. Since DSM initiatives were found to be cheaper to run, their implementations meant that the utility would save billions of Rand by not using large amounts of water, coal, fuel, operating the plant at lower levels of intensify and doing less maintenance on the power plant. , M.Ing. (Engineering Management)
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