- Title
- Low-income area electrification systems
- Creator
- Tshabeni, Thulisa
- Subject
- Rural electrification -- Economic aspects -- South Africa
- Subject
- Rural electrification -- South Africa
- Subject
- Remote area power supply systems -- South Africa
- Date Issued
- 2024-12
- Date
- 2024-12
- Type
- Master's theses
- Type
- text
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/68807
- Identifier
- vital:77115
- Description
- This research investigated electrification systems for low-income, informal settlement areas via grid extension, photovoltaic mini-grids and solar home system (SHS). Six electrification systems were analysed; four mini-grid systems, a 100 W solar home system and a grid extension. All have different maximum power capacities and differ in the way they contribute to sustainable development. Affordability for the consumer of the total energy required (electrical and other sources) is a key factor for the sustainability of any electrification system. Two battery technologies, lithium-ion and lead acid batteries were compared for each system based on technical and economic performance. The study determined that despite the intial very high cost, lithium-ion batteries can achieve a lower levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) due to their long life span. It was found that the batteries cost between 58% and 95% of the project’s capital cost. The battery cost occurs not only in the capital cost, but in the replacement cost. This cost is so high, that it makes all the solar systems uneconomic. This research found that extending the national power grid is still much more economically viable than all other PV electrification systems, but it requires land tenure. The issue of land tenure could be solved by making some agreement with the land owner for rental. It was found that the PV systems could only be economic if they increased the income of the communities substantially.
- Description
- Thesis (MEg) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, School of Engineering, 2024
- Format
- computer
- Format
- online resource
- Format
- application/pdf
- Format
- 1 online resource (172 pages)
- Format
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Nelson Mandela University
- Rights
- All Rights Reserved
- Rights
- Open Access
- Hits: 11
- Visitors: 11
- Downloads: 0
Collections
NMU School of Engineering
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | Thulisa Tshabeni.pdf | 12 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |