ENERGY USAGE OPTIMISATION IN SOUTH AFRICAN MINES

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Hasan ◽  
Bhekisipho Twala ◽  
Khmaies Ouahada ◽  
Tshilidzi Marwala
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Compressed Air ◽  
Electricity Supply ◽  
Peak Time ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
Energy Usage ◽  
Load Shifting ◽  
Water Pumping

Abstract In recent years, South Africa has encountered a critical electricity supply which necessitated the implementation of demand-side management (DSM) projects. Load shifting and energy (EE) efficiency projects were introduced in mining sector to reduce the electricity usage during day peak time. As the compressed air networks and the water pumping systems are using large amounts of the mines’ electricity, possible ways were investigated and implemented to improve and optimise the energy consumption and to reduce the costs. Implementing DSM and EE in four different mines resulted in achieving the desired energy savings and load-shifting.

A simple demand-side management solution for a typical compressed-air system at a South African gold mine

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 20-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leon Liebenberg ◽  
Douglas Velleman ◽  
Walter Booysen
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Demand Side Management ◽  
Compressed Air ◽  
Gold Mine ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
Peak Period ◽  
Air System ◽  
South African Gold ◽  
Evening Peak

Once designed, mine compressed-air systems tend to operate at peak levels throughout the life of the mine, despite there being significant periods when this air quantity is not required. This is mainly due to lack of appropriate compressor controls. Consequently, such compressed-air systems are inefficient and wasteful. A compressed-air system at a South African gold mine was retrofitted with an automatic compressor control system featuring compressor cascading and pressure bandwidth control. The goal was to implement a simple demand-side management (DSM) strategy to afford meaningful electrical energy savings. The automatic control strategy realised a saving of 1.25 MW (on a baseline of 7.22 MW) during Eskom’s evening peak demand window. This represents a reduction of 17.3% in electrical power consumption during the evening peak period, and savings of nearly R2.9 million per year.

Electronic Music and the Problem of Electricity

2021 ◽  
pp. 253-273
Author(s):  
Gavin Steingo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Hip Hop ◽  
Electronic Music ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Black Population ◽  
Electricity Supply ◽  
Material Constitution ◽  
Urban Centers ◽  
Electricity Infrastructure

For the past twenty years, South African popular music has been dominated by electronic genres such as house, kwaito, and hip-hop—especially among the Black population living in and around major urban centers. Based on fieldwork in the townships of Soweto, this chapter focuses on a fundamental condition of possibility for any kind of electronic music: electricity. Since 2008, South Africa has experienced massive problems with its electricity infrastructure. These problems resulted in widespread rolling blackouts between 2008 and 2009, and since 2014 the situation has worsened. The chapter asks what becomes of electronic music in a context where access to electricity is radically unreliable, if not completely absent. What do musicians do when the electricity supply stops? What kinds of affect become impossible, and what kinds of affect are generated? How do power outages impact a musician’s relationship to citizenship and to the state? The chapter traces the lines of connection between informal home studios and Eskom (South Africa’s state-owned electricity utility) as way of listening to and for infrastructure—developing a critique regarding the tropes of invisibility and breakdown in infrastructural research along the way. It further illuminates the ways that electronic musicians in South Africa are compelled to engage the very material basis of their activities. With this approach, the meaning of the term “electronic music” is revealed to be much more than a generic or stylistic description. In South Africa, electronic music refers first and foremost to its material constitution as electrical energy.

Energy efficiency and the CDM in South Africa: constraints and opportunities

2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Winkler ◽  
D. Van Es
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Demand Side Management ◽  
Major Elements ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Level Energy ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
Barriers To Energy Efficiency

