Rising inverter use threatens SA’s power grid

Rising inverter use in South Africa threatens national power grid and loadshedding solutions, warn experts.

Many South Africans, desperate to combat Eskom’s load shedding, rush to install batteries and inverters to power their homes.

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However, this quick fix may be causing more strain on the national power grid,reported Daily Maverick.

Experts warn that rising inverter use causes strain on Power Grid

Researchers from Stellenbosch University are sounding an alarm about the rising adoption of home-power battery inverters, straining the national power grid and hindering Eskom’s load shedding management.

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In the midst of load shedding, individuals store power in batteries generating direct current (DC), necessitating conversion to alternating current (AC) through inverters for household appliances.

When power is reinstated, simultaneous battery recharging in an area depletes Eskom’s already limited power supply.

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These options cause more strain

The concern is particularly directed at affordable inverter and battery options without solar power integration, which increase the strain on Eskom’s grid.

Solar backup systems, while drawing on Eskom power at night, have a lesser impact during daylight hours.

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What the solutions?

The experts from Stellenbosch propose two main solutions: offering more financial incentives for solar power installations to lessen the recharging burden on Eskom, and regulating the speed at which home batteries recharge after load shedding.

According to their calculations, if 15% of households install inverters (without solar power to ease the recharging burden on Eskom).

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The advantages of load shedding decrease by approximately 60% in summer and about 70% in winter for residential areas.

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