Private sector-owned mini-grids and rural electrification : A case study of wind-power in Kenya's tea industry

Acknowledgements We would like to thank the two anonymous referees for their helpful comments. All usual caveats apply.Peer reviewedPostprin

Electricity Access, Decarbonization, and Integration of Renewables

This Open-Access-Book covers different aspects of the low-carbon energy transformation in a unique manner, with a particular focus on two regions, South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The first part of the book provides useful insights on changes and reforms in the energy sector of Bangladesh, while the second part illustrates the low-carbon energy transformation in South Asia and the third part covers lessons from Sub-Saharan Africa. In all of these regions, the energy sector is undergoing major changes, driven by the four D’s: Decarbonization, decentralization, digitization, and democratization. Major overhauls are taking place at all levels: The country level, where energy mixes are rapidly changing, the corporate level, where large state-owned and private companies are challenged and new actors are emerging, and the local level, where technical and regulatory change has made citizen engagement and community power an option to replace or at least complement centralized supply structures

Electricity Access, Decarbonization, and Integration of Renewables

This Open-Access-Book covers different aspects of the low-carbon energy transformation in a unique manner, with a particular focus on two regions, South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The first part of the book provides useful insights on changes and reforms in the energy sector of Bangladesh, while the second part illustrates the low-carbon energy transformation in South Asia and the third part covers lessons from Sub-Saharan Africa. In all of these regions, the energy sector is undergoing major changes, driven by the four D’s: Decarbonization, decentralization, digitization, and democratization. Major overhauls are taking place at all levels: The country level, where energy mixes are rapidly changing, the corporate level, where large state-owned and private companies are challenged and new actors are emerging, and the local level, where technical and regulatory change has made citizen engagement and community power an option to replace or at least complement centralized supply structures

It’s Time to Turn on the Lights: The Necessary Steps for the Rural Electrification of Sub-Saharan Africa

While each country in Africa is in a different state of electrification, this Note focuses on the nations of Tanzania and Kenya. Comparatively, in the First World, power generation was a gradual and non-linear process that was slow to perfect. This Note argues that the lack of rural electrification in sub-Saharan Africa will continue without a confluence of investment, support, and regulation. Renewable energy sources (such as solar, wind, and geothermal) seem promising, but none are without their own limitations. The use of mini-grids will play an important role in electricity access for sub-Saharan Africa. This Note advocates that the combined use of renewable energy sources and mini-grids integrated with support from private and public sectors, government sponsorship, and international, as well as locally-sourced, investment is the key to providing electricity to over ten percent of the world’s population

Renewable Energy Microgrids to Improve Electrification Rate in Democratic Republic of Congo: Case of Hydro, Municipal Waste and Solar

Worldwide, it is imperative for citizens to have access to electrici-ty. This applies to Congolese--rural and urban dwellers, and if possible, it should be guaranteed by government’s laws and poli-cies. However, the rural and urban areas of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) suffer majorly from lack of access to electricity. The major reasons are the high costs associated with connection to the national central grid and production insufficiency. There-fore, one feasible approach to electrify these areas is to use mi-crogrids. This technology is decent and viable option for energy revolution since it incorporates energy storage systems, distribut-ed generators, and localized loads. This paper has taken to im-plement this solution by firstly analysing some cities located at the borders of large rivers or watercourses (with known depth and width), such as the Congo River considered for hydrokinetic pow-er (HKP). However, where the Congo River does not pass through, the paper will consider largest rivers passing in the area. For the case of photovoltaic electricity production, large cities are considered those with good sunshine and large population who have purchasing power for the photovoltaic electricity. The waste to energy power plans will consider the top ten densely populated cities in DRC. The proposed microgrids will operate in isolation (islanded) mode. This paper proposed 44 projects to generate 795 690 kW total energy from the microgrids. These energies are divided as 661 000 kW from solar photovoltaic, 83 790 kW from waste to energy, and 50 900 kW from hydrokinetic generation. The urban share will be 94.9% and rural area share will be 5.1% of this generation. Further work needs to include biomass as a possible renewable energy to add in the mix