Energy Management in South Africa - Coal to Renewable Energy Case Study

Challenges and Solutions in South Africa’s Renewable Energy Sector

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Introduction: Energy Management in South Africa - Coal to Renewable Energy

Energy management is the most famous method for working on the utilisation of energy assets to lessen waste, set aside money, and be more useful. These incorporate, for instance, practices on monitoring and separating energy use, perceiving energy-saving entryways, going to energy proficiency measures, and investigating elective energy sources. Deciding the source of energy is a significant piece of energy management. Deciding fuel sources relies upon many elements, including availability, cost, normal impacts, and exceptional sufficiency. By and large, nations depended intensely on petrol subsidiaries, for example, coal, oil, and gas to meet their energy needs. In any case, worries about ecological change, air contamination, and asset consumption are having the effect of these sources on nature progressively clear.

Renewable energy sources, for example, wind, solar, hydroelectric, and geothermal energy have as of late acquired significance because of their low effect on nature and declining costs. Administrators all over the planet have made arrangements and drives to expand the utilization of environmentally friendly power energy sources, for example, feed-in levies and tax breaks. Refinement of energy by the executives and assurance of fuel sources are fundamental for answering ecological changes, lessening air contamination, and guaranteeing energy security. These endeavors could likewise prompt expense decreases, work on monetary circumstances, and employment creation in the energy area.

South Africa, a nation confronting critical troubles in energy supply and decision of fuel sources, has given a sufficient relevant request to resolve these issues. As a general rule, the nation depended vigorously on coal as its fundamental energy source, leading to regular and clinical issues. South Africa has separated its energy blend in with a rising spotlight on renewable energy sources, for example, solar-based and wind power. The government has found out about different endless measures to further develop energy proficiency and reserve funds. Regardless, the nation faces huge energy challenges, including an experienced and problematic energy system, a lack of a certified energy labor force, and persevering issues with energy access and well-being. The energy management and its determination of sources should comprehend the energy moving towards South Africa to advance arrangements that can be applied to a scope of nations confronting comparable difficulties.

There are various terms present in this essay. For example, energy management is the most widely recognized method for organizing, auditing, and working on the utilization of energy assets to increment efficiency, lessen waste, and save costs. Energy source selection refers to selecting and prioritizing various sorts of fuel sources like natural gas, coal, solar power, wind, and so forth concerning exposure, cost, influence on nature, and different cycle factors to do. Renewable energy refers to energy from environmental sources viz. solar, wind, rainfall, etc. which can be re-energized and used ordinarily as opposed to depleting it. Fossil fuels refer to non-renewable energy like coal, oil, and gas that are accessible in restricted amounts. Energy efficiency is the use of advancements and practices to diminish the normal energy utilization of our things and the executives to lessen our energy costs and natural effect.

The scope of energy management and energy source findings in South Africa is wide, requiring a decrease in dependence on oil-based commodities, expanded energy productivity, expanded admittance to energy, and expanded utilization of harmless to the ecosystem energy sources. The major objectives of energy management and source selection are to decrease emissions of greenhouse gas, enhance air quality, improve energy security, lessen energy costs, increase the use of renewable energy, and promote economic development.

Discussion and Critical Evaluation

Theme 1: Description and critical appraisal of the energy management and energy source selection procedures in the energy supply industry and construction industry of South Africa

Energy management and its associations in picking energy resources are exceptionally spiteful to South African energy and improvement organizations. The two organizations assume a key part in directing energy resources, further developing energy proficiency, and diminishing effects on nature.

Energy supply industry

South Africa's power industry has commonly depended vigorously on coal as its essential energy source. Regardless, the organization as of late begun extending its power blend to integrate environmentally friendly power energy sources like wind and sun-oriented power. The public area knows ways to deal with advancing the utilization of supportable energy sources. The “Reasonable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP)” has prompted the improvement of enormous scope manageable energy projects in the country. The utility business is absorbing the extra energy that pioneers are utilizing to decrease waste and increment efficiency (Vlachokostas et al. 2021). For instance, Eskom, a public energy association, runs an “Energy Efficiency Demand Side Management (EEDSM)” program to further develop the energy proficiency of homes and associations. The program moves clients to take on energy-delivering practices and progressions.

