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Benefits of smart grid technologies in South Africa
Includes bibliographical references.
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| Main Author: | |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Mechanical Engineering
2015
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| _version_ | 1867613205215313920 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Masembe, Immaculate Angela |
| author2 | Gaunt, C T |
| author_browse | Gaunt, C T Masembe, Immaculate Angela |
| author_facet | Gaunt, C T Masembe, Immaculate Angela |
| author_sort | Masembe, Immaculate Angela |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Includes bibliographical references. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/13330 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:26.116Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publishDateRange | 2015 |
| publishDateSort | 2015 |
| publisher | Department of Mechanical Engineering |
| publisherStr | Department of Mechanical Engineering |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/13330 Benefits of smart grid technologies in South Africa Masembe, Immaculate Angela Gaunt, C T Mechanical Engineering Includes bibliographical references. The main purpose of a power system is to deliver the electrical energy requirements of its customer, at the lowest possible cost and at an adequate level of reliability. A power system may be divided into three sub systems: generation, transmission and distribution. Each sub system plays a different role for the entire network. The distribution sub-system in South Africa, much like many other countries in the world, is still based on 20th century technology. According to some sources, 20th century technology cannot efficiently sustain a 21st century economy, and that power networks need to be ‘modernized’. A report released in 2007 by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) on the state of the Electricity Distribution Industry (EDI) infrastructure, indicated that although there were pockets of good performance, assets needed urgent rehabilitation and investment. Further studies have revealed that the distribution grid infrastructure is aging and poorly maintained, and that its state was steadily deteriorating. Ageing infrastructure has been identified as the key challenge for the electricity generation, transmission and distribution sectors. It has also been estimated that between 2012 and 2020, more than 250 billion (2008) ZAR will be needed to maintain and expand the transmission and distribution network infrastructure. Smart grid technologies have been proposed as one of the possible means of implementing new technologies and techniques into the grids of different countries. The main motive towards smart grid technologies is to improve reliability, flexibility, accessibility and profitability; as well as to support trends towards a more sustainable energy supply. Besides aging infrastructure, inadequate generation capacity has also been a problem faced by the industry. Since 2007, South Africa has faced electricity supply problems due to inadequate generation capacity, which culminated in rolling black outs and load shedding in 2007 and 2008. The main causes of the blackouts were: insufficient generation capacity to meet growing demand, unreliable transmission and distribution networks, as well as inadequate operation of existing plants. Traditionally, generation capacity has not been present in the distribution zone. However, due to technological developments in distributed generation technology; constraints on the construction of new transmission lines and grid infrastructure; increased customer demand for highly reliable electricity; and environmental concerns; the presence of generation in the distribution subsystem has increased. This dissertation, entitled BENEFITS OF SMART GRID TECHNOLOGIES IN SOUTH AFRICA, aims to show the potential reliability benefit of smart grid technologies and distributed generation. There are a variety of smart grid technologies available on the market, each aimed at improving different aspects of power system performance. Smart grid technologies, which are said to improve distribution feeder reliability, were identified and selected in this study. These are fault passage indicators, distance to fault estimators and feeder automation. Distributed generation in the form of solar PV was also introduced into the study. 2015-07-03T08:27:59Z 2015-07-03T08:27:59Z 2014 Master Thesis Masters MSc (Eng) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13330 eng application/pdf Department of Mechanical Engineering Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Mechanical Engineering Masembe, Immaculate Angela Benefits of smart grid technologies in South Africa |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Benefits of smart grid technologies in South Africa |
| title_full | Benefits of smart grid technologies in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Benefits of smart grid technologies in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Benefits of smart grid technologies in South Africa |
| title_short | Benefits of smart grid technologies in South Africa |
| title_sort | benefits of smart grid technologies in south africa |
| topic | Mechanical Engineering |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13330 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT masembeimmaculateangela benefitsofsmartgridtechnologiesinsouthafrica |