Lilongeni Kayofa Supervisor: Theuns D.van Schalkwyk Co-supervisor: Robert Dobson Topic: Feasibility study and business plan for manufacturing a 3 kw-electrical

Lilongeni KayofaSupervisor: Theuns D.van SchalkwykCo-supervisor: Robert Dobson

Topic: Feasibility study and business plan for manufacturing a 3 kw-electrical solar Stirling engine and dish, for a stand-alone power supply unit

Lilongeni KayofaSupervisor: Theuns D.van SchalkwykCo-supervisor: Robert Dobson


Industrial Engineering Department , Stellenbosch UniversityIndustrial Engineering Department , Stellenbosch University

Energy Postgraduate Conference 2013

SAHPA®

South African Heat Pipe Association Energy Postgraduate Conference EPC2013, 11-14 Aug 2013

iThemba LABSEnergy situation in Africa

• Africa has some of the best solar regions to harness solar energy• Solar energy remain largely untapped in some regions• A high number of people have no access to electricity (see Table 1)

Rural areas are particularly affected Majority of this people live in off-grid areas Grid extension is expensive and will take year in certain areas North Africa has a reached a 99.4 % electrification rate using solar energy

• Possible solution that Africa can explore: A solar Stirling dish system

Table 1: Africa’s Electricity Access in 2010 (Source: IEA)

Region Population without electricity millions

Electrification rate %

Urbanelectrification rate %

Ruralelectrification rate %

Sub-Saharan Africa

589 31.8 64.2 12.9

North Africa 1 99.4 100 98.7

Africa 590 42.9 72.1 23.6

SAHPA®


iThemba LABSSolar source of Africa

• A Stirling dish is economical in regions that receives a DNI > 1,700 kWh/m²/year ( Stine and Geyer )

• Therefore, Africa has a potential in most of the regions ( see figure below)

SAHPA®


iThemba LABS

What is a Stirling dish system ?

• Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technology• Converts solar energy → heat energy absorbed by the receiver → mechanical

energy by Stirling engines → electric energy by generator• Main components: Concentrator, receiver/ Stirling engine, tracking

system,generator,storage (optional)

SAHPA®


iThemba LABS

Why the Stirling dish?

• Most efficient solar energy technology around – 31.25 % efficient • Modular : scalable power size

– Currently from 3 -30 kW per unit

• Stand-alone• Low maintenance and operation costs

• Easy to operate • Favourable for remote areas: left unattended• No supporting infrastructure required• Can be used for all types of terrain• Can be hybridised• No water usage required except to clean to mirrors • Electrical storage : batteries

Disadvantages • High start-up costs• No thermal storage

SAHPA®


iThemba LABS Purpose of study

Problem

• Potential exists • Business people are sceptical in investing• Risks are unknown• No local (African ) manufacturer exists

PurposeDetermine whether there is a viable market in Africa for the use of a Stirling dish

SAHPA®


iThemba LABSResearch design

• Literature studies • Questionnaires

– Survey ( Likert Scale questionnaire) : communities without access to electricity

– Second questionnaire: to verify and validate whether the produced business plan is satisfactory

SAHPA®


iThemba LABS

Survey outputSocio-economic • Various households use at least five different sources of energy to generate

energy• Heat• Lighting

• Main reasons why they have no electricity in their houses • The monthly quantity and costs of the energy sources• The average total monthly income per household is N$ 3800.00• Majority of the households are headed by pensioners• 53 % of households have more than 7 occupants • Type of housing structures

Interest and perception on Stirling dish • Participants are highly interested in the Stirling dish• 10 % of the households were will take out loan of > N$ 10 000.00 • Areas prone to theft and vandalism• Households interested in using the Stirling dish the whole day

N$ 1.00 ≈ R 1.00

SAHPA®


iThemba LABS

Manufacturing plan

• Decide on:• Production time• Process to use• Machines and tools• Factory set-up• Workforce• Location of factory

• Builds Stirling engines and dishes in the most cost-effective manner• Competitive with conventional

• Preferably using local materials and labourer as much as possible

SAHPA®


iThemba LABS Research expectations

• Questionnaire results• Manufacturing layout• Logistic of factory• Economic results• Business plan

Print masterLilongeni Kayofa

Supervisor: Theuns D.van SchalkwykCo-supervisor: Robert Dobson


Energy situation in Africa• Africa has some of the best solar regions to harness solar energy• Solar energy remain largely untapped in some regions• A high number of people have no access to electricity (see Table 1)

Rural areas are particularly affected Majority of this people live in off-grid areas Grid extension is expensive and will take year in certain areas North Africa has a reached a 99.4 % electrification rate using solar energy

• Possible solution that Africa can explore: A solar Stirling dish system

Region Population without electricity millions

Electrification rate %

Urbanelectrification rate %

Ruralelectrification rate %

Sub-Saharan Africa

589 31.8 64.2 12.9

North Africa 1 99.4 100 98.7

Africa 590 42.9 72.1 23.6

A Stirling dish is economical in regions that receives a DNI > 1,700 kWh/m²/year ( Stine and Geyer )Africa has a potential in most of the regions (see figure below)

Table 1: Africa’s Electricity Access in 2010 (Source: IEA)

What is a Stirling dish system ?

• Converts solar energy → heat energy absorbed by the receiver → mechanical energy by Stirling engines → electric energy by generator

• Main components: Concentrator, receiver, tracking system and Stirling engine, generator ,storage (optional)

Why the Stirling dish?• Most efficient solar energy technology around – 31.25 % efficient • Modular : scalable power size

– Currently from 3 -30 kW per unit• Stand-alone

• Low maintenance and operation costs• Easy to operate

• Favourable for remote areas: left unattended• No supporting infrastructure required• Can be used for all types of terrain• Can be hybridised• No water usage required except to clean to mirrors • Electrical storage : batteries

Disadvantages • High start-up costs• No thermal storage

Purpose of studyProblem

• Potential exists • Business people are sceptical in investing• Risks are unknown• No local (African ) manufacturer exists

PurposeDetermine whether there is a viable market in Africa for the use of a Stirling dish

Research design

• Literature studies • Questionnaires

– Survey ( Likert Scale questionnaire) : communities without access to electricity– Second questionnaire: to verify and validate whether the produced business plan is

satisfactory

Survey outputSocio-economic • Various households use at least five different sources of energy to generate

energy• Heat• Lighting

• Main reasons why they have no electricity in their houses• The monthly quantity and costs of the energy sources • The average total monthly income per household is N$ 3800.00• Majority of the households are headed by pensioners• 53 % of households have more than 7 occupants • Type of housing structures

Interest and perception on Stirling dish • Participants are highly interested in the Stirling dish• 10 % of the households were will take out loan of > N$ 10 000.00 • Areas prone to theft and vandalism• Households interested in using the Stirling dish the whole day

N$ 1.00 ≈ R 1.00

Manufacturing plan

• Decide on:• Production time• Process to use• Machines and tools• Factory set-up• Workforce• Location of factory

• Builds Stirling engines and dishes in the most cost-effective manner• Competitive with conventional

• Preferably using local materials and labourer as much as possible

Research expectations• Questionnaire results• Manufacturing layout• Logistic of factory• Economic results• Business plan

Documents

Lilongeni Kayofa Supervisor: Theuns D.van Schalkwyk Co-supervisor: Robert Dobson Topic: Feasibility study and business plan for manufacturing a 3 kw-electrical