Nuclear Study - Model

TIMES models for Nuclear Study.

A linked model approach is used in this study firstly, in order to capture the complexities of the energy sector as well as the impacts of different build plans on the economy. Secondly this approach is employed to capture the feedback of price and investment effects on energy demand. The South African Times Model (SATIM), a technology rich energy model and e-SAGE (the energy extension to South Africa’s general equilibrium model) are partially linked through the electricity sector and driven by similar assumptions.

The e-SAGE model is a dynamic recursive computable general equilibrium (CGE) model developed by UNU-WIDER. The main input is the 2007 South African Social Accounting Matrix (SAM). The SAM is a set of accounts that represents all of the productive sectors and commodities in South Africa, as well as factor markets, enterprises, households, and the ‘rest of the world.’

The South African TIMES Model (SATIM) is an inter-temporal bottom-up optimisation energy model of South Africa built around the Markal-TIMES platform. SATIM uses linear or mixed integer programming to solve the least-cost planning problem of meeting projected future energy demand, given assumptions such as the retirement schedule of existing infrastructure, future fuel costs, future technology costs, learning rates, and efficiency improvements, as well as any given constraints such as the availability of resources.

Read the Technology report for a full description of the modelling methodology.