South Africa’s renewable energy procurement: a new frontier?

Despite a continuing electricity crisis from its coal-fired sources, in recent years South Africa has become one of the leading destinations for renewable energy investment. This is thanks to the launch of its renewable energy independent power producers’ programme for which an estimated $14 billion/R168 billion has been committed thus far and approximately 4 GW of utility-scale renewable energy capacity approved. The programme is unique in that it in order for projects to qualify, developers must commit to undertake requirements for community ownership and economic development benefits in a country with gross socio-economic inequality. As the industry facilitated by RE IPPPP continues to develop, however, concerns have arisen including: the extent to which financial returns will leave or benefit the country; that the ownership of the industry is rapidly becoming the domain of large international utilities; and emerging tensions between ‘bankability’ required by banks and investors and the economic benefits and community ownership criteria

What contribution does the installation of solar water heaters make towards the alleviation of energy poverty in South Africa?

The South African government has publicized plans to install one million solar water heaters in households throughout South Africa by the year 2014, with the goals of reducing strain on existing electricity resources, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, creating employment and alleviating poverty. This paper examines two existing solar water heater installation projects with the aim of investigating the social contribution of the installation of solar water heaters in low-income households in South Africa. The Sustainable Urban Livelihoods approach (SULA) was adjusted to provide an analytical framework for the development of suitable indicators of social change in the context of renewable energies and energy poverty. Increases in household capital and the reduction of household vulnerability to shocks, stressors and seasonal variability as the result of solar water heater installation were investigated in projects in low-income housing developments in the cities of Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Data collected from paired household surveys (before and after installation) in over 600 households and qualitative information (Most Significant Change stories) show that the provision of a constant, cheap source of heated water contributed positively to the alleviation of energy poverty. Household capitals (categorised as Human, Social, Financial, Physical, Natural and Gender capital), including aspects such as health benefits and time and financial savings, were all positively effected by the installation of solar water heaters. In addition, improved energy security greatly reduced household vulnerability to shocks, stressors and seasonal variability. Comparison between the two projects revealed that the geographical setting (climatic conditions in particular), and the approach and strategies adopted by the implementers of the solar water heater installation project, greatly determine the extent to which benefits to the households are realised

A review of the solar home system concession programme in South Africa

Since the introduction of the solar home system (SHS) concession programme in 1999, the involved companies and customers have had to adapt to many changes over the years. Government introduced for example the Free Basic Electricity policy in alongside the SHS subsidy and only irregularly awarded tenders for the actual installation of SHSs; companies have split and concession areas have been renegotiated. Despite these changing conditions, some companies have managed to stay in business and are still willing to install systems for new customers. The questions are: who managed to adapt to these changes, and what do the business models of the companies look like? Rural electrification remains a challenge for government and the private sector. High connection costs, low consumption rates and high poverty rates constrain the roll-out of electricity in rural areas. The SHS concession programme was introduced with the objective to "speed up universal access to electricity", and aimed to "attract larger, better organised private companies with their own sources of financing" in the hope that "the strong financial and maintenance control characteristic of the private sector should facilitate the channelling of international development funding". The programme was also meant to motivate the service providers to "adopt a delivery model that promotes a range of fuels such as gas or kerosene, in addition to SHS or mini-grid systems" (Kotze, 2000). Earlier research has been helpful in identifying shortcomings of the programme (for example Energy Research Centre, 2005 and Energy Research Centre, 2004) but, in order to advise policy makers, it is of particular interest to examine the survival strategies the SHS companies adopted

What contribution does the installation of solar water heaters make towards the alleviation of energy poverty in South Africa?

The South African government has publicized plans to install one million solar water heaters in households throughout South Africa by the year 2014, with the goals of reducing strain on existing electricity resources, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, creating employment and alleviating poverty. This paper examines two existing solar water heater installation projects with the aim of investigating the social contribution of the installation of solar water heaters in low-income households in South Africa. The Sustainable Urban Livelihoods approach (SULA) was adjusted to provide an analytical framework for the development of suitable indicators of social change in the context of renewable energies and energy poverty. Increases in household capital and the reduction of household vulnerability to shocks, stressors and seasonal variability as the result of solar water heater installation were investigated in projects in low-income housing developments in the cities of Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, South Africa.Data collected from paired household surveys (before and after installation) in over 600 households and qualitative information (Most Significant Change stories) show that the provision of a constant, cheap source of heated water contributed positively to the alleviation of energy poverty. Household capitals (categorised as Human, Social, Financial, Physical, Natural and Gender capital), including aspects such as health benefits and time and financial savings, were all positively effected by the installation of solar water heaters. In addition, improved energy security greatly reduced household vulnerability to shocks, stressors and seasonal variability. Comparison between the two projects revealed that the geographical setting (climatic conditions in particular), and the approach and strategies adopted by the implementers of the solar water heater installation project, greatly determine the extent to which benefits to the households are realised

The impacts of climate change on food security and health in Southern Africa

Climate change will have a great impact on Southern Africa according to the IPCC. Two closely related topics, food security and health will be affected by the changes in many ways. Difficulties in transporting food through carbon regulations in air-freight, changing conditions for growing food crops and negative impacts on fishery might occur and will very possible lead to an increase in malnutrition in the region. Changes of the climate will also have an effect on the way illnesses are transmitted and cause a number of extreme weather events which can have an extremely damaging consequence on human living. Two main efforts are being work on in terms of dealing with these concerns. At the inter-national, regional and national levels, adaptation and mitigation action is being planned and imple-mented. Activities at each level are discussed and I argue this in this  paper that currently the most effi-cient way of dealing with the existing and future burdens of climate change impacts are activities at a national level, and enhanced effort has to be made to improve regional and international collaboration in addressing these issues

