How South Africa could get 100% of its energy from renewable sources

Such a pity that our Government is dead-set on building coal and nuclear plants.
 
Electric said:
They can't fathom wind being an actual power source, or sun or sea for that matter.
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Which is ironic, considering the hot air from Parliament alone can supply us with all the renewable energy we could possibly need.
 
Obviously we could. The question is whether we should.

And as it currently stands, unless coal becomes a lot more expensive, no we shouldn't.
Or until electrical storage becomes dramatically cheaper, no we shouldn't.
 
JStrike said:
Obviously we could. The question is whether we should.

And as it currently stands, unless coal becomes a lot more expensive, no we shouldn't.
Or until electrical storage becomes dramatically cheaper, no we shouldn't.
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For now, let's destroy the planet...... until we find a better solution.
 
StellenboschStudent said:
What do you do for base-load? Solar and wind is great, but that is not base-load... Still need nuclear or coil or gas for base
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I used to think the same thing, but where I am now 95% of the country's power comes from hydro. So it's definitely not "just" a top up source. The question is then more about how reliable a base load it is vs whether it can be one at all.

Eskom's transmission lines can't handle all the IPPs on the best wind spots because of their aged network and servitude issues with farmers etc. Getting more smaller plants in more localized places could drastically help. JBay's windfarms powers way more than what the area needs and is pushing power back into the grid, except the grid is too old with too small lines to actually handle this, causing eskom to have to fork out millions to build bigger lines...and I doubt they have the land to build it on because of all the farms in that area so they either have to buy more land or replace lines, causing more downtime.
 
StellenboschStudent said:
What do you do for base-load? Solar and wind is great, but that is not base-load... Still need nuclear or coil or gas for base
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If the renewable sources are spaced wide enough geographically and by source, it might in future provide an acceptable base. The total installed capacity might just have to be 3x demand or something (complete guess)
 
Voicy said:
I used to think the same thing, but where I am now 95% of the country's power comes from hydro. So it's definitely not "just" a top up source. The question is then more about how reliable a base load it is vs whether it can be one at all.

Eskom's transmission lines can't handle all the IPPs on the best wind spots because of their aged network and servitude issues with farmers etc. Getting more smaller plants in more localized places could drastically help. JBay's windfarms powers way more than what the area needs and is pushing power back into the grid, except the grid is too old with too small lines to actually handle this, causing eskom to have to fork out millions to build bigger lines...and I doubt they have the land to build it on because of all the farms in that area so they either have to buy more land or replace lines, causing more downtime.
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Hydro can never, ever provide nearly enough baseload in South Africa
 
Voicy said:
I used to think the same thing, but where I am now 95% of the country's power comes from hydro. So it's definitely not "just" a top up source. The question is then more about how reliable a base load it is vs whether it can be one at all.

Eskom's transmission lines can't handle all the IPPs on the best wind spots because of their aged network and servitude issues with farmers etc. Getting more smaller plants in more localized places could drastically help. JBay's windfarms powers way more than what the area needs and is pushing power back into the grid, except the grid is too old with too small lines to actually handle this, causing eskom to have to fork out millions to build bigger lines...and I doubt they have the land to build it on because of all the farms in that area so they either have to buy more land or replace lines, causing more downtime.
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That is why the government should open power providing to private companies. Then they can come and start building their own infrastructure and lines and things... that will help a lot.
There isn't enough hydro-storage options available to help for base. Great idea, very effective to store water and let gravity do the rest and you get power at the other side, SA has enough mountains to get the water nice and high, if only we had enough water.

Skerminkel said:
If the renewable sources are spaced wide enough geographically and by source, it might in future provide an acceptable base. The total installed capacity might just have to be 3x demand or something (complete guess)
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Then you have to look wider than just SA to build these plants.
I was in a talk the other day by Prof Greene (Australian working on Solar tech) and he said that with a big solar farm in Aus dessert, one in Sahara and one in America (Utah) you could power the entire planet using just solar. these will be massive farms and real targets for ISIS

JStrike said:
Hydro can never, ever provide nearly enough baseload in South Africa
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Yep
 
My apologies, I wasn't referring to hydro as a baseload specifically, but getting past the idea that renewables are top up/peak demand only sources.

If we had solar a plenty, we could use some of the peak to pump water uphill and then use the water to generate hydro when the sun isn't shining, but realistically wind and solar would probably be our best bet.

If only the apartheid government didn't build those dams so big, they wouldn't be so empty now.
 
awesome, I see solar's really high. I wonder how much food farmland is gonna be taken up by the several thousand square km of land all those solar farms will need?
 
We can't possibly do away with baseload in the foreseeable future. The only feasible option is changing the kettle from coal-fired to nuclear-fired, like France. And 4gen nuclear is renewable.

Against nuclear? Do yourself a favour and watch Pandora's Promise on Netflix. A doccie by lifeling anti-nuclear activists.

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The notion that we can feasibly move to solar, wind and waste power reminds me of this:

How to rid the world of all known diseases

Well, first of all become a doctor and discover a marvellous cure for something, and then, when the medical world really starts to take notice of you, you can jolly well tell them what to do and make sure they get everything right so there'll never be diseases any more.

Now, how to play the flute: Well, you blow in one end and move your fingers up and down the outside.

Next week we'll be showing you how black and white people can live together in peace and harmony, and Alan will be over in Moscow showing you how to reconcile the Russians and the Chinese.

'Til then, cheerio!

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PS. I run my place on solar, in case you think I'm prejudiced.
 
Voicy said:
My apologies, I wasn't referring to hydro as a baseload specifically, but getting past the idea that renewables are top up/peak demand only sources.

If we had solar a plenty, we could use some of the peak to pump water uphill and then use the water to generate hydro when the sun isn't shining, but realistically wind and solar would probably be our best bet.

If only the apartheid government didn't build those dams so big, they wouldn't be so empty now.
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We already have pumped storage. And we are currently building more (Ingula). But that is close to as much as we will ever have. We just don't have the water resources in South Africa for many more dams. And making snide little comments like "If only the apartheid government didn't build those dams so big, they wouldn't be so empty now." doesn't help your argument
 
Arthur said:
We can't possibly do away with baseload in the foreseeable future. The only feasible option is changing the kettle from coal-fired to nuclear-fired, like France. And 4gen nuclear is renewable.

Against nuclear? Do yourself a favour and watch Pandora's Promise on Netflix. A doccie by lifeling anti-nuclear activists.

----------------------------------

The notion that we can feasibly move to solar, wind and waste power reminds me of this:

How to rid the world of all known diseases

Well, first of all become a doctor and discover a marvellous cure for something, and then, when the medical world really starts to take notice of you, you can jolly well tell them what to do and make sure they get everything right so there'll never be diseases any more.

Now, how to play the flute: Well, you blow in one end and move your fingers up and down the outside.

Next week we'll be showing you how black and white people can live together in peace and harmony, and Alan will be over in Moscow showing you how to reconcile the Russians and the Chinese.

'Til then, cheerio!

----------------------------------

PS. I run my place on solar, in case you think I'm prejudiced.
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You would have to be pretty silly to be against a whole technology. Let alone nuclear energy as a solution for baseload (It is the only feasible alternative to coal for South Africa)
 
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