Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters/MBA)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37942

Browse

Subject: search.filters.subject.Renewable energy

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Factors Contributing to Employee Turnover in the South African Renewable Energy Sector
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Ngema, Dumsile Nondumiso; Seiff, Grant
    The primary objective of this study was to identify the key factors drivingemployee turnover. Concurrently, the study aimed to investigate the underlyingorganisational culture disparities across different age groups and gender profiles.Additionally, it explored the impact of leadership on turnover and the relationshipbetween employee compensation and turnover. Considering the complex natureof employee turnover's impact, the development of effective retention strategieshas become a crucial need for organisations in this rapidly growing industry.Implementing these strategies is vital for retaining top talent, safeguardinginstitutional knowledge, mitigating turnover-related costs, and enhancing overallorganisational productivity. To address the study’s objectives, a digitalquantitative research survey was conducted with a sizable sample of 300employees employed in the renewable energy sector. The survey achieved a95.67% response rate, providing a robust dataset for analysis. The collected dataunderwent rigorous statistical examination, which included both inferential anddescriptive statistics. Among the key findings, organisational culture emerged asthe primary driver of employee turnover within South Africa's renewable energysector. This highlights the significance of elements such as inclusivity, employeesupport, respect, work-life balance, and ethical conduct as crucial components ofthe organisational culture. Employee compensation also played a significant rolein influencing employee turnover in this sector, with job satisfaction acting as acritical mediator in explaining the relationship between culture and employeeretention. Interestingly, the study did not identify a similar mediating role betweencompensation and turnover. Additionally, other factors such as leadership andtraining and development did not demonstrate a significant relationship withturnover. The practical implications of these findings are significant for improvinghuman resource practices in the renewable energy sector. These findings alsohighlight the importance of strengthening organisational culture while alsofocusing on job satisfaction and competitive compensation packages.Policymakers and industry associations can draw valuable insights from thefindings of this study to enhance employee retention strategies. This studycontributes meaningfully to the understanding of employee turnover in thevrenewable energy sector, not only within South Africa but with potential relevancein a broader context
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The Relationship between Renewable Energy Products and Cost-Effective Electricity among Middle-class consumers in Gauteng
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Ludick, Sheldon; Venter, Robert
    This executive summary presents a business venture proposal to address the need for stable electricity in South Africa, by offering renewable energy solutions to middle to upper-income households. The proposal focuses on charging customers per kilowatt basis, thereby eliminating the initial capital outlay typically required for setting up renewable energy systems in homes by providing renewable energy infrastructure at no upfront cost to the consumer. A pay-as-you-use model stands as the unique selling proposition of Renew Able Technologies, giving it a distinct competitive advantage. By partnering with residents in the target living standards measure LSM bracket, the business aims to provide long-term electricity supply through renewable energy technologies at a competitive per- unit or kilowatt cost, creating a monthly income stream, while creating a long-term partnership with consumers. Additionally, renewable energy is environmentally friendly, and contributes to a greener, cleaner, and sustainable future. As a consequence, this proposal is not purely based on the current supply issues of electricity in South Africa, but instead, it aims to create a profitable business, at once contributing to the planet's sustainability. The business venture proposal will calculate the average daily usage of kilowatt hours to determine the appropriate solution for each household. Implementation costs will vary based on individual household needs; correspondingly, larger households will incur higher charges based on their monthly usage. Estimates suggest that by 2030, there will be over 100 million homes globally equipped with solar energy or other renewable energy sources, a significant increase from 25 million homes in 2020. This proposal aims to support this growth, by enabling households with limited upfront resources to access renewable energy through a per-unit supply model. The proposal suggests offering an affordable monthly electricity bill to attract customers who desire to switch to renewable energy but are put off by the upfront expenses. This proposal presents a solution to the current lack of renewable energy accessibility for households. The pricing strategy will adopt a competition-oriented approach, ensuring that the shift to renewable energy minimizes household monthly spending for electricity while promoting long-term self- sufficiency. Our marketing efforts will be geared towards middle- to upper-income homeowners through promotions at various events, roadshows, and advertising agencies. We will ensure that product and pricing information is easily accessible to everyone through radio and television channels. By doing so, we aim to reach as many potential customers as possible and provide them with the best possible service. To finance the venture, we plan to seek equity and loan funding. Specifically, we are proposing a split of 60% equity and 40% loan. In summary, this business venture proposal aims to capitalise on the growing demand for renewable energy, by offering households an affordable alternative to traditional electricity. In eliminating the initial capital outlay, the proposal seeks to tap into a market segment that desires renewable energy solutions but is hindered by cost constraints
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Prospects for artificial intelligence to manage load-shedding in South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Shakoane, Nomea Lerato; Lee, Gregory
    Eskom, a state-owned utility in South Africa, is currently facing significant challenges and experiencing severe power shortages. While there is a growing expectation of adopting renewable energy in the future, a sudden and complete transition is unlikely. Legacy power systems, characterized by poor performance, breakdowns, and unpredictability, have received limited attention in AI research. This raises the question: What actions should be taken to quickly address maintenance issues in older power plants and increase generation capacity in the short term? The objective of this study is to explore AI solutions in the electrical sector and assess the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of integrating AI into Eskom's power system. The findings of this study will provide Eskom and the South African government with valuable insights to make informed decisions regarding the incorporation of artificial intelligence. These AI solutions can include detecting power and cable theft, optimizing energy usage and distribution, and implementing predictive analytics for demand planning and power production optimization. To gather data, a survey questionnaire was distributed to participants primarily located in South Africa, following a snowball selection process. The survey collected responses from a minimum of 50 participants and covered various aspects, such as load shedding at Eskom, artificial intelligence, data-AI enablers, and AI prospects. The study revealed that inadequate maintenance within the power generation division was responsible for load shedding. As a result, the implementation of AI solutions such as predictive maintenance, fault detection, and power demand monitoring systems emerged as crucial priorities for Eskom. However, it is important to note that implementing AI requires substantial capital investment. Considering Eskom's current financial situation and South Africa's mounting debt, it is challenging for Eskom to secure the necessary funds without seeking support vi from the South African government or major corporations like the IMF or World Bank
