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Modelling Electricity Generation from Sugarcane Production System Using Systems Dynamics

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The Nexus: Energy, Environment and Climate Change

Part of the book series: Green Energy and Technology ((GREEN))

Abstract

Current global energy systems have proven unsustainable amid effects of the cumulative greenhouse emissions and climate change. The drive towards a low carbon future has precipitated the consideration of alternative energy sources. Among these sugar cane, grown widely in African countries, is known to be one of the most productive species in terms of its conversion of solar energy to chemical potential energy. However the supply of feedstock is limited to the harvest or crop season. More-so the sugarcane industry is faced with a plethora of threats and challenges. This paper seeks to broaden the understanding of the complexity in bio-electricity generation through a systems dynamics model. The model provides certain considerations for optimization of the energy value in sugarcane production systems. Among these is the use of trash as additive feedstock, and improvement in feedstock productions through enhanced sugarcane production systems. Apart from illustrating some of the policy considerations on land use change, sugarcane production, and improved technological efficiency the paper provides the effect on emission avoidance.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the contribution of the Southern African Young Scientist Programme under the auspice of the International Institute for systems Analysis (IIASA) and, National Research foundation of South Africa (NRF), Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the University of Free State. Special mention to mentors of the programme, Charles Mbohwa, Holger Rogner, Manfred Strubbeger, Dillip Kumar & Harold Annegun for their support. The authors thank the university of Mauritius, Central Electricity Board (CEB) of Mauritius and Independent power producers such as Ominican and Terragen, for the valuable information on energy in Mauritius.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    Mutanga Shingirirai Savious & Marne De Vries

  2. Human Science Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa

    Mutanga Shingirirai Savious

Authors
  1. Mutanga Shingirirai Savious
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  2. Marne De Vries
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mutanga Shingirirai Savious .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Manchester Metropolitan University, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

  2. Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauritius

    Dinesh Surroop

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Savious, M.S., De Vries, M. (2018). Modelling Electricity Generation from Sugarcane Production System Using Systems Dynamics. In: Leal Filho, W., Surroop, D. (eds) The Nexus: Energy, Environment and Climate Change. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63612-2_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63612-2_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-63611-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-63612-2

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