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Campus Microgrids within the South African Context: A Case Study to Illustrate Unique Design, Control Challenges, and Hybrid Dispatch Strategies

Author

Listed:
  • Stephanus Erasmus

    (Grid Related Research Group, Department of Engineering Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa)

  • Nicolaas Esterhuysen

    (Grid Related Research Group, Department of Engineering Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa)

  • Jacques Maritz

    (Grid Related Research Group, Department of Engineering Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa)

Abstract

South African universities boast a remarkable solar photovoltaic (PV) resource as a primary renewable energy component. Due to high peak demand tariffs and inherent prominent heating and cooling loads, fast and granular demand response programs are well established within typical campus grids, with electrical networks adapted towards hosting centralized PV plants and emergency diesel generation. With unreliable utility supply and aging infrastructure comes a natural landscape and niche application for campus microgrids (MG) in South Africa. One such case, the University of the Free State’s QwaQwa satellite campus in the Phuthaditjhaba district, is no exception to this, as it has sufficient solar PV generation, but it also has an unreliable utility component. This paper investigates a possible MG for the UFS QwaQwa campus with an emphasis on Hybrid PV-Diesel dispatch strategies, specifically, to ensure uptime during the loss of grid supply and decrease fuel usage. The proposed centralized diesel-PV MG system achieves a diesel cost reduction of 21.55%, based on simulated results using actual campus load data from 2019. The approach improves electricity availability, supplying 100% of all campus demand, compared to 70% under a de-centralized approach.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephanus Erasmus & Nicolaas Esterhuysen & Jacques Maritz, 2023. "Campus Microgrids within the South African Context: A Case Study to Illustrate Unique Design, Control Challenges, and Hybrid Dispatch Strategies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-18, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:3:p:1519-:d:1056859
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cagnano, A. & De Tuglie, E. & Mancarella, P., 2020. "Microgrids: Overview and guidelines for practical implementations and operation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    2. Daniel Akinyele & Abraham Amole & Elijah Olabode & Ayobami Olusesi & Titus Ajewole, 2021. "Simulation and Analysis Approaches to Microgrid Systems Design: Emerging Trends and Sustainability Framework Application," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-26, October.
    3. Shilpa Sambhi & Himanshu Sharma & Vikas Bhadoria & Pankaj Kumar & Ravi Chaurasia & Giraja Shankar Chaurasia & Georgios Fotis & Vasiliki Vita & Lambros Ekonomou & Christos Pavlatos, 2022. "Economic Feasibility of a Renewable Integrated Hybrid Power Generation System for a Rural Village of Ladakh," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-25, December.
    4. Vinny Motjoadi & Pitshou N. Bokoro & Moses O. Onibonoje, 2020. "A Review of Microgrid-Based Approach to Rural Electrification in South Africa: Architecture and Policy Framework," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-22, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Afsaneh Ghanavati & Marisha Rawlins & Douglas Dow & Christopher Sweeny & Jackson Smith, 2023. "Interpretation of the Power Consumption Characterization of an Urban University Campus toward Power System Planning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Stephanus Erasmus & Jacques Maritz, 2023. "A Carbon Reduction and Waste Heat Utilization Strategy for Generators in Scalable PV—Diesel Generator Campus Microgrids," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-12, September.

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