A review of the potential benefits and risks of photovoltaic hybrid mini-grid systems

Hazelton, James; Bruce, Anna; MacGill, Iain

doi:10.1016/j.renene.2013.11.026

Cited by 77 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…However planning, initiatives and strategies in REP for community need longer time for its complexity to be implemented. Barriers like geographical isolation, inadequate community and social integration risk the implementation of any REP [3]. The aspiration to reduce the gap in education excellence between urban and rural areas lead to the initiative of 160 school solar PV-diesel hybrid systems being implemented in rural Sabah.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing a rural electrification program in Malaysia: System performance analysis on 11 solar PV-diesel hybrid systems

Mahmud

Blanchard

2016

2016 4th International Conference on the Development in the in Renewable Energy Technology (ICDRET)

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Abstract-In 2006, there was a significant numbers of schools in rural Sabah in Malaysia that had no access to 24-hours electricity. Extension of grid electricity networks becomes uneconomical because of the geographical conditions of these areas and the low electrical energy density demand of the population. Malaysia's rural development policies, therefore, emphasizes on the need to improve the learning and living condition at the rural schools. The abundant solar energy resource in the region is used for providing alternative power supply for these schools. 160 schools in rural Sabah were installed with solar photovoltaic (PV)-diesel hybrid systems. Even though the systems have been in operation for some years, knowledge informing the systems performance is difficult to find. Thus, understanding the system operation is a highly valuable experience and lessons can be learned for implementation of the rural electrification program (REP). This paper describes the finding from a field study at 11 solar PV-diesel hybrid systems. It highlighted some parameters that define the reliability of a solar PV system. The solar PV systems installed at schools in rural Sabah were found to be reliable. They reduced dependency on the diesel fuel consumption and fully utilized clean energy from the sun. It is essential to have reliable solar PV system that can provide sufficient energy for the load demand.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing a rural electrification program in Malaysia: System performance analysis on 11 solar PV-diesel hybrid systems

Mahmud

Blanchard

2016

2016 4th International Conference on the Development in the in Renewable Energy Technology (ICDRET)

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“…However, there is also the high cost of the energy storage systems that, together with these technical risks, makes the commercial case challenging (Hazelton et al, 2014). In part, these reflect ongoing technical challenges with batteries, and to an even greater extent, flywheel technologies.…”

Section: Mini-gridsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Economics of Solar PV Systems with Storage, in Main Grid and Mini-Grid Settings

MacGill

Watt

2015

Solar Energy Storage

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“…Even rural areas with access to the central electricity grid still suffer from low reliability and insufficient capacity (Global Data, ). Solar‐based minigrid systems tend to be the least‐cost option for reliably meeting rural electricity demands in many areas (Hazelton et al ., ), while offering co‐benefits such as climate change mitigation, job creation, and local economic flows (Thirumurthy et al ., ; Dufo‐Lopez et al ., ). The current status of minigrids in India is discussed in more depth in Section 1.3.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions towards solar mini‐grid systems in India: A multi‐stakeholder analysis

Graber

Narayanan

Alfaro

et al. 2019

Natural Resources Forum

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This study identifies and assesses the perspectives of four key stakeholder groups towards solar minigrids in rural India. The stakeholders considered are policymakers, minigrid developers and operators, development organizations, and national grid representatives. Recent state and national policies in India have increased the focus on minigrids and their services. In this study, stakeholder interviews were employed to identify the attitudes towards the recent electricity policy, the underlying context for minigrid development, the role of minigrids in rural electrification, and the inclusion of minigrid systems within the larger framework of electricity sector policies by the recent government minigrid policies. Results indicate that stakeholders agree that minigrids, as a rural electricity service, are currently viable to complement the national grid due to their high reliability, performance in remote regions, and diminishing cost per unit. However, stakeholders disagree on the future outcomes, with diverging views on the priority of minigrids as an electrification tool in the face of the expanding central grid, the ideal implementation strategy for minigrids, and the potential for grid‐minigrid interaction. Based on stakeholder feedback, the growth of minigrids in India is likely to be constrained by the confidence in recent policies, necessitating more frequent dialogue among decision makers and a solidified relationship to the national electricity grid.

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A review of the potential benefits and risks of photovoltaic hybrid mini-grid systems

Cited by 77 publications

References 7 publications

Assessing a rural electrification program in Malaysia: System performance analysis on 11 solar PV-diesel hybrid systems

Assessing a rural electrification program in Malaysia: System performance analysis on 11 solar PV-diesel hybrid systems

Economics of Solar PV Systems with Storage, in Main Grid and Mini-Grid Settings

Perceptions towards solar mini‐grid systems in India: A multi‐stakeholder analysis

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