Explore how SAGEN contributes to increasing the resilience of power systems through cutting-edge planning and operational techniques.

Learn more about SAGEN’s power system planning and operation activities in this fact sheet.

This report aims to outline a systematic approach to developing a sustainable power sector. As electricity generation represents the largest source of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, the power sector is of vital significance to realising international climate goals. GIZ presents an analytical framework to guide energy-system planners, operators, and technical assistance providers throughout their collaborative journey of energy-system transformation. The framework describes a path from a fossil-fuelled to a decarbonised energy-system in five phases and suggests technical assistance approaches to discuss and prioritise different measures to support this transition.

Author/s:Markus Pöller, M.P.E. GmbH and GIZ

This study assesses changing flexibility requirements in the South African power system resulting from increased levels of variable renewable generation (solar PV and wind), with a time horizon until 2030. The expansion (and decommissioning) of both renewable and conventional power plants is modelled from now until 2030 according to the base case of the draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), as published in December 2016.

Authors: Markus Pöller, Marko Obert

The aim of the studies presented in this report is to quantify the economic impact of different strategies for the deployment utility scale PV farms in South Africa. These are referred to as ‘allocation strategies’.

Three different allocation strategy scenarios for a total of 8,4GW of utility scale PV farms in South Africa have been considered. These are summarized as follows:

• Scenario A: “As planned” This scenario is according to the existing applications for PV farms where there is a total of, 6,4GW of PV in the ‘Solar Corridor’ (see Figure 2), and 2GW distributed elsewhere in the country.
• Scenario B: “Close to load centers” Here, only 2,6GW of PV is considered in the Solar Corridor, the remaining 5,8GW is distributed across the country.
• Scenario C: “According to REDZs [1]” For this scenario, PV farms have been allocated in the Renewable Energy Development Zones (REDS), as identified by CSIR and DEA within the SEA project [1]. In this scenario, 2,8 GW is considered in the Solar Corridor, and 5,6GW is distributed predominantly in the REDZs.

Author: Moeller and Poeller

This report presents the results of simulation studies for assessing the capacity credit of planned wind farms in South Africa. Therefore, three scenarios have been defined and agreed between ESKOM, GIZ and DIgSILENT based on realistic assumptions with regard to wind farm sites, the potential installed wind generation capacity at these sites and the relevant characteristics of the South African power system, such as load and generation characteristics and planned expansions of thermal and hydro power plants, which have been provided by ESKOM.

Author: DIgSILENT GmbH and Windlab Developments South Africa Pty Ltd