Figure 1: Coal and lignite consumption by SA

According to the Enerdata report, the coal consumption of SA in 2021 was 228,535 kt which was around 7.5% lower than the previous year (www.enerdata.net, n.d.). On the other hand, SA has significantly increased its utilization of renewable energy sources. IRP2019 plans to add 16 GW of wind and sun-based power from 2018 to 2030.

Figure 2: Share of renewable energies in electricity production

Regardless, South Africa's energy supply industry faces significant difficulties, including a full-grown and pained energy foundation, moderate energy access, and metering issues (Ritchie, Roser and Rosado, 2022). The country is highly dependable on coal and natural gas and hence, it is difficult to shift to renewable energy completely within a small time.

Figure 3: Energy consumption of SA

Construction Industry

South Africa's improvement enterprises on a very basic level affect energy use and the effect on nature. The industry is answerable for most ozone-exhausting emanations, both from energy use in structures and from the development of building materials (Boukoberine et al. 2019). Advancement projects use energy and chiefs are doing whatever it may take to decrease the energy utilization of designs. For instance, the “Green Building Council” of SA advances the “Green Star rating system”. It surveys the normal portrayal of neighborhood structures, for example, energy efficiency, water supply, and the natural nature of indoor spaces (South Africa - Countries & Regions - IEA, 2013). The rating system energizes building proprietors and organizers to exploit energy-proficient cycles and progress.

Figure 4: Carbon intensity of industry energy consumption in SA

Figure 5: Percentage of green building constructed in SA in 2020

Figure 6: CO₂ emissions from electricity and heat by energy sources

The “Green Building Council” of SA has successfully constructed several certified new buildings which significantly increased i.e. 32% in the year 2020. This lowers the CO₂ emission rates significantly (216.6 MtCO₂). Furthermore, the introduction of renewable energies in the construction industry and the creation of green building saves a great amount of non-renewable energies and reduce environmental impact.

Theme 2: Overview of institutional or legal frameworks that govern the use of energy in South Africa

Institutional and legitimate frameworks assume a significant part in overseeing energy utilization in SA. These designs give energy system, direction, and inspirational bearing and shape the energy and energy source choice cycles utilized by our industry accomplice pioneers.

Energy technique structure

Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is SA’s essential energy technique association. The IRP gives rules to the country's energy blend and defines boundaries for maintainable energy use. The IRP plans to further develop energy security, diminish outflows of ozone-draining substances, and foster energy access and adequacy (Akinyemi et al. 2019). The IRP is refreshed consistently to reflect changing advancements and key necessities.

Regulatory framework

“National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA)” is answerable for overseeing South Africa's energy area. NERSA lays out execution commitments and administers age, infection, and virus endorsements and exercises (Opeyemi et al. 2019). NERSA additionally advances energy contests and checks consistency with energy proficiency principles and other energy-related arrangements.

Figure 7: Institutional or legal frameworks

Incentive framework

The public area knows all about a few motivator structures that advance maintainable energy use and energy limit. For instance, REIPPPP offers an undeniable offering process for free power makers to advance green power projects. The program gives energy buy arrangements to Eskom for manageable energy projects and gives charging motivators and other monetary help for efficient power energy improvement. The public area likewise enables energy-productive underlying cycles and apparatus.

Appropriateness and Influence

SA’s institutional and legitimate designs have blended to bring about working with reasonable energy preliminaries. Legislatures have found a way uncommon ways to address efficient power energy on the board through REIPPPP and different techniques (Rennkamp, 2019). Be that as it may, high energy commitments and resolving issues of energy access and control will test the insightful improvement of occasions. This is a significant obstruction to energy improvement. The managerial climate is likewise complicated, offering valuable chances to adjust to changing requirements for development and system.

Also, institutional and lawful designs are as of now subject to political and managerial delicacy. State-owned electricity provider of Eskom faces monetary and utilitarian changes that are causing stack disappointments and power outages (Rathor, and Saxena, 2020). This has disintegrated financial backer trust in the energy area and made it more straightforward to plan reasonable energy projects. In total, South Africa's institutional and legitimate designs have given an important structure to energy technique and strategy, however, face critical difficulties in propelling sound energy preliminaries. Government and industry accomplices should keep on cooperating to address these difficulties and advance monetary and energy arrangements and practices that steer things in the correct bearing (Mbungu et al. 2020). This requires a steadier and less disturbing administration climate that supports interest in clean energy and energy effectiveness, and endeavours to further develop energy access and balance.