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    A renewable energy solution for small to large businesses in the Kingdom of Eswatin
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Manana, Cusilakhe; Mondi, Lumkile
    The Kingdom of Eswatini’s electricity supply is not self-sufficient and relies on the import of electricity to meet its local demand. This has resulted in the country importing 73% of its electricity from foreign suppliers including South Africa, Mozambique, and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP). This heavy reliance on imports means the country cannot guarantee future supply nor have full control of the tariffs charged to customers for electricity. Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology installations have seen a steady increase worldwide due to improved efficiency in technology performance and a decrease in the cost of the technology. These advancements have resulted in solar technology becoming cheaper than traditional sources of energy available to consumers. The business venture investigates the viability of using solar technology as a solution to the high electricity costs being paid by small to large businesses within Eswatini. The venture aims to install, own, operate, and maintain solar PV plants at the customer’s property and sell the generated power to the customer. The venture does not seek to replace the utility supply but aims to provide an alternative cheaper solution as an input into operations. The business venture proposal targeted small to large businesses from varying industries across the country as respondents for the study. In the study, the market perception towards solar technology as well as consumer behavior analyzed to assist in formulating a business model for the venture which would ensure uptake of the value offering. Furthermore, the business venture investigated the viability of the project by evaluating performance parameters which included the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of the solar plants, cash flows, Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and the Net Present Value (NPV)
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Factors influencing the adoption of Green Technology by individual consumers in South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Jainarain, Rowenta
    The effects of climate change are becoming more evident, across the world. It is imperative that humans act as a collective and start immediately, to change their modes and means of operating activities that add to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. The United Nations (UN) developed the 17 Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), to be achieved by the year 2030, with SDG 13, Climate Action, being one of them. Apart from companies and industries adding to greenhouse gas emissions, a substantial amount of greenhouse gases are directly and indirectly attributed to the individual consumers’ activity. SDG 17 then comes into play, being, “Partnerships for goals”, whereby this study focuses on the part that individual consumers’ have in the case against climate change. Consumers use electricity in their everyday lives and electricity generation is usually from fossil fuel powered stations, which significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. An alternative would be for consumers, to adopt green technology, in the form of renewable energy, such as solar panels and solar water heaters. This study took a quantitative approach, to assess the factors that influence the adoption of green technology in South Africa. Primary data was collected from 102 respondents via a survey questionnaire, with 87 valid responses after data cleaning. Factor analysis was employed to ascertain the factors that influenced adoption. Multiple regression was used to test the hypotheses developed from the literature survey as well as to determine which factor influenced adoption most. The theory of planned behaviour was the model and framework against which, intention to adopt green technology was tested. The literature survey study found that awareness, self efficacy, ease of access, belief of benefits, cost perception, risk perception, environmental concern, aesthetics and social norms have an impact on intention to adopt. The regression analysis in the study found that awareness, belief of benefits and cost perception had an influence on the intention to adopt green technology and that awareness was the most influential factor. There is very little literature on factors that influence adoption in the South African context, hence this study aims to fill that gap and assist governments, sustainable development organisations and societies, with practical recommendations to influence vi the uptake of green technology in the form of renewable energy in South Africa as well as recommendations for future research
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Impact of weighted average cost of capital (wacc) on utility‐scale solar photovoltaics (pv) levelized cost of electricity
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Shendile, Severus Twahafa; Odei-Mensah, Jones
    Namibia has one of the highest solar irradiation levels in the world, making it an ideal destination for renewable energy investments. The country receives an average of 300 days of sunshine per year. This means that there is an abundance of solar energy that can be harnessed for electricity generation using solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is a key metric used to evaluate the financial viability of a solar PV project and is influenced by a range of factors that impact the cost of generating electricity from solar energy. The parameters that affect LCOE for solar PV systems include solar irradiation, O&M cost, financing cost, inverter efficiency, system design, system lifetime, regulatory environment, and the weighted average cost of capital. These parameters can interact with each other, and changes to one parameter can impact the LCOE in different ways. Several studies have considered the sun’s strength as the primary exogenous factor driving the cost of electricity and have treated other parameters such as the WACC, as largely endogenous and thus irrelevant to their analysis. This study has analyzed how the weighted average cost of capital from twenty- six projects in Namibia between 2014 -2022, impacts the levelized cost of electricity of utility-scale photovoltaic. This study has shown that while both solar irradiation and the WACC are essential factors that influence the LCOE of a solar PV project, WACC has a more significant impact on the LCOE for solar PV projects than solar irradiation because the cost of capital represents a substantial portion of the total cost of a solar PV project, while solar irradiation mainly affects the electricity generation potential of the project
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The introduction of renewable energy into the South African energy mix without affecting the socio-economic environment of the country
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022-12) Baepi, Marvin; Mondi, L.
