MODELLING AND FACTORING CRITICAL SYSTEM COMPONENTS OF PV-MFC SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVED AND EFFICIENT ENERGY GENERATION AND TREATMENT OF MUNICIPAL EFFLUENT AT THE EAST COASTAL REGION(S) OF SOUTH AFRICA: CASE STUDY UMHLATHUZE MUNICIPALITY

Developing a hybrid system that assists government institutions such as municipalities with provision of clean sustainable energy and clean water discharge to the environment from wastewater treatment plants has been an on- going goal in recent years as stringent legislative precepts have been mandated for both public and private sector institutions. However, the focus has been legislative compliance and the procurement and implementati on of improved mono-systems that focus on one specific desired aspect. Recent studies and developers have indicated the cost-effective benefits of hybrid systems. Research for better and more efficient performing systems that ensure affordable and socio - economic viability so as to gain government buy-in is the foundation or platform for any business operation and improved quality of life for citizens. Procurement of affordable technology by municipalities affords citizens, industries and businesses such as small-to-medium enterprises, an opportunity to conduct social and trade activities at affordable rates, thus improving economic quality of the region under study and sustainability of life. This paper highlights areas in the development of photovoltaic microbial fuel cell (PV-MFC) hybrid systems that can be improved for better and efficient systems, especially for municipalities in the South African east coastal regions. The areas highlighted and discussed are, however, subject to the proximity and abundance of required resources in relation to the municipality under study, such as the sea for access to seawater, biomass collection station (such as wastewater treatment plant and macerator stations) and the type of industrial wastes that are discharged to the municipal sewer pipeline. The importance of stating the above is that each municipality has characteristic resources that are readily available and industrial discharges that carry impurities such as sulphides that the municipality, in this case, uMhlathu ze municipality must treat so that the hybrid system can efficiently function when generating clean energy. Based on literature, generic equations are provided with the aim of ensuring that critical components of hybrid system(s) are critically designed an d/or modified. The dual function of hybrid systems is presented in this paper to enhance municipal confidence in addressing both operational and economic viability of their function when hybrid systems such as (PV-MFCs) are critically evaluated and employed.