Prof. Kanzumba Kusakana
NRF Rating: C2
Full Professor and Head of Department
Qualifications: DTech (Electrical Engineering) | MTech (Electrical Engineering) | MBA (Energy Management) | BSc Eng (Electromechanical Engineering) | Pr Eng (ECSA)
Professional Background
Prof. Kanzumba Kusakana is a Full Professor in Electrical Engineering and serves as the Head of the Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Engineering Department at the Central University of Technology, Free State. With 17 years of experience in academia, he is widely recognised as a distinguished professional development short course instructor in South Africa, leveraging his extensive technical expertise, consulting experience, and academic qualifications.
His current research focuses on small-scale renewable power generation and optimal energy management, areas of study that directly contribute to the advancement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. With a remarkable portfolio consisting of over 300 publications in respected journals, conference proceedings, and book chapters, his work maintains a substantial scholarly influence, reflected in an H-index of 34.
Professional Leadership & Recognition
- Editorial Leadership: Associate Editor for the IET Renewable Power Generation Journal.
- Professional Registration: Registered Professional Engineer (Pr Eng) with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).
- Industry Affiliations: Senior Member of the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE).
- Research Recognition: Favourably rated as a researcher by the National Research Foundation (NRF).
Areas of Expertise
- • Renewable Energy Systems
- • Energy Storage & Hydrogen Fuels
- • Energy Logistics & Waste-to-Energy
- • Energy Modeling, Simulation & Optimization
- • Smart Grid & Energy Management
- • Energy Policies, Strategies & Sustainability
Selected Publications
Top Journal Articles
- • Kusakana, K. & Vermaak, H.J. 2013. Hybrid renewable power systems for mobile telephony base stations in developing countries. Renewable Energy, 51, 419-425.
- • Kusakana, K. 2015. Optimal scheduled power flow for distributed photovoltaic/wind/diesel generators with battery storage system. IET Renewable Power Generation, 9(8), 916-924.
- • Kusakana, K. 2016. Optimal scheduling for distributed hybrid system with pumped hydro storage. Energy Conversion and Management, 111, 253-260.
- • Kusakana, K. & Vermaak, H.J. 2014. Hybrid diesel generator/renewable energy system performance modelling. Renewable Energy, 67, 97-102.
- • Kusakana, K. 2014. Techno-economic analysis of off-grid hydrokinetic-based hybrid energy systems for onshore/remote area in South Africa. Energy, 68, 947-957.
Selected Book Chapters
- • Kusakana, K. 2018. Impact of different South African demand sectors on grid-connected PV systems’ optimal energy dispatch under time of use tariff. In Sustainable Cloud and Energy Services: Principles and Practice (pp. 243-260).
- • Odufuwa, O.Y., Kusakana, K. & Numbi, B.P. 2018. Performance of Solar-Thermal Organic Rankine Cycle (STORC) Power Plant with a Parabolic Trough System. In Transition Towards 100% Renewable Energy: Selected Papers from the World Renewable Energy Congress WREC 2017 (pp. 311-323). Springer International Publishing.
- • Kusakana, K. 2017. Optimal power flow of a battery/wind/PV/grid hybrid system: Case of South Africa. In Smart Energy Grid Design for Island Countries: Challenges and Opportunities (pp. 447-465).
- • Kusakana, K., Vermaak, H.J. & Numbi, B.P. 2015. Optimal operation control of hydrokinetic based hybrid systems. In Renewable Energy in the Service of Mankind Vol I: Selected Topics from the World Renewable Energy Congress WREC 2014 (pp. 291-303). Springer International Publishing.
