Factors Affecting Sustainability of Mini -Grid Energy in Kenyan Rural Areas: A Case of KISII County Factors Affecting Sustainability of Mini -Grid Energy in Kenyan Rural Areas: A Case of Kisii County (original) (raw)
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SUSTAINABILITY OF SOLAR MINI-GRIDS IN NIGERIA
Despite the abundant solar energy resource in Nigeria vis-a-vis the high energy in the country, the uptake of renewable energy in Nigeria is abysmally low. However, while the average lifespan expected of solar photovoltaic (PV) project is 20-25years, many PV systems in Nigeria fail within 2-3years of operation. The anomaly has been identified with solar mini-grids alongside other applications for which solar PV technology has been deployed in the country. To identify the factors responsible for the failure of mini-grids in Nigeria, this study assessed the sustainability of solar mini-grids from five perspectives of sustainability, namely; technical, economic, social, institutional and environmental. Facility assessment, focus group discussions and interviews with key informants were the methodologies employed for data collection in the two case studies selected from the northern and southern Nigeria. Findings from the study reveal that the sustainability of solar mini-grid projects is multi-dimensional. A project could fail due to a failure in one or a combination of the multi-dimensional factors. The study shows that the sustainability of a solar mini-grid project does not only depend on its technical viability but also on its sustainability based on the economic, social, institutional and environmental dimensions of the project. Furthermore, technical failure could result from failure in other dimension(s) of the project. Based on the multidimensional factors identified to be responsible for the failure of solar mini-grids in Nigeria, the study recommends the adoption of standards for PV system components imported into the country, and development of a national curriculum for training of installers. High level of stakeholder engagement and community participation, operation of mini-grids with business models, strategic planning for productive use of energy and adequate institutional framework for monitoring and maintenance were also recommended for the sustainability of solar mini-grids in Nigeria. Keywords: solar, photovoltaic, mini-grid, sustainability, failure
Journal of Energy in Southern Africa
The provision of electricity in rural areas has been an outstanding need in trying to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030. However, most sub-Saharan countries have found this difficult due to financial constraints. Uganda tried to increase rural electrification to more than 20% of its population by 2020 through Rural Electrification Agency programmes. In an attempt to realise SDGs and the National Vision by 2040, Uganda is investing more in renewable energy sources, especially solar photovoltaic mini-grids to ensure that rural areas access affordable, reliable, and sustainable modern energy. This paper assesses the operation, causes of failure, causes of discomfort for mini-grid connected customers, and customer behavior of two solar photovoltaic mini-grids located in Kyenjojo District in western Uganda. It was found that the current energy demand exceeds the generation supply and that the systems need phase upgrades and clustering to remain econo...
Design and Analysis of Solar Energy Mini-Grid for Rural Electrification
OALib, 2015
Electric power is a key driver of economic growth and prosperity. But access to electricity still remains a distant dream for majority of the population living in the remote and arid areas of developing countries mostly sub-Saharan Africa. With the growing demand for safe and reliable energy, solar as a source of energy remains the least utilized energy source in the Kenyan economy and yet one of the safest forms of energy. Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have shown their potential in rural electrification projects around the world. A solar based mini-grid is a solar PV (photovoltaic) plant with a localized distribution network to a unit village, or a cluster of villages, providing alternating current (AC). Basically it consists of solar PV modules of a certain capacity, solar inverters for converting the D.C power to AC power, housing for the battery bank and plant control systems. In areas where there is no grid connection or where diesel generation is the main power source, PV plants are able to generate electricity efficiently and relatively cheap. This paper was aimed at developing a standard procedure for the design and analysis of a mini-grid connected solar PV systems using PV modules connected in an array field. The standard procedure developed was validated in the design of a 20 kVA mini-grid-connected solar PV system for Nanyuki town in Laikipia County, Kenya. The analysis and evaluation of the load capacity requirements for the solar mini-grid were done. Data collected from SWERA were compared with the local load requirements. Optimization of the load versus production capacity of the solar system was carried out. The results showed that a mini-grid system of 20 kVA might be developed at a capital cost of US$ 56,000 to cater for 8400 households including a school and dispensary. Analyses of the simulation results show that the project when implemented will supply about 61 KW•h electricity per day or 22.2 MWh annually, which is about 15% of Nanyuki's annual electricity consumption. The project also stands the chance of saving about 200 tonnes of CO2 which will have been emitted by a crude oil fired thermal power plant generating the same amount of electricity. At the prevailing tariff conditions in the country, this project can be considered as financially viable with feed-in tariff scheme or other incentives such as grants/capital subsidies when applied. However, the other non-financial benefits like the greenhouse gas emissions savings can, in the long run, help mitigate the adverse effects of the climate change problem plaguing the entire earth.
Approach for Designing Solar Photovoltaic-Based Mini-Grid Projects: A Case Study from India
Mini-Grids for Rural Electrification of Developing Countries, Publisher: Springer International Publishing, Editors: Subhes C. Bhattacharyya, Debajit Palit, pp.167-201, 2014
Having the largest rural population in the world, India confronts a huge challenge for rural electrification, especially for electrifying remote, forested and tribal habitations. Solar Photovoltaic-based mini-grids have emerged as a viable option for the provision of electricity in such remote rural locations, where grid extension is either not techno-economically feasible or electricity supply is intermittent. Very often such projects are purely technology-driven and several attempts at delivering electricity services to such remote locations have not succeeded, owing to the lack of adequate attention given to important socio-economic factors such as promotion of livelihoods or the creation of strong local institutions that can own, operate and manage the project over its lifetime. This chapter aims to present an interdisciplinary framework for the development of mini-grid projects in remote rural locations, developed from field experience of actual implementation of projects by TERI. Using this framework as a guide, TERI has commissioned solar photovoltaic-based mini-grids in a cluster of five villages in the state of Odisha. The detailed design methodology, including modifications to standardised practices in order to customise and improve the performance of these solar mini-grids is presented in this chapter as a case study. It is expected that the process followed and the resulting design will serve as a useful guide for renewable energy practitioners and researchers working in remote rural locations for provisioning of electricity services.
Electricity for development: Mini-grid solution for rural electrification in South Africa
Energy Conversion and Management, 2016
The objective of most rural electrification programs in the developing world is to bring about socioeconomic development to households. Governments have put in place a number of measures to achieve this goal. Previous studies on rural electrification programs in developing countries show that solar home systems and mini-grid systems are the dominant technologies. Assessments of a pilot hybrid mini-grid project at Lucingweni village have concluded that mini-grid projects are not feasible due to high electricity production costs. As a result efforts towards rural electrification have been focused on the solar home system. Nevertheless, previous studies of the South African solar home system program have shown that the development objectives of the program are yet to be met more than a decade after commissioning. Therefore, this study investigates the viability of a hybrid mini-grid as a solution for rural development in South Africa. Investigations were based on Lucingweni and Thlatlaganya, two rural Villages where the mini-grid and solar home system have been introduced. The mini-grid systems were designed taking into consideration available natural resources and existing load profiles. The results show that a village of 300 households needs about 2.4 kWh/household/day of electricity to initiate and sustain income generating activities and that the solar home system is not capable of supporting this level of demand. We also show that in locations with hydro resources, a hybrid mini-grid system has the most potential for meeting the energy needs of the households in a cost effective manner. The assessment shows that with adequate planning and optimization of available resources, the cost of electricity production can be reduced.