Private power plants that help fight load-shedding in South Africa

[Jan]

These private power plants help fight load-shedding in South Africa

There are multiple renewable energy power plants in operation across South Africa which support Eskom in providing electricity to the national grid.

These stations form part of government's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers (REIPP) Procurement Programme, which is aimed at decreasing the country's reliance on fuel-based generation over the next decade.

Government has opened up bidding for more than 11,800MW of power to be procured from IPPs, including renewable energy, natural gas, battery storage and coal.

While much of this capacity is due to only come online in the next few years, Eskom's online data portal shows that it has already installed renewable generation capacity of around 5,350MW, the majority of which is provided by IPPs.

 

[PCWARITM]

It's really cool to read about something other than an ancient nuclear plant and ageing or broken coal plants... we need more renewables.

 

[Utterly Confused]

No cANCer hands involved.

 

[Gordon_R]

Load shedding this week has been between 17:00 and 22:00, so solar PV doesn't help much.

 

[Johand]

Load shedding this week has been between 17:00 and 22:00, so solar PV doesn't help much.

Well I guess it prevented loadshedding from 9:00 to 17:00

 

[Lupus]

Load shedding this week has been between 17:00 and 22:00, so solar PV doesn't help much.

Ssssh the solar advocates will keep harping on about how we need more solar. Yet the demands are between 5 in the morning to 9 and the same in the evening.

 

[WollieVerstege]

Load shedding this week has been between 17:00 and 22:00, so solar PV doesn't help much.

No, but it means that the fuel for the OCGT can be saved during the day and used in the evening peaks to prevent even deeper stages.

 

[richjdavies]

No, but it means that the fuel for the OCGT can be saved during the day and used in the evening peaks to prevent even deeper stages.

And pumped storage...

The fact we load shed on a weekend tells you that EVERY kwh helps.

 

[Johand]

I think we need more dynamic electricity pricing in the wholesale market - prices are currently four slots per day only with fixed rates. A spot market with regulated upper and lower boundaries will make it possible for private sector to invest in storage as well.

Mixing wind, solar, storage and OCG, with proper geographical spread will take us a long long way.

 

[Petec]

Load shedding this week has been between 17:00 and 22:00, so solar PV doesn't help much.

So while Solar is supplying energy, the coal that could be burnt to supply the same power is just thrown away then?

 

[krycor]

Load shedding this week has been between 17:00 and 22:00, so solar PV doesn't help much.

Yes and no.. so solar, wind and other temperamental types typically are used to buffer via energy storage when abundant.. so in this case when night time happens they would be able to use the stored energy.

Of cause this assumes there was an abundance during the day.. but I suspect there wasn’t and might have burnt some diesel & used stored energy too hence the night time outages.

I do wonder if it’s more costly to economy & Eskom though.. Ie shifting outages to night, if they can.

 

[Vorastra]

Ssssh the solar advocates will keep harping on about how we need more solar. Yet the demands are between 5 in the morning to 9 and the same in the evening.

This is what molten salt storage is for...

I'm not even an acolyte of solar and I know this.

 

[krycor]

Something I’m curious about is this..

solar vs land usage is not very efficient.. I was watching a lot of videos about solar projects, India having the largest one, and other than cases where it’s used on rooftops or floating on reservoirs they occupy space which may not be the most efficient use of the land due to the energy density achieved.

Then I look at wind(offshore, on land), wave and well those look slightly better until you factor in maintenance.. anyway.. my point is I think solar should be a roofing requirement as then you reduce many aspects of the entire system.

Problem here is local municipal infrastructure would have to be up to par to get this right. The whole massive solar array I don’t think is as cost effective baring maybe use in a desert and even then unless it’s on stilts it’s taking up space.

 

[borro]

Suuuuuuuure

 

[system32]

Waiting for someone to say it's "not baseload".

I like it as there is no fuel with variable "import price parity" pricing.

 

[Johand]

Waiting for someone to say it's "not baseload".

I like it as there is no fuel with variable "import price parity" pricing.

The capacity factors on our coal plants are about the same as wind I guess technically our coal stations aren't base load either due to constant and unpredictable break-downs

 

[Lupus]

The capacity factors on our coal plants are about the same as wind I guess technically our coal stations aren't base load either due to constant and unpredictable break-downs

Even with the issues they are still hitting 23GW, wind in SA is around 4GW but it barely hits that

 

[LCBXX]

Another "Hey, thinks aren't so bad" article, when things are actually seriously fscked.

 

[The Light Green Hornet]

Interesting to see all the attempts to help EISCHKOM to survive while they kling to their monopoly. Does someone have a plan how to get out of this mess?

 

[The Light Green Hornet]

The capacity factors on our coal plants are about the same as wind I guess technically our coal stations aren't base load either due to constant and unpredictable break-downs

Yup, all part of the 'Oops' thinking currently 'in charge'.