Demand side management intervention on a large scale canal pumping scheme

Abstract

South Africa is the thirtieth driest country in the world and is classified as a semi-arid area. The annual rainfall differs from less than 200 mm at the west coast to more than 1000 mm on the east coast. The primary use of fresh water is for agricultural purposes. It is necessary for large scale canal pumping schemes that enable the transfer of water over vast distances. Canal pumping schemes are energy intensive systems. It is therefore necessary to operate these schemes efficiently. From the investigation of DSM interventions on other similar systems in the industry, it has been identified that it is possible to implement a load shift intervention. To ensure that a canal pumping scheme operates efficiently and cost effectively, the chosen Demand Side Management (DSM) intervention is optimised and implemented on such a site. An investigation was conducted to determine the possibility of an evening peak load shift project. A proposed integrated strategy was simulated and an optimised approach was developed. It was found plausible to implement a load shift intervention on the proposed site. The proposed load shift intervention was implemented on a large scale canal pumping scheme in South Africa. An average evening peak period load shift impact of 4.67 MW was achieved over a three month period, despite the seasonal effect during the implementation. Load shift initiatives also realise the cost savings due to the pricing structure during peak periods and off peak periods. The intervention resulted in an annual cost savings of R3.2-million. It is concluded that the implementation of the control philosophy developed was successful. Recommendations are made regarding the baseline as well as opportunities for further research.