The Impact of Energy Consumption on The Profitability and Renewable Energy Preference among SMEs in The KSD Municipality
- Authors: Vikela, Sithole Liso
- Date: 2019-03
- Subjects: Energy consumption , Cost effectiveness
- Language: English
- Type: Master's/Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/6730 , vital:47570
- Description: This study investigated the impact of energy consumption on the profitability and renewable energy preference among SMEs in the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) local municipality. Cross sectional data was collected using a questionnaire and the adoption of information acceleration (IA) technique. The theoretical framework applied in this study is the theory of consumer-fuel-energy choice which is based on the energy ladder model and the associated fuel switching. Short-run sensitivity analysis (SRA), cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and multinomial logit model (MNL) were employed to measure the profitability and switching behaviour of the firms. SRA showed that the average monthly profit/loss by all firm categories were positive indicating a profit in the consumption of non-renewable energy (NRE). In contrast, results showed that all categories of the firms’ ran at loss if they were to switch to the renewable energy (RE) immediately. Results for CBA indicate that only RE system option satisfied the economic viability of all the three CBA decision criteria on both discount rates, proving to be a viable investment choice for all firm categories. The MNL regression results showed that the number of rooms, firm revenue, irregular power experiences, product information, price, business age, firm grades, gender of the respondent, and the educational levels have a statistically significant impact on willingness to switching from substantial to full willingness. The study recommends establishment of financial subsidy to SMEs to enable them switch to RE system. The research also suggests the need for policies and incentives on profit enhancing strategies, symmetric product information and environmental benefits for switching to RE by SMEs in the rural areas. Key words: Energy consumption, Profitability, Willin¬gness to switch, Cost-Benefit analysis, Multinomial logit model. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce and Administration, 2019
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- Date Issued: 2019-03
Statistical analysis of electricity demand profiles
- Authors: Mangisa, Siphumlile
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Electric power consumption -- Forecasting , Energy consumption , Electric power consumption
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10572 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011548 , Electric power consumption -- Forecasting , Energy consumption , Electric power consumption
- Description: An electricity demand profile is a graph showing the amount of electricity used by customers over a unit of time. It shows the variation in electricity demand versus time. In the demand profiles, the shape of the graph is of utmost importance. The variations in demand profiles are caused by many factors, such as economic and en- vironmental factors. These variations may also be due to changes in the electricity use behaviours of electricity users. This study seeks to model daily profiles of energy demand in South Africa with a model which is a composition of two de Moivre type models. The model has seven parameters, each with a natural interpretation (one parameter representing minimum demand in a day, two parameters representing the time of morning and afternoon peaks, two parameters representing the shape of each peak, and two parameters representing the total energy per peak). With the help of this model, we trace change in the demand profile over a number of years. The proposed model will be helpful for short to long term electricity demand forecasting.
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- Date Issued: 2013