    There is no doubt that climate change is a reality, even though there is a huge disagreement on what course it. In response to this reality, in 2011 South Africa introduced the National Climate Change Response Policy White Paper (NCCR. 2011; Lukey, 2020). The policy was a mitigation response to address Greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. It had short, medium and long term goals to stop the increasing GHG emission by latest 2025 and stabilisestabilize it by 2035 and start reducing from 2035 – 2050 respectively. These policies among other things, aim to eradicate or reduce dependency on electricity generation using coal. They also aim to encourage businesses to reduce CO2 emissions. However, instead of businesses reducing CO2 emissions , they pass through the penalties that the government impose on them for emitting CO2 during their production processes to their customers. South African has high unemployment rate and low skilled labour contingent, especially in the coal mining industry. The government cannot afford a fast pace eradication of coal fired power generation as this will deepen unemployment in the coal industry, especially in the Witbank area. The deployment of renewable energy requires highly skilled individuals for construction, operation and maintenance. The introduction of renewable energy at its current form, where Eskom is a single buyer is very expensive for South Africans at large. This is because Eskom applies a pass through method for buying electricity that is more expensive than their current fleet of electricity generation plants. The industry needs to be deregulated in order to achieve a fair and workable plan for South Africans
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Sources of brand equity in a government programme: a case of the renewable energy independent power producers programme (REIPPP) in South Africa
    (2020) Mojanaga, Nonesi Desiree
    Assessing the sources of brand equity in the government sector is an area of limited research. This research report applies the Brand Equity theoretical model developed by Aaker (1991a; 1991b) to determine the sources of brand equity in a public sector energy programme in South Africa. The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Programme (REIPPP) is a private-public partnership in the renewable energy sector, introduced in 2010. A brand is considered to be one of the most important intangible assets of any organisation, and therefore the determination of the sources of its value, or brand equity, is of great importance. A quantitative research approach was adopted to guide the study, using a structured survey questionnaire. Data was collected through an online survey from a sample of thirty-two respondents, most of whom have been extensively involved in the REIPPP and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The results of the research study highlighted the most important factors affecting brand equity in the REIPPP, which are brand awareness and perceived benefit. The findings show that Aaker’s (1991a; 1991b) Brand Equity model has relevance and applicability in the public sector. The contribution of this report is to enhance academic understanding of brand equity in the public sector and to explore the implications for management practice whilst providing marketers in the public sector with the tools for public sector marketing
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Dynamic marketing capabilities and competitive advantage in the South African B2B renewable energy industry
    (2022) Pallett, Catherine
    Research Problem – Creating competitive advantage is important for renewable energy firms to succeed, but there is little existing knowledge on the strategic marketing factors that add value to businesses operating in this space. Research purpose – The research aims to understand how commercial dynamics affect renewable energy firm performance in an emerging economic context. Research Methodology – This study uses a quantitative approach. A survey instrument was distributed to suitable B2B renewable energy companies in South Africa 56 fully completed responses were obtained. After a confirmatory factor analysis, a PLS-SEM model was used to map the relationships between the construct variables and firm performance. Research Results – This research found a significant positive relationship between market orientation and firm financial and market performance and relationship capabilities. The research also found a significant positive relationship between relationship capabilities and customer performance. Research Implications – This research contributes to the literature on dynamic marketing capabilities on B2B companies in emerging market settings. The research also offers the first perspective into how these dynamic marketing capabilities affect the business outcomes of renewable energy companies in South Africa. Research limitations – This study was conducted in a cross-sectional nature, but performance is measured over time. Similarly, this study used a perceptive model for performance which may not be as accurate as objective measures of performance.