Can An Average South African Household Meet Its Entire Electrical Energy Needs Through Renewable Energy Self- Generation?

Abstract

The transition from fossil-fuel-based electricity supply to renewable energy sources represents acritical pathway for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing energy sustainability. In South Africa, electricity generation is largely coal-dependent, household-level renewable selfgeneration presents a promising solution for improving energy security and reducing CO2 emissions.This thesis investigates the technical feasibility of meeting the full electrical energy demand of a South African residential household through renewable self-generation. A case study approach was adopted, focusing on a single-family household located near Rustenburg, South Africa. The study involved demand assessment, evaluation of site-specific solar resources, design and implementation of a rooftop PV–BESS system, and performance monitoring under real operating conditions.Monitoring results indicate that the hybrid system achieved an average energy self-sufficiency ratio of approximately 60%, significantly reducing grid dependency. The system exhibited stable operational behaviour, predictable battery cycling, and reliable performance during grid outage events. Annualized avoided grid electricity was estimated at approximately 17,512 kWh, yielding measurable economic and reliability benefits.From an environmental perspective, avoided emissions were estimated at approximately 10.51tCO2e over the monitored period, corresponding to annualized reductions of approximately 16.81tCO2e/year, based on South Africa’s Dynamic Grid Greenhouse Gas Emission Factor (DGGEF).The results demonstrate that residential renewable energy systems can significantly reduce grid dependency and associated carbon dioxide emissions. However, achieving full electrical selfsufficiency is strongly influenced by seasonal resource availability, system sizing, and storage capacity. While renewable self-generation can cover full household electricity demand, complete autonomy remains challenging without grid interaction or system oversizing. The findings provide practical insights into the technical feasibility and limitations of household-level renewable energyself-generation in South Africa and contribute empirical evidence to ongoing discussions ondecentralized energy solutions.