THERMODYNAMICS 3A (TRDMIA3)

Date Handed Out: 14 February 2023

Due Date: 09 March 2023
RENEWABLE AND NON – RENEWABLE ENERGY
FOCUS ON COAL, SOLAR and NUCLEAR TOWARDS POWER GENERATION
Reflecting on power stations, some are using coal, diesel, water, wind, nuclear and so on; as
sources of energy. These energy sources are classified as renewable and non-renewable.
Non-renewable energy includes coal, gas and oil. Most cars, trains and aeroplanes use non-
renewable energy. The fossil-based fuels are burnt in a combustion chamber to
produce energy. Sources of renewable energy include solar, hydro and wind energy.

In South Africa ESKOM is a power giant that is currently relying on COAL as a source of
energy for the Base load power stations. Examples of base load power stations are
Thuthuka, Lethabo, etc. From the table below a list of sources of energy and their
contribution to power generation is shown. It is evident that coal powered stations are the
anchor.

Type Capacity [MW]

Coal 40,036

Gas turbine 3,449

Hydro 3,573

Wind 2,096

Nuclear 1,860

Solar PV 1,479

Solar CSP 400

Landfill gas 7.5

Imported Hydro 1,500

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_power_stations_in_South_Africa

Coal has its own challenges, for instances, coal is not environmental friendly; secondly it will
be depleted in future. Scientists and engineers are conducting research on a possibility of
using solar energy to generate steam to drive the turbines. The largest solar farm located in
the very sunny town of De Aar (South Africa) is actually the largest solar power plant located

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in the Southern hemisphere and the Middle East. The solar farm was inaugurated in 2016
and has an installed capacity of 175 MW (Megawatt).
Our country has Koeberg Power station that is using nuclear energy.
In this project, you are required to provide in-depth discussion into sources of energy.
Provide insight into renewable and non-renewable energy, using examples to substantiate
the merits and demerits of these forms of energy.
For every example, provide advantages and disadvantages; could we rely on it for electricity
supply for the country (exclude solar and nuclear at this stage).

Discuss the collection, storing and retrieving of solar energy; and how this energy can be
used to generate steam, which would use to drive a turbine. Compare solar to coal and
advice as to which one would best suite our electricity demand.
There is a talk about adding more nuclear powered power stations. Provide insight into
nuclear energy, its pros and cons. How is nuclear energy used to supply energy to generate
electricity?
Having discussed coal, solar and nuclear, amongst others, compare these three main
sources of fuel.
Which one in your opinion would be suitable in our SA context and why?
In the context of the above discussion, provide an informed analysis on loadshedding, can it
be avoided?
STRUCTURE
Make sure that your discussions are supported by proper research (books, articles – not
internet); reference information that was found in books and research articles.
Use clear pictures to support your discussions – reference them and discuss below the
picture what the picture telling us.
Use tables for comparison of entities, e.g. coal and solar; renewable and non-renewable;
etc.
1. Introduction or background – discuss power generation in South Africa and over
reliance on coal. Provide evidence that power generation is relying on coal (Base
load power stations).
2. Coal as source of energy – discuss the reasons SA is relying on coal. Highlight the
advantages and disadvantages of coal.
3. Non-renewable energy – definition, examples of such fuels; advantages and
disadvantages of using non – renewable energy. Pick a few examples of such fuels
and discuss them;
4. Renewable energy – same points as in 3;
5. Compare non – renewable and renewable energy;

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 6. Solar Energy is non-renewable energy – what is solar energy; why is SA best suitable
for this type of energy; methods of collecting/harvesting solar energy; application of
solar energy with examples;
7. Using solar energy for providing steam to the turbines in a power station like
Lethabo (Storing, retrieving).
8. With suitable examples in SA and elsewhere in the world, are there power stations
that are using solar energy – giving substantial amount of Megawatts;
9. Can Solar energy replace coal and still supply the demand for electricity in SA
10. NUCLEAR ENERGY – What is nuclear energy; how does it work; how is this type of
energy used to generate steam for the turbines; disposing nuclear waste; advantages
and disadvantages of nuclear;
11. Compare Coal, Solar and Nuclear
12. In your own words, which would be your energy of choice and why.
EXAMPLE OF REFERENCING:
According to the Soudien report, (2008) [7]…………………….
Raju cites Behr (1984) [2], who explains that from 1951 through to the mid-1980s there were
universities……………
Gravett and Geyser 2004:147 as cited by Erasmus [8] define curriculum………………….
Lange claims that despite numerous debates in SA, …………….[9].
REFERENCES

1. Khan M.A. and Law S. L. 2015. An Integrative Approach to Curriculum Development in Higher
Education in the USA: A Theoretical Framework. International Education Studies. Vol 8. No 3.
ISSN 1913-9020. pp 66-76
2. Raja J. The Historical Evolution of University and Technikon Education and Training in South
Africa. pp 1 - 20
3. Badaat S. 2009. Theorising Institutional Change: Post-1994 South African Higher Education.
Studies in Higher Education. Vol 34. No 4. pg 455-467

AVOID PLAGIARISM
1. WHAT IS PLAGIARISM
The word plagiarism comes from a Latin word for kidnapping. You know that kidnapping is stealing a
person. Within academia, plagiarism is defined as an act of representing the ideas, writings, works or
inventions of others as the fruits of one’s own original intellectual endeavours without adequately
acknowledging the author or source. Whenever you do written work you must differentiate between
your own ideas and those, which you did not think of yourself, but which you have read elsewhere – in
particular you must distinguish what you have written from what you are quoting.
You commit plagiarism in written work when:

• You use another person’s words, ideas, data or opinions without acknowledging them as
being from that other person.
• You copy the work word-by-word (verbatim); or submit someone else’s work in a slightly
altered form (such as changing a word with one meaning to another word with the same
meaning); and you do not acknowledge the borrowing in a way that shows from whom or
where you took the words, ideas data or reasoning.
• Another student gives one of his or her past assignments you may not copy this and hand it in
as your own.

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2. AVOIDING PLAGIARISM
You avoid plagiarism when:

• You provide references whenever you quote (use the exact words), paraphrase (use the
ideas or date of another person, in your own words) or summarise (use the main points of
another’s opinions theories or data).
• You give credit to a source where you obtain factual material.
• You use quotation marks around someone else's words, but when this is overdone, it makes
for a patchwork paper with little flow to it.

Note: It does not matter how much of the other person’s work you use (whether it is one sentence or a
whole section), or whether you do it unintentionally or on purpose; if you present the work as your
own without acknowledging that person, you are committing theft. You are taking someone else’s
work and passing it off as your own. Because of this, plagiarism is regarded as a very serious offence
and carries heavy penalties. Being found guilty of plagiarism will be reflected on your academic
transcript when you leave University and will seriously affect your future career! Information that is
generally known as common knowledge does not require source acknowledgement (e,g. Jan van
Riebeeck arrived at the Cape in 1652).

3. STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY
Plagiarism is a serious form of academic misconduct and is treated as such by the Department.
Students carry the responsibility for ensuring that they:

• Develop their own relevant thinking skills and academic capacity to optimum levels.
• Read, understand and comply with the plagiarism policy.
• Familiarise themselves with the concept of plagiarism and with the conventions of referencing
and norms of academic writing by engaging with the learning materials made available and/or
recommended through the teaching and learning process.
• Request assistance from staff should they have any doubts or concerns about plagiarism in
their own writing.
• Ensure they do not deliberately or negligently allow their work to be copied.

https://www.uj.ac.za/faculties/humanities/Pages/Policy-on-Plagiarism.aspx