The economics of clean energy resource development and grid interconnection in Africa

Sanoh, Aly; Kocaman, Ayse Selin; Kocal, Selcuk; Sherpa, Shaky; Modi, Vijay

doi:10.1016/j.renene.2013.08.017

Cited by 58 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Studies in other parts of the world suggest that extensive interconnections can strengthen the value of renewable energy spatial diversification (25), and other studies have found that it is significantly cost effective to support energy trade in Africa (26)(27)(28)(29)(30). However, those studies that examined renewable energy trade in Africa (29,30) lacked the spatial and temporal resolutions necessary for modeling integration of highly temporally and spatially variable renewable energy.…”

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, those studies that examined renewable energy trade in Africa (29,30) lacked the spatial and temporal resolutions necessary for modeling integration of highly temporally and spatially variable renewable energy. The EAPP and SAPP are considering new interconnections, but to exchange future conventional and hydroelectric generation (2,3).…”

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

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Strategic siting and regional grid interconnections key to low-carbon futures in African countries

Deshmukh

Ndhlukula

et al. 2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Recent forecasts suggest that African countries must triple their current electricity generation by 2030. Our multicriteria assessment of wind and solar potential for large regions of Africa shows how economically competitive and low-environmentalimpact renewable resources can significantly contribute to meeting this demand. We created the Multicriteria Analysis for Planning Renewable Energy (MapRE) framework to map and characterize solar and wind energy zones in 21 countries in the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) and the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) and find that potential is several times greater than demand in many countries. Significant fractions of demand can be quickly served with "no-regrets" options-or zones that are low-cost, low-environmental impact, and highly accessible. Because no-regrets options are spatially heterogeneous, international interconnections are necessary to help achieve low-carbon development for the region as a whole, and interconnections that support the best renewable options may differ from those planned for hydropower expansion. Additionally, interconnections and selecting wind sites to match demand reduce the need for SAPP-wide conventional generation capacity by 9.5% in a high-wind scenario, resulting in a 6-20% cost savings, depending on the avoided conventional technology. Strategic selection of low-impact and accessible zones is more cost effective with interconnections compared with solutions without interconnections. Overall results are robust to multiple load growth scenarios. Together, results show that multicriteria site selection and deliberate planning of interconnections may significantly increase the economic and environmental competitiveness of renewable alternatives relative to conventional generation. Africa | energy policy | interconnections | renewable energy | siting A s a region, Africa has the lowest per capita electricity consumption in the world, due in large part to lack of generation and transmission infrastructure development at both the national and regional levels (1). However, the average cost of electricity in most African countries is at least twice that of other developing countries (1). For the region to successfully meet goals to increase affordable electricity access and reduce demand curtailment, electricity generation will need to grow exponentially. By some estimates, demand in the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) and Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), which encompass more than 50% of the continent's population, may collectively exceed 1,000 TWh by 2030, nearly triple their electricity consumption in 2010 (2, 3).To meet energy goals, decision makers are looking to fossil fuel and hydropower as familiar and undertapped resources (1-3). With the insecurity and high costs of fossil fuels, the planning paradigm has become increasingly hydropower centric (1-3). Yet climate vulnerability (4), international cooperation barriers and transboundary water rights issues, large cost overruns (5), and high socio-environmental impacts (6) plague th...

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Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

Strategic siting and regional grid interconnections key to low-carbon futures in African countries

Deshmukh

Ndhlukula

et al. 2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…The model, to keep its linearity, assumes no economies of scale. The deployable capacity by 2030 is at most 25% of the total theoretical maximum potential (Sanoh et al 2014). The model features three continuous objectives, namely cost minimisation, GHG emission minimisation, and national electricity sovereignty maximisation.…”

Section: Multi-objective Linear Programming Electricity Planning Optimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several previous studies examined adequate Southern African electricity supply options to satisfy the growing demand (Spalding-Fecher et al 2017;Graeber et al 2005; International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) 2013; Graeber and Spalding-Fecher 2000;Bowen et al 1999;Sparrow and Bowen 2005;Bhagavan 1985;Nziramasanga et al 2013). These studies constitute a part of the growing literature on international African electricity planning optimisation (Rose et al 2016;Zeyringer et al 2015;Ohiare 2015;Ohijeagbon and Ajayi 2015;Gnansounou et al 2007;Taliotis et al 2016;Sanoh et al 2014;Taliotis et al 2014;Trotter 2017). Yet, while this literature has greatly fostered a better understanding of optimal future African electricity options, their underlying optimisation objective functions focused almost entirely on cost minimisation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Second, different levels of institutional weakness and political instability in the twelve SAPP countries imply that different international network designs lead to greatly differing political risk characteristics of the network. Large-scale renewable electricity export projects, such as the Grand Inga hydroelectric plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), have been frequently advertised to power significant parts of sub-Saharan Africa (Taliotis et al 2016;Sanoh et al 2014;IRENA 2015;Taliotis et al 2014;Tshombe et al 2007). Yet an over-reliance on a highly volatile country marred by dysfunctional political institutions and violent conflict with over eighty armed groups (Stearns and Vogel 2015), where parts of the already installed Inga capacity remained idle, appears to be a politically sub-optimal choice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The impact of political objectives on optimal electricity generation and transmission in the Southern African Power Pool

Trotter¹,

Maconachie²,

McManus³

2017

J. energy South. Afr.

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GIS-Based Assessment of Solar Energy Harvesting Sites and Electricity Generation Potential in Zambia

Mwanza

Ülgen

2021

African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation

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Land and environment are some of limited nature resource for any particular country and requires best use. Therefore, for sustainable energy generation it is often important to maximize land use and avoid or minimize environmental and social impact when selecting the potential locations for solar energy harvesting. This chapter presents an approach for identifying and determining the potential sites and available land areas for solar energy harvesting. Hence, the restricting and enhancing parameters that influence sites selection based on international regulation have been imposed to the Laws of Zambia on environmental protection and pollution control legislative framework. Thus, both international regulations and local environmental protection and pollution control legislative have been used for identifying the potential sites and evaluating solar PV electricity generation potential in these potential sites. The restricting parameters were applied to reduce territory areas to feasible potential sites and available areas that are suitable for solar energy harvesting. The assessment involved two different models: firstly the assessment of potential sites and mapping using GIS, and secondly, evaluation of the available suitable land areas and feasible solar PV electricity generation potential in each provinces using analytical methods. The total available suitable area of the potential sites is estimated at 82,564.601 km2 representing 10.97% of Zambia’s total surface area. This potential is equivalent to 10,240.73 TWh annual electricity generation potential with potential to reduce CO2 emissions in the nation and achieve SDGs. The identification of potential sites and solar energy will help improve the understanding of the potential solar energy can contribute to achieving sustainable national energy mix in Zambia. Furthermore, it will help the government in setting up tangible energy targets and effective integration of solar PV systems into national energy mix.

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The economics of clean energy resource development and grid interconnection in Africa

Cited by 58 publications

References 17 publications

Strategic siting and regional grid interconnections key to low-carbon futures in African countries

Strategic siting and regional grid interconnections key to low-carbon futures in African countries

The impact of political objectives on optimal electricity generation and transmission in the Southern African Power Pool

GIS-Based Assessment of Solar Energy Harvesting Sites and Electricity Generation Potential in Zambia

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