Theme 3: Weakness, areas of improvement, and proposal of specific changes

While progress has been made in working with renewable energy preliminaries in South Africa, there are still weaknesses in the ongoing framework that should be addressed to accomplish a better energy future. These include:

Restricted coordination of renewable energy

Energy management in South Africa, where pioneers are practicing, is lingering behind in incorporating reasonable energy sources in its energy blend. In spite of the way that administration organizations are finding a way phenomenal ways to push efficient renewable energy enhancements, the continuous energy blend really depends vigorously on oil-based goods, particularly coal (Naicker, and Thopil, 2019). There is a need to expand the portion of efficient power energy sources in the energy blend, which requires more forceful efficient power energy targets and advancements.

• Proposal

The government can lay out additional forceful boundaries for reasonable power associations, including dividing interest in practical energy by 2030, as proposed by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Legislatures can likewise make game plans to engage the decentralized, efficient renewable energy time such as roof planetary gatherings to work with admittance to energy in remote and underserved regions.

Absence of energy efficiency measures

The South African construction industry has fallen behind in taking on energy-productive advancement procedures and hardware (Mbungu et al. 2020). Energy efficiency measures are principal to diminishing energy utilization and ozone-exhausting emanations, and can likewise assist with decreasing help bills for homes and organizations.

• Proposal

Lawmakers can carry out ways to deal with advanced energy proficient designs such as laying out the least energy plan rules for new designs and retrofitting existing frameworks for expanded energy efficiency. Likewise, the government can give monetary impetuses to energy-productive machines that consume a great deal of energy in homes, like coolers and climate control systems.

Insufficient energy base

South Africa's energy foundation is obsolete and deficient to meet advancing energy needs (Kusakana, 2020). Utilities face critical difficulties in staying aware of and upgrading existing foundations, bringing about steady blackouts and burden shedding.

• Proposal

State-run administrations can concentrate intensely on upgrading and growing their energy structures, including creating frameworks and giving assets to new energy supplies. States can likewise uphold further improvement of microgrids. This will assist with giving powerful and sufficient energy access to remote and underserved regions.

Political and regulatory weaknesses

South Africa’s energy area faces political and regulatory weaknesses that sabotage its security and make it hard to convey manageable energy projects.

• Proposal

Lawmakers can make a steadier and astounding managerial climate that supports interest in clean energy and energy efficiency. This could incorporate smoothing out administration cycles and lessening the intricacy of allowing efficient power energy project necessities (Nhamo et al. 2020). State legislatures can likewise set clear and basic guidelines on energy costs and guarantee that the energy area is safeguarded from the political impedance.

In rundown, accomplishing a more conservative energy future in South Africa requires an exhaustive and facilitated approach that tends to deficiencies of current practices. This requires uplifting objectives and cycles for manageable energy conveyance, advancing energy efficiency strategies, integrating assets into the energy structure, and establishing a steady and moving administration climate. By making these strides, South Africa can lead the way to a more supportable and various energy future that encourages monetary turn of events, energy access, and normal strength.

Linkage among three themes

South Africa has an uncommon energy climate, portrayed by a coal-based energy blend and a developing interest in renewable energy. Energy management and energy source selection processes are significantly impacted by the organizations and administrative frameworks that administer energy use. Regardless, there are weaknesses in current practice that should be addressed to accomplish a more efficient energy future. South Africa's energy supply industry is overwhelmed by Eskom, the state-possessed company that makes and spreads a large part of the state's electric power. As per the directorate, Eskom's energy has been scrutinized for its dependence on oil subsidiaries, particularly coal, and its sluggish combination of maintainable sources in its energy blend (Babatunde et al. 2019). Albeit the public area has found a way remarkable ways to advance green power enhancements through the “Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program (REIPPPP)”, the ongoing blend of force is entirely subject to coal.

Figure 8: Total energy supply by source in SA

In the improvement business, the energy stays behind the act of energy-producing designs and acknowledgment of equipment as chiefs practice (Rathor, and Saxena, 2020). Energy proficiency measures are central to lessening energy use and ozone-draining emanations, and can likewise assist with decreasing help bills for homes and associations. South Africa's establishments and regulations for overseeing energy utilization assume a significant part in molding energy management and energy source selection processes in the energy supply industry and construction industries. The “National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA)” is answerable for managing the energy industry, surveying expenses, and endorsing energy project licenses. The Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is an administration system convention that approaches a country's energy blend and future energy improvement plans.

