CENTRE FOR ENERGY SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH

IN SUSTAINABLE ENERGY Jobs boom

Students considering their careers in 2020 are finding that the energy sector offers current and future employment opportunities as South Africa increases its efforts to create alternative energy sources, and better manage current coal-fired energy production.

SANEDI, as a change catalyst, reports that according to the IRENA Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2018, the widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies is creating employment opportunities up and down the supply chain. Worldwide, the sector employed 11 million people at the end of 2018. Internationally, solar photovoltaics (SPV) remained the top employer among renewable energy technologies in 2018, accounting for a third of the sector’s workflow.

SANEDI recognises that the energy sector, which is constantly in a state of major change with new technologies, consumer patterns and demands, all helping to shape an increasingly complex energy landscape. It is an exciting time to be involved in the industry.

Technically trained people are needed, from artisans to researchers, focused on the energy challenges of the country. Important to note is that a STEM (science, technology, engineering & math) degree is not essential to work in energy and, as in any other rapidly growing industry, there is high demand for service providers. However, the renewable energy sector will foster the high-skill labour market, with 70% of positions in renewable power generation being created in the highly skilled group (Matric+).

Depending on the region of interest and the growth opportunities, students can consider different sectors within the industry. In the US, the fastest-growing profession is a wind turbine technician and 46% of large firms have hired additional workers to address issues of sustainability over the past two years. Jobs in South African renewable power generation are concentrated in the services, construction and manufacturing sectors. At present, only 8.8% of South Africa’s power is generated from renewable energy sources, leaving room for much more development. Solar photovoltaics is also a growing market, as we take advantage of the sun’s power to provide hot water to homes and electricity to off-grid areas.

With the South African government’s 2019 integrated resource plan, planning to build over 22 GW of new wind, solar and storage capacity by 2030, and its decision to scale up renewables, employment measured in job years can be expected to increase by an additional 40% in the next 10 years. An appreciation of the impact that a ‘green’ career can have on the planet and on climate change can also enhance job satisfaction.

SANEDI and SAASTA To maximise reach among young people interested in careers in energy, SANEDI has entered into an MOU with the SA Agency for Science and Technology to raise awareness, build capacity, and demystify myths upheld about the Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths & Innovation (STEMI) subjects, particularly in the disadvantaged school sector. SANEDI participated in the pre-national science stakeholder engagement week in July 2019 in Polokwane, which was attended by about 500 learners from five local high schools.

Smart Grids projects enhance revenue

A flagship programme within SANEDI is the Smart Grids Programme, which focuses on research and deploys various smart grids concepts within the electricity distribution industry. Through the EU Donor Funded Smart Grids Programme, SANEDI facilitated the implementation of 10 pilot projects, aimed at improving the sustainability outlook of operating an electricity utility at municipal level.

Smart Grids are electricity networks that can intelligently integrate the actions of all users connected to it – generators, consumers and those that do both – in order to efficiently deliver sustainable, economic and secure electricity supplies.

Participating municipalities were eThekwini, Nala, Naledi, Govan Mbeki, Thabazimbi, Mogale City, City Power, Msunduzi, Matatiele and Nelson Mandela Bay.

Overall, this project confirmed that the Smart Grids Programme enhanced revenue collection, improved cash flow and detected theft. Importantly, such projects rely on a combination of people, process and technology, each with equal importance to succeed. New technologies are introduced within distribution networks and smart grids allow for the integration of people and processes as an enabler for positive change.

The benefits associated with Smart Grids include: • More efficient transmission of electricity • Quicker restoration of electricity after power disturbances • Reduced operations and management costs for utilities and ultimately lower power costs for consumers • Reduced peak demand, which will also help lower electricity rates • Increased integration of large-scale renewable energy systems • Better integration of customer-owner power generation systems, including renewable energy systems • Improved security

The Smart Grids Programme addresses objectives of energy transformation and service delivery. Its technology employs smart mechanisms to transition to an energy mix on the South African grid, which allows South Africa to meet its climate change objectives as well as address inefficiencies in the municipal system.

It promotes the utilisation of integrated systems and processes in the municipal environment, thus enabling efficiencies rarely seen before in these environments.

SANEDI has identified the manner in which Smart Grids are instrumental in supporting sound decision-making within a utility, based on actual and accurate data. Smart Grids adopt a broader focus to a utility’s needs, reaching far beyond technologies and solutions to establish smart systems and processes to improve the entire value chain of a utility.

Challenges The Smart Grids Programme has unearthed many challenges, which include ageing facilities, costs exceeding revenue in some cases, lack of skills and a decline in maintenance. The Auditor General’s report indicates that about 125 of South Africa’s municipalities are collecting less than 80% of the revenue. If electricity is the main source of revenue for the municipalities, they suffer losses of about 53% in some of these entities. While Smart Grids and smart metering are not silver bullets, they are a key enabler for change to happen. If properly engineered, municipalities are better placed to collect their revenue.