Version 1
: Received: 26 August 2024 / Approved: 28 August 2024 / Online: 28 August 2024 (20:14:14 CEST)
How to cite:
Snyman, L.; Tshabalala, L. Design of Cost-Effective Energy Supply Systems for Households – Pledge for Utilizing Hybrid and Thermal Energy Conversion Systems. Preprints2024, 2024082082. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.2082.v1
Snyman, L.; Tshabalala, L. Design of Cost-Effective Energy Supply Systems for Households – Pledge for Utilizing Hybrid and Thermal Energy Conversion Systems. Preprints 2024, 2024082082. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.2082.v1
Snyman, L.; Tshabalala, L. Design of Cost-Effective Energy Supply Systems for Households – Pledge for Utilizing Hybrid and Thermal Energy Conversion Systems. Preprints2024, 2024082082. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.2082.v1
APA Style
Snyman, L., & Tshabalala, L. (2024). Design of Cost-Effective Energy Supply Systems for Households – Pledge for Utilizing Hybrid and Thermal Energy Conversion Systems. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.2082.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Snyman, L. and Lelo Tshabalala. 2024 "Design of Cost-Effective Energy Supply Systems for Households – Pledge for Utilizing Hybrid and Thermal Energy Conversion Systems" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.2082.v1
Abstract
A medium scale household in South Africa consumes about 1000 kWh on average, and ae household spend about 3000 ZAR per month on energy supply using grid electricity. Grid electricity. South Africa’s energy is supplied by a huge governmental organization. Statistical analyses indicate that projected increase of the cost of grid electricity in South Africa is about 30% per annum for the next five years. Our research show that Photo-Voltaic (PV) technology can offer a viable alternative, provided a large initial capital outlay can be made. The technology is user-friendly and easy to operate. It is calculated that the cost of electricity, capitalized over 20 years, considering an 80 % supply of needs and assuming 20 sunny days per month, is about 2.80 ZAR. The study also shows that utilizing a hybrid combination of renewable energies, such as combining PV supply with solar thermal energy absorbers, and converting thermal energy to electricity, as energy supply systems, could reduce the current cost of electricity per household in South Africa to about half of national grid supply prize, R1,50 per kWhr. The study also shows that water provides as a most viable medium to store energy, instead of using expensive battery technology to perform such functions.
Keywords
Environmental engineering; electrical engineering; photovoltaic technology; thermal energy; solar energy; electronic control
Subject
Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.