Bruno Merven

Designation: Senior Researcher: Energy Research Centre
Expertise: Energy systems modelling

Biography:

Bruno has been working in the field of energy systems modelling and planning since 2005. He has worked and has been involved in the development of several energy systems models of South Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa, South-East Europe, and in the Middle East, on various modelling platforms. He also lectures on the Energy Systems Analysis Course at the Energy Research Centre, and has been involved in several capacity building projects across Southern and Western Africa for the IAEA and IRENA.

Climate change and Development link:

Energy Systems Analysis is often used to do analysis of Climate Change (esp. mitigation) policy. Some recent studies where Bruno was involved include: the Deep Decarbonisation Pathways Project (DDPP), Uncertainty in Baseline GHG Emissions for South Africa, and the Energy and Water Nexus Project (Thirsty Energy).

Qualifications

MSc Mathematics of Finance, UCT - 2008
MSc Electrical Engineering, UCT-2004
BSc (Hons) in Engineering (Mechatronics), UCT-1999

Current research interests

Interest: energy modeling, utility planning, modeling uncertainty.

He has worked at the ERC on a range of energy modeling projects that include: some utility planning tools for Eskom (TIMES/Excel), energy modeling in low income households (MESSAGE), energy demand modeling for some SADC countries (LEAP), South Africa national energy model (LTMS – MARKAL) and TIAM (TIMES Integrated Assessment Model).
He has worked on energy modelling training programs with SEI (LEAP), IAEA (MAED/MESSAGE) and at the ERC.
He is currently working on updating the national MARKAL model and is also working on other energy modelling projects with IRG (International Resource Group).
He has recently completed the dissertation component of an MSc in financial mathematics programme at UCT: “Real Options Valuation of a Power Generation Project: A Monte Carlo Approach”.

Publications

• Marquard, A, Merven, B & Tyler, E. 2008. Costing a 2020 target of 15% renewable electricity for South Africa
• Merven, B. Master Dissertation: Real Options Valuation of a Power Generation Project: A Monte Carlo Approach, UCT 2008.
• Hughes A, Merven B, Louw K 2008. Holistic Energy Forecasting For Electrification. Eskom Research.
• Merven B & Heinrich G 2007. Expansion Planning in the South African Power Sector using TIMES. International Energy Workshop.
• Cowan W, Merven B 2007. Western Cape Accelerated DSM cost-benefit analysis. Corporate Technical Audit Division, Eskom.
• Merven B, Heinrich G 2007. Multi-Nodal Generation Expansion Planning Tool. ISEP, Eskom.
• Merven B 2006. Capabilities Manual: Decision making in generation capacity building with uncertain lead-time, EIA success and fuel costs. ISEP, Eskom
• Merven, B. Master Dissertation: Person Tracking in 3D Using Kalman Filtering in Single and Multiple Camera Environments, UCT 2004.
• Fuzzy Flow Number controller for propane grade polythene. Sasol symposium on process control, Germany 2001.