Energy-efficiency projects were expected to consti-tute an important project type under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). In South Africa, there is significant potential for energy savings in several sectors. The savings possible in industry have been demonstrated through plant-level energy audits, measurement and verification of Eskom’s Demand Side Management (DSM) programme and national energy modelling. Enabling policy for energy efficiency and demand-side management has been adopted by government and the utility, Eskom. A dedicated National Energy Efficiency Agency (NEEA) was established in 2006. Yet, energy-efficiency still fails to realise its potential. The paper seeks to dispel the misconception that energy efficiency projects might not be ‘additional’ under the CDM. Analysis of barriers, which is well understood by those dealing with energy efficiency, can be used to demonstrate additionality. A stan-dard tool for demonstrating additionality is now available, as are baseline methodologies for both large and small-scale CDM projects. It should, therefore, be clear that energy efficiency projects are not a priori ruled out as non-additional. Each proj-ect has to demonstrate additionality, as for any other project type. Finances are available from various sources, and the CDM can offer further funding for initial costs, or in removing the barriers to energy-efficiency projects. Internationally, energy efficiency initially did not account for large numbers of CDM projects, nor a major share of carbon credits. With the recent growth in CDM projects, however, the numbers of energy-efficiency projects are increasing internation-ally. In South Africa, analysis of the emerging CDM portfolio shows that energy-efficiency projects are much better represented at the concept stage than in fully designed CDM projects.The major elements for implementing energy-efficiency projects exist – dedicated institutions, enabling policy frameworks, approved methodolo-gies and even an electricity crisis to raise awareness. Funding is available from various sources, and the CDM can offer further funding for initial costs or in removing the barriers to energy-efficiency projects. The CDM rules should soon allow for registration of entire programmes, which could include energy-efficiency standards or demand-side management. Innovative financing solutions such as clean energy lending can assist as well. All that seems to be needed is a concerted effort to realise the potential. Such efforts could be driven by the Designated National Authority or the National Energy Efficiency Agency. Together with initiatives from the private sector, a dedicated effort might help South Africa find a clear route for ener-gy-efficiency projects under the CDM in South Africa.

Is commercial bank lending in South Africa procyclical?

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-226
Author(s):  
Foluso Abioye Akinsola ◽  
Sylvanus Ikhide
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Business Cycle ◽  
South African ◽  
Commercial Bank ◽  
Bank Lending ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Business Cycle ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the relationship between commercial bank lending and business cycle in South Africa. This paper attempts to know whether commercial bank lending in South Africa is procyclical.Design/methodology/approachThe model assumed that the lending behaviour is related to the business cycle. In this study, vector error correction model (VECM) is used to capture the relationship between bank lending and business cycle to accurately elicit the macroeconomic long-run relationship between business cycle and bank lending, as some banks might slow down bank lending due to some idiosyncratic factors that are not related to the downturn in the economy. This paper uses data from South African Reserve Bank for the period of 1990-2015 using VECM to understand the extent to which business cycle fluctuation can affect credit crunch in the financial system. The Johansen cointegration approach is used to ascertain whether there is indeed a long-run co-movement between credit growth and business cycle.FindingsResults from the VECM show that there are significant linkages among the variables, especially between credit to gross domestic product (GDP) and business cycle. The influence of business cycle is seen vividly after a period of four to five years, where business cycle explains 20 per cent of the variation in the credit to GDP. South African banks tend to change their lending behaviour during upturns and downturns. This result further confirms the assertion in theory that credit follows business cycle and can amplify credit crunch. The result shows that in the long run, fluctuations in the business cycle can influence the credit growth in South Africa.Research limitations/implicationsThe impulse analysis result shows that the impact of business cycle shock is very persistent and lasting. This also demonstrates that the shocks to the business cycle result have a persistent and long-lasting impact on credit. This study finds that commercial bank lending in South Africa is procyclical. It is suggested that the South African economy needs forward-looking policies that will mitigate the flow of credit to the real sector and at the same time ensure financial stability.Originality/valueMost research papers rarely distinguish between the demand side and supply side of credit procyclicality. This report is presented to develop an econometric model that will examine demand side procyclicality. This study adopts more realistic and novel methods that will help in explaining the relationship between bank lending and business cycle in South Africa, especially after the global financial crisis. This report is presented with a concise and detailed analysis and interpretation.

Demand Side Response Based on TOU Price and Economic Compensation

2013 ◽  
Vol 732-733 ◽  
pp. 1396-1400
Author(s):  
Dong Xiao Niu ◽  
Yuan Lin Song ◽  
Yan Lu ◽  
Lin Mei
Keyword(s):  
Load Management ◽  
Electricity Supply ◽  
Stable Operation ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
Load Shifting ◽  
A Company ◽  
Demand Side Response

Demand-side response allows electricity users to actively participate in load management and to solve the problem of electricity supply shortage. This paper studies the model of demand-side response based on TOU price and economic compensation, the impacts on avoidable load and transferable load are respectively studied. Then, the summer load situation of a company is taken as an example, the sensitivity of each factor are also analyzed, so as to achieve the result of load shifting and promote the stable operation of the grid.

