Technology Collaboration programme, the National institute for Standards and Technology (NiST), the European Commission, the union of the Electricity industry–EurELECTriC and the Electricity power research institute (Epri) are among the leading international institutions devoting resources towards smart grid-related research.
The study underpinning this report revealed that the current smart grid initiatives in South Africa are more focused towards the distribution business.
The underlining objectives, as stated before, are to improve business sus- tainability and service delivery, while energy efficiency improvement for the electricity supply industry (ESi) is not a core driver. while the energy improvement efficiency potential to be derived through the smart grid is recognised, the overall potential has not been quantified. This is an area requiring further research with the objective to assess the energy efficiency potential associated with the various smart grid applications. Research in this regard will be of significant value in the compilation of an integrated smart grid plan for the ESI in South Africa.
Options which could also be explored to improve energy efficiency through smart grid deployment include, but are not limited to:
• integrated demand management at utility level.
• real time energy monitoring.
• Energy portfolio optimisation at utility level by embedding wind and solar.
• Embedding alternative energy options at utility level to defer network capital requirements and to improve network loading.
• Embedding rooftop photo-voltaic (pv) at utility level as part of the utility service offering.
• Energy storage within the distribution business to improve energy efficiency.
• providing wi-Fi over the utility network as a service to end customers – while the network is energised, i.e. if the power is interrupted the wi-Fi service is also interrupted.
• metering standards and functionality to facilitate nett-metering and/
or nett-billing.
• develop a model to define the minimum utility back-office support requirements.
• development of an integrated smart grid plan aimed at energy efficiency improvement through appropriate technology deployment.
Selected South African universities listed in Table 4-6 have established specific competencies which could be leveraged from an energy efficiency and smart grid perspective18.
18 Note from interviews with dr m. Bipath, dr J. rens, mr p. groenewald & mr N. Singh.
Table 4-6: University smart grid-related research
University Competency that could be leveraged University of Cape Town • modelling & simulation
Durban University of
Technology • real time simulator University of KwaZulu-Natal • real time simulator
• high voltage direct current
University of Pretoria • EEdSm – National hub and smart grid laboratory Stellenbosch University • Energy storage & renewable energy technology
• power quality control
• Solid-stator transformer
From a broader industry perspective, a number of international companies are investing in smart grid technologies to improve energy efficiency. These initiatives are mainly driven from a product development and marketing perspective. Smart grid application suppliers like ABB, general Electric, Siemens, ventyx, Oracle, etc. are investing in smart grid rdi. Electricity distribution utilities are less committed to invest in technology RDI. However, most of them are willing to report back on their smart grid implementation experience. The results from three reports are reflected to illustrate the points made above. The ventyx report (Lewis, 2013) indicated that efficiency improvement in the electricity value chain can be realised through a smart grid. In the following list the smart grid applications/initiatives that are highlighted reflect contributions (directly or indirectly) to energy efficiency improvement:
• Outage reduction
• reduction in equipment operation
• More accurate grid/network calculations
• Improved capacity management
• improved network predictions
• Accurate network loading estimations
• improved mitigation plans
• Reduced peak demand
• improved resource utilisation
• improved resource dispatching
• improved reporting and compliance
• Improved customer interface
• Confidence in grid/network status
• Efficient feeder topology
• Improved use of feeder capacity.
A report produced by ABB (ABB, n.d.) indicated that the deployment of a smart grid is essential in providing data to power effective asset health management.
Maphumulo (2012)19 highlighted the following benefits/efficiency improvement which were derived from pursuing smart grid-related applications at the eThekwini municipality: Efficient and cost-effective response to emergencies
• Improved load management
• Improved technical loss management
• Improved outage management
• improved network reliability and availability
• improved asset management.
From a South African perspective, SANEdi and Eskom are the leaders in respect of investing resources in smart grid-related research and associated efficiency improvement. Both organisations have agreements in place with the majority of the universities and universities of technology in South Africa.
Through an industry partnership, the smart grid-related research is directed and mainly funded through SANEDI or Eskom. There are also cases where the dST are supporting energy efficiency research.
The only body in South Africa which is structured to engage with the ESI from an integrated smart grid perspective is SASgi. SASgi was established through SANEDI, with the primary objective to provide guidance in respect of the transition to a smarter grid. The SASgi membership is made up of utility representatives and various government bodies with a direct interest in the efficient and effective operation of the ESi, as well as smart grid deployment.
The current smart grid approach is informed by the SANEdi, Smart grid multi- year programme plan (SANEdi, 2013) and the focus is predominantly on the distribution sector of the ESi. while the importance of climate change and energy efficiency is recognised in the plan, the plan is not driven from a national energy efficiency improvement perspective. due to funding-related challenges, SANEDI is dependent on grant funding to complement their budget allocation. The funding constraints have resulted in SANEDI adopting an ‘applied research’ approach. In essence, the focus from a smart grid perspective is on research through the practical execution of defined projects.
while this approach is yielding results, there is an urgent need to invest in fundamental research since this will pave the way to be more proactive in deploying appropriate technology which will best serve the South African requirements. under the guidance of the doE, SANEdi identified the piloting of various smart grid applications such as: (a) distributed power generation (b) Revenue Enhancement (c) EEDSM (d) Advanced Asset Management and (e) Active Network management will help to demonstrate the benefits of a smarter grid. Furthermore, the Eu grant funding secured through SANEdi
19 http://www.sessionview.com/data/2012/01/54/pdf/Sandile-Maphumulo-LPPTILST-15520.pdf (Accessed on 10 March 2017).
was earmarked in conjunction with DoE for this purpose. The donors made the funding available for technology deployment within the electricity utility businesses. municipalities were invited to put forward specific technology deployment projects and to apply for funding support.
while the research being conducted in respect of improving energy efficiency technology development must be recognised, it is important to note that it is not informed by any defined national strategic plan. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that the current research is driven by specific needs or areas of interest. Potentially the most obvious driver of the smart grid-related research and development must be the Integrated Energy Plan (iEp). it is advisable to establish an integrated smart grid energy efficiency technology development plan.