In any case, the institutional and legitimate structure has been additionally censured for the absence of lucidity and strength that sabotages its security and works with the foundation of efficient renewable energy projects. REIPPPP faces deferrals and weaknesses because of changes in authoritative designs and political weaknesses (Akintande et al. 2020). Upgrades are required in certain areas to accomplish a better energy future in South Africa. One of the greatest shortages is the restricted expansion of renewables to the energy blend. Nations need to embrace certain needs for environmentally friendly power energy associations and arrangements to reinforce the decentralized and renewable energy time such as rooftop solar. Furthermore, energy proficiency gauges being developed undertakings ought to be upheld by getting that set least energy efficiency rules for new structures and retrofitting existing structures to progress in energy productivity. Likewise, governing bodies can monetarily boost energy-creating machines, for example, fridges and cooling frameworks that consume immense measures of energy in homes.

One more region needing improvement is our deficient energy foundation. This is insufficient to meet developing and advancing energy requests. Utilities face critical difficulties in staying aware of and redesigning existing frameworks, bringing about consistent blackouts and burden shedding. Officials ought to focus intensely on modernising and growing the energy base. This incorporates tending to network and new energy stock developments (Hochstetler, 2020). Lawmakers can likewise uphold further advancement of microgrids. This gives dependable and satisfactory energy access to remote and underserved regions.

At long last, South Africa's energy area needs a steadier and astounding administration climate that supports its advantage in practical energy and energy proficiency. This incorporates smoothing out administration cycles and diminishing the intricacy of supporting renewable energy project needs. State legislatures can likewise set clear and basic guidelines on energy costs and guarantee that the energy area is shielded from the political impedance.

In rundown, accomplishing a more efficient energy future in South Africa requires a far-reaching and facilitated approach that tends to deficiencies of current practices (Ritchie et al. 2020). Institutional and lawful energy use observing frameworks should establish a steady and noteworthy administration climate that supports renewable energy and energy proficiency gains. The energy supply business is creating some distance from oil-based commodities and hoping to integrate more practical energy sources into its energy blend.

Figure 9: Introduction of several renewable energy sources to SA between 2010 and 2021

Conclusion

This assignment provides three main themes in the given context. The first theme reflects the show and fundamental evaluation of the energy supply and energy management process in the South African energy supply and construction industry. Energy supply organizations give the age, transmission, and pattern of electricity and different sorts of energy to end clients. Then again, the energy supply business is liable for the plan and improvement of buildingws, streets, augmentations, and different bridges that help the inventory and utilization of energy. In South Africa, utilities are overpowered by state-claimed power utility Eskom, which produces around 95% of the country's electric power from coal-terminated power plants. Regardless of the way that Eskom has gained some headway in separating the country's energy blend through its green power program, the power area's dependence on oil subordinates stays a critical support challenge. Also, South Africa's electric supply industry lingers behind in taking on energy-useful underlying practices and equipment. This increments energy use in structures and different designs, imperils energy security and builds the spillover of ozone-draining substances.

The second theme gives an outline of the institutional or lawful designs administering renewable energy utilization in SA. South Africa's energy space depends on a few institutional and general sets of laws overseeing the stock, use, and dissemination of energy. These frameworks incorporate NERSA, which is answerable for controlling energy charges and allows, and the IRP, which gives construction to the country's energy guidelines and dynamic circuits. The third theme is to recognize the lack of current practices or creating districts and propose clear changes to energy management for more legitimate energy. Weaknesses of current practices in South Africa incorporate restricted green power combos, absence of energy proficiency measures, absence of energy foundation, and political and authoritative weaknesses.

An exhaustive and composed approach that prioritizes environmentally friendly renewable energy upgrades and energy efficiency measures is essential to advancing a more reasonable energy future in South Africa. These incorporate laying out additional forceful boundaries for reasonable energy use, executing approaches to advance energy-proficient primary work, giving assets to re-stablish and extend the energy base, and environmentally friendly renewable energy use. It incorporates advancing energy and energy productivity. This incorporates establishing a steady and astounding managerial climate that safeguards interests. By carrying out these recommendations, South Africa will actually want to lessen its reliance on oil subordinates, further improve its energy security and relieve the effects of natural change.

Reference list

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