Power Systems Research Group (PSRG)

The Power Systems Research Group (PSRG) studies the impacts of increasing variable renewable energy (VRE) generation and changing customer behaviour on the traditional electrical power system. The group is housed within the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Stellenbosch University.

The research activities are ultimately aimed at supporting the system operation, network planning and long-term capacity planning functions within the South African power industry. Strong partnerships with South Africa’s national utility, Eskom, and local municipal utilities support this aim.

PSRG’s research focuses extensively on data analytics, the application of machine-learning techniques (such as optimisation, classification and clustering) and forecasting / probabilistic methodologies.

For more information visit the website:

Research Lead

  • Prof Bernard Bekker

    Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Key Research Areas

  • Understanding sources of variability in the power system

    • Weather & Climate
    • Customer behaviour
    • Technological factors

  • Characterization of variability and understanding its impacts

    • RE generation power conversion
    • Ancillary services methods and value
    • Ramping and cycling of traditional
      generation technologies
    • Accuracy of inputs into long-term energy
      models
    • Load modelling

  • Applications to support power system planning and operations

    • Geospatial optimisation and aggregation
    • Optimal commitment and dispatch of generation
    • Optimal control of DERs
    • Optimal deployment of DERs
    • Data analytics, forecasting & machine learning
      DER safety, fault response & quality of supply

Solar Thermal Energy Research Group (STERG)

STERG is a research group housed in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and affiliated with the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies, the national academic hub for renewable and sustainable energy. STERG was the first university research group in South Africa dedicated to solar thermal energy research. Our primary mission is to train students and deliver research outputs in Concentrating Solar Power (CSP).

STERG encourages multidisciplinary research activities and is presently expanding links with researchers in other departments and faculties. We have established good links and cooperation with the leading CSP research institutes worldwide.

For more information visit the website:

Research Lead

  • Prof Craig McGregor

    Associate Director

Key Research Areas

  • Policy Guiding Studies

    • Solar fuels/hydrogen
    • CSP for peaking power
    • Carnot batteries

  • CST For Minerals Processing

    • Sinter plants
    • Low melting metals
    • Preheating
    • Thermal treatment of ores

  • Medium Scale Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST)

    • Steam piston generators
    • Supercritical CO2 cycles
    • Dry-cooling
    • Solarized gas turbines

  • Thermal Energy Storage (TES)

    • Rock bed TES
    • Engineered packing for TES

  • Autonomous CSP Services

    • Drone positioning
    • Photogrammetry measurements
    • Drone targets