The impacts of climate change on food security and health in Southern Africa

Climate change will have a great impact on Southern Africa according to the IPCC. Two closely related topics, food security and health will be affected by the changes in many ways. Difficulties in transporting food through carbon regulations in air-freight, changing conditions for growing food crops and negative impacts on fishery might occur and will very possible lead to an increase in malnutrition in the region. Changes of the climate will also have an effect on the way illnesses are transmitted and cause a number of extreme weather events which can have an extremely damaging consequence on human living. Two main efforts are being work on in terms of dealing with these concerns. At the inter-national, regional and national levels, adaptation and mitigation action is being planned and imple-mented. Activities at each level are discussed and I argue this in this  paper that currently the most effi-cient way of dealing with the existing and future burdens of climate change impacts are activities at a national level, and enhanced effort has to be made to improve regional and international collaboration in addressing these issues

Simulation von Mehrkomponenten-Strömungen bei kleinen Mach-Zahlen

Die numerische Berechnung von reaktiver Mehrkomponenten-Strömungen bei kleinen Mach-Zahlen ist von großer technischer Relevanz mit einer breiten Anwendungspalette, speziell in der Verfahrenstechnik. Strömungen bei kleinen Mach-Zahlen zeichnen sich dadurch aus, dass die Dichte eine Funktion der Temperatur und der Zusammensetzung ist, dabei jedoch nur schwach oder gar nicht vom Druck abhängt. Insbesondere die Strömung in chemischen Synthesereaktoren steht hier im Mittelpunkt des Interesses. Das vorgestellte Verfahren zeichnet sich durch eine hohe Robustheit und gleichzeitig durch eine Genauigkeit zweiter Ordnung im Ort und in der Zeit aus. Als Ausgangspunkt der Entwicklung diente ein Projektionsverfahren zur numerischen Lösung der Navier-Stokes-Gleichungen eines inkompressiblen Fluides. Durch eine Neuformulierung der Divergenzbedingung für die Geschwindigkeit, beziehungsweise für den spezifischen Impuls, wurde es möglich, den Formalismus eines Druckkorrektur-Verfahrens auf Strömungen bei kleinen Mach-Zahlen und großen Dichteunterschieden anzuwenden. Im Rahmen einer ausführlichen Validierung wurde die Robustheit des vorgestellten Verfahrens für unterschiedliche Problemstellungen und die Genauigkeit im Ort und in der Zeit nachgewiesen. Die Effizienz des Verfahrens wurde unter anderem durch Vergleich mit Rechnungen mittels Lattice-BGK-Methoden überprüft. Obwohl die LBGK-Verfahren als besonders effizient gelten, konnte eine vergleichbare Leistung bei gleicher Genauigkeit erzielt werden

New frontiers and conceptual frameworks for energy justice

This article explores how concepts from justice and ethics can inform energy decision-making and highlight the moral and equity dimensions of energy production and use. It defines “energy justice” as a global energy system that fairly distributes both the benefits and burdens of energy services, and one that contributes to more representative and inclusive energy decision-making. The primary contribution of the article is its focus on six new frontiers of future energy justice research. First is making the case for the involvement of non-Western justice theorists. Second is expanding beyond humans to look at the Rights of Nature or non-anthropocentric notions of justice. Third is focusing on cross-scalar issues of justice such as embodied emissions. Fourth is identifying business models and the co-benefits of justice. Fifth is better understanding the tradeoffs within energy justice principles. Sixth is exposing unjust discourses. In doing so, the article presents an agenda constituted by 30 research questions as well as an amended conceptual framework consisting of ten principles. The article argues in favor of “justice-aware” energy planning and policymaking, and it hopes that its (reconsidered) energy justice conceptual framework offers a critical tool to inform decision-making

Local employment through the low-pressure solar water heater roll-out in South Africa

In February 2013, the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the post-2015 development agenda failed to identify climate change as a priority issue (United Nations 2013). The defined framing questions for the panel’s work and the most recent announcement highlight sustainable growth with equity, wealth through management of natural resources and partnerships - but not the detrimental impact of climate change on development (Field 2013). This shortcoming is a reflection of the current discourse. Even though changing, climate change and development are still located in two different camps. Although much work has gone into bridging this gap by potentially aligning policy agendas, the challenge to achieve integration of climate and development objectives is still obvious on the ground (Rennkamp 2012). Solar water heating in South Africa is one such on-ground example which, when investigated thoroughly, presents a learning opportunity

Challenges for local community development in private sector-led renewable energy projects in South Africa: an evolving approach

The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme in South Africa is intended to support the uptake of renewable energy, help address the current energy supply crisis and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Notably, it also requires project developers to engage with socio-economic development at the local level. The distributed nature of renewable energy generation may induce a more geographically dispersed pattern of development, and renewable energy sites can be highly suited to rural locations with otherwise poor potential to attract local inward investment. Socio-economic development and enterprise development are two of seven economic development elements in the programme. In order to prepare a bid submission, project developers have to assess local socio-economic needs around their project site and develop strategies on how to address these. This paper investigates the challenges for local community development. The research is based on case studies and presents findings from the perspective of a research team working alongside project developers. Early findings indicate that there are potential community benefits from commercial wind projects, providing an appropriate community engagement process that is aligned with the project cycle determined by the tender process and engineering requirements. The Passive Community Needs Assessment approach is introduced as a possible solution