Systems analyses and the sustainable transfer of renewable energy technologies: A focus on remote areas of Africa (original) (raw)
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Integrated assessment of renewable energy potential: Approach and application in rural South Africa
Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 2016
This paper presents the development and application of the Integrated Renewable Energy Potential Assessment (IREPA), employing a three-pronged approach: (i) literature review of renewable energy potential assessment methodologies, renewable energy technology (RET) selection factors and impact assessment methods; (ii) discussions with academic peers from natural and social sciences, and the private energy engineering sector; (iii) evaluation of the IREPA methodology through case-study research in a rural community in South Africa. Locally relevant social, institutional, environmental and techno-economic factors were explored through mutual knowledge exchange with smallholders and subsequently applied for appropriate RET selection. Three barriers to participatory decision-making were revealed: i) lack of knowledge ofrenewable energy among smallholders; ii) insufficient practical information dissemination in IREPA; iii) abstract nature of the analytical hierarchy process. The adaptions recommended by this research would render IREPA a suitable bottom-up approach for the assessment and effective implementation of RET, stimulating socioeconomic development in rural areas.
Technology in Society, 2011
The field of technology assessment is not new, but it continues to be relevant today more than ever, especially in the energy sector. Issues related to climate change, energy security and sustainability in general are at the core of all energy policies and strategies. The development of new and more sustainable energy technologies are needed to address these challenges. As part of this, energy technology assessment tools can help decisionmakers with the identification of sustainable energy solutions, in order to integrate them in long-term energy policies and strategies. The concept and practice of sustainable development has subsequently manifested in the technology assessment field. This implies the re-classification of technology assessment into ecological, economic and social (and other) goals. In the Southern African context, specifically, there is no formal and coherent approach to energy technology assessment from a sustainability perspective. Governments in the region are finding it challenging to establish national policies concerning energy technology assessment. Indeed, the review reveals the limited use of the term "technology assessment" in energy evaluation studies in Southern Africa. Energy sustainability assessments may be reported, but certainly not from the perspectives of the technology management community, and, although a number of studies have discussed the issues of sustainability in technology assessment, none account for technology sustainability assessment from a holistic perspective. The paper argues that it is in this area that further research is needed.
Record Number: 294 Presentation Theme: Theme 2 Keywords: Renewable energy development, sustainable livelihood approach, Malawi Brief biography of Collen Zalengera: Collen is a PhD researcher at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom, and works as a Lecturer in Renewable Energy Systems at Mzuzu University in Malawi. He is researching novel methods and best practices for the development of renewable energy systems to enhance sustainable livelihoods in developing countries. Collen has designed and managed a number of funded renewable energy projects in Malawi and Mozambique. He serves on national technical committees on solar and wind energy in Malawi.
Renewable Energy, 2010
The investigation summarised in this paper applied a sustainability assessment methodology on a renewable energy technological system in a rural village project that was commissioned by the South African Department of Minerals and Energy. The project comprised of wind, solar and lead-acid battery energy storage technologies that were implemented as a mini-hybrid off-grid electrification system for the village. The sustainability assessment methodology predicts the outcomes of such interventions by way of a learning model using discipline experts in the fields of economics, sociology, ecosystem sustainability, institutional governance, and the physics and chemistry of energy conversion processes. The comparison of the project's outcomes with a South African sustainable development framework shows that the specific village renewable off-grid electrification system is not viable. The main reason is that charges for electricity supply costs in village grids are too high for available subsidies; the economies of scale for renewable energy supply technologies favour national grids. The failure of the integrated system may also be attributable to the complexity of the social-institutional sub-system, which resulted in uncertainty for project planners and system designers, and the lack of resilience of the technological system to demands from the socio-economic and institutional sub-systems. Policy-related recommendations are made accordingly.
THE PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE TO ASSESS ALTERNATIVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES
The emerging field of sustainability science recognizes the important role of technologies in reaching the conditional goals of sustainable development. Research in sustainable technologies requires transdisciplinarity to determine the resilience, adaptive capacity, and complexity of social-ecological systems to assess the potential of such technologies for increasing the carrying capacity and improving the resilience of social-ecological systems, or to assess the resilience of the technological system to demands from the social-ecological systems. This paper introduces a model to prioritize assessable sustainability performance indicators to manage alternative energy technologies following the principles of sustainability science. The model is based on the Kolb learning cycle, and thereby acknowledges the vital need for continual interaction between different entities and components of typical social-ecological systems, where specific technologies are to be introduced, to understand the key interactions within the sub-systems, also termed holons, that need to be assessed. The model is demonstrated with a case study in a rural village of South Africa, where an integrated alternative energy technological system was implemented. The application of the prioritized indicators is compared with the perceived overall performance of the technological system. The study confirms that an increased understanding of the principles of sustainability science may improve the assessment of sustainability performances of alternative energy technological interventions during the design stages of the technology life cycles. Further research is required to adapt conventional technology assessment methods and metrics; recommendations are made accordingly.
A Systems Thinking Approach to a Transition Towards Renewable Energy in South Africa
2021
South Africa continues to rely on a coal-intensive energy system to drive employment and growth of the economy. In light of the global climate crisis, this is no longer sustainable due to coal's substantial carbon emissions. The rising concerns around energy security, coupled with the urgency for climate change mitigation, pose significant challenges to the country's electricity sector. This research focuses on South Africa's current electricity generation system. It investigates the opportunities, implications and barriers for renewable energy (RE) in response to climate change. Through a systems thinking (ST) approach, this dissertation develops critical intervention strategies to facilitate a just and fair transition away from coal. Finally, a high-level Theory of Change (ToC) framework consolidates research outcomes and maps out a transition pathway. A systems analysis based on semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders indicates the socio-economic complexities...
Proceedings of the World …, 2007
Technology transfer of renewable energy technologies is very often unsuccessful in the developing world. Aside from challenges that have social, economic, financial, institutional and environmental dimensions, technology transfer has generally been misunderstood, and largely seen as mere delivery of high tech equipment from developed to developing countries or within the developing world from R&D institutions to society. Technology transfer entails much more, including, but not limited to: entire systems and their component parts, know-how, goods and services, equipment, and organisational and managerial procedures. Means to facilitate the successful transfer of energy technologies, including the sharing of lessons are subsequently extremely important for developing countries as they grapple with increasing energy needs to sustain adequate economic growth and development. Improving the success of technology transfer is an ongoing process as more projects are implemented, new problems are encountered and new lessons are learnt. Renewable energy is also critical to improve the quality of lives of the majority of people in developing countries. In rural areas energy is primarily traditional biomass. The consumption activities typically occur in an inefficient manner, thus working against the notion of sustainable development. This paper explores the implementation of technology transfer in the developing world (sub-Saharan Africa). The focus is necessarily on RETs since most rural energy initiatives are RETs-based. Additionally, it aims to highlight some lessons drawn from the cited RE projects and identifies notable differences where energy technology transfer was judged to be successful. This is done through a literature review based on a selection of documented case studies which are judged against the definition provided for technology transfer. This paper also puts forth research recommendations that might contribute to improved technology transfer in the developing world.