Load-shifting opportunities for typical cement plants

2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raine T. Lidbetter ◽  
Leon Liebenberg
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Industrial Sector ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Cement Industry ◽  
The South ◽  
Load Shifting ◽  
Electrical Consumption

Investigations into demand side reductions have been encouraged by the South African electricity utility, Eskom, in sectors with high electricity consumption, such as the cement industry. The South African cement industry is responsible for 5% of the electrical consumption for the mining and industrial sector. It has also been estimated that by 2020 this sector will be ranked fifth for energy savings potential. This paper investigates the potential of a load-shifting (altering energy use method) scheme to reduce evening peak loads and save electrical costs on a raw mill at a South African cement plant. A spread sheet-simulation was performed, which showed that six hours of load-shifting could be achieved, without adversely affecting production. This was corroborated by a pilot study where the load was successfully shifted for six hours over a week-long period. The specific raw mill would achieve a reduction in yearly electrical costs of 2% when employing this load-shifting strategy. The results, however, showed that cost-saving opportunities are highly dependent on the reliability of the mills and on the change in production demand. Therefore, load-shifting schemes have to be flexible on a daily basis to shift load whenever possible.

scholarly journals Energy perceptions in South Africa: An analysis of behaviour and understanding of electric water heaters

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ (Thinus) Booysen
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Residential Energy ◽  
Energy Usage ◽  
Know How ◽  
Water Heaters ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Using Data

Using data from an online national survey conducted in South Africa, this paper aims to investigate: the awareness of energy savings measures for electric water heaters (EWHs); whether or not consumers are implementing suggested measures; and if consumers understand and effectively control their EWHs’ energy usage. Additionally, the data is used to determine the success of educational and rebate programmes aimed at reducing residential energy usage and to determine possible motivations for encouraging users to reduce or alter their EWH energy and warm water consumption. The results of this questionnaire indicate that: convenience is a key factor in consumers’ willingness to implement curtailment actions; users don’t understand the energy consumption of their EWHs; and they don’t know how to control their EWHs efficiently.

scholarly journals Light-years apart: Energy usage by schools across the South African affluence divide

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.A. Samuels ◽  
Sara Grobbelaar ◽  
MJ Booysen
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Educational Outcomes ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Energy Requirements ◽  
Infrastructure Investment ◽  
Major Contributor ◽  
Energy Usage ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Led Lights

South Africa’s source of energy in buildings is electricity from a struggling state utility running mainly on coal. But despite the constraints and the high cost, energy usage remains mostly unchecked and poorly managed in schools, whose attention is focused on reducing inequality in educational outcomes. School energy usages have been well studied in many countries but remain largely unexplored in South Africa. We use smart electricity meters to analyse the energy requirements of 16 schools across the country’s polarised affluence spectrum. Comparing their usage with that of schools from other countries, we find that the affluent South African schools have energy densities of 13% as much as those in North America, compared to the poor schools with a mere 5%. We observe a large difference between the daily usage profiles of poor and affluent schools: poor schools used only 40% of the energy used by affluent schools. We ascribe this disparity to constrained infrastructure investment at the poor schools. We identified lighting as a major contributor to energy usage by schools, accounting for as much as 32% of the daily in-term usage by affluent schools and 21 to 65% by poor schools, compared to 14 to 25% in developed countries. Since most schools still use fluorescent lights, substantial savings can be achieved by replacing them with efficient LED lights.

scholarly journals The temporary ban on tobacco sales in South Africa: lessons for endgame strategies

2021 ◽  
pp. tobaccocontrol-2020-056209
Author(s):  
Samantha Filby ◽  
Kirsten van der Zee ◽  
Corné van Walbeek
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Smoking Behaviour ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
The South ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cigarette Smokers ◽  
Tobacco Sales ◽  
African Experience ◽  
Smoking Patterns

BackgroundThe endgame literature recommends that, for a tobacco sales ban to be successful, several demand-side preconditions (eg, low prevalence and effective cessation support) should be in place. The South African Government imposed a ban on the sale of all tobacco and vaping products between 27 March and 17 August 2020, as part of the COVID-19 lockdown.ObjectivesTo assess how cigarette smokers responded to the sales ban, to evaluate how the ban impacted the cigarette market in South Africa and to use the South African experience to inform endgame planning.MethodsRegular preban cigarette smokers completed an online questionnaire from 4 to 19 June 2020 (n=23 631), in which they reported on their prelockdown cigarette smoking patterns, quitting behaviour (if relevant) and smoking behaviour during the ban.ResultsAbout 9% of prelockdown smokers in the sample successfully quit smoking. 93% of continuing smokers purchased cigarettes despite the sales ban. The average price of cigarettes increased by 250% relative to prelockdown prices. Most respondents purchased cigarettes through informal channels.ConclusionsThe demand-side preconditions for an effective sales ban were not in place in South Africa, making a sales ban inappropriate. The South African experience suggests that supply-side factors are also important in ensuring the success of a sales ban. These are: (1) the illicit market must be under control before implementing a sales ban; and (2) an effective sales ban needs to be synchronised with a ban on the manufacture, transport and distribution of cigarettes.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document