Minigrids can serve about half the people in the world — about 111 million households — who lack electricity by 2030 at a cost of $128 billion, although increased policy support is needed, according to a report. There are about 5,500 minigrids in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and small island nations, with some in Latin America, according to State of … [Read more...]
The Microgrid Knowledge Africa Channel
News and feature articles on microgrids in Africa including RFP's, policies and players impacting the region.
Minigrids: Solutions for Africa’s Energy Challenges
June 25, 2020 By 1 Comment
Many people are shocked to learn that there are roughly 700 million people still living without electricity. Most are in countries like Kenya India and Bangladesh. Countries like Kenya are making progress and helping with that progress are technologies like minigrids. Definition of a minigrid Similar to a microgrid, a minigrid provides power … [Read more...]
Renewvia Launches Three Solar Minigrids in Kenya
June 23, 2020 By 1 Comment
A Renewvia Energy subsidiary has started operating three solar minigrids in Kenya as part of a program to bring minigrids to the East African nation. Renewvia Energy Kenya and Energising Development, an energy access partnership financed by six European countries, launched minigrids in the Kalobeyei Refugee Settlement, the nearby town of … [Read more...]
Renewvia Energy Builds Minigrids in Nigeria, with an Eye to Grow Across Africa
June 4, 2020 By 1 Comment
Renewvia Energy is building solar-based minigrids in southern Nigeria under an agreement with an investing company that aims to spur off-grid energy development in the country. The effort is part of Renewvia’s plans to expand microgrid development in Africa, a continent with large areas that have poor or non-existent electricity … [Read more...]
Synchronizing Agriculture and Distributed Energy Can Reduce Nigeria’s Oil Dependency
May 11, 2020 By 1 Comment
The Rocky Mountain Institute's (RMI) Olatunde Okeowo and Andrew Allee explore how synching agriculture and distributed energy can cut down on Nigeria's oil dependency, increase energy access and save rural residents money. What if it was possible to boost both national and local economies while increasing energy access and saving rural … [Read more...]
How BUGS Leave an Opening for Solar Plus Storage Globally
April 30, 2020 By 1 Comment
A major opportunity exists for small, solar plus storage systems to replace gasoline or diesel backup generators that cause detriment to the environment worldwide, according to research funded by an arm of the World Bank Group. Between 1 to 2 billion people do not have access to a reliable power grid, making back-up generation systems (BUGS) … [Read more...]
Healthcare & Critical Service Microgrids in an Era of COVID-19: The Latest
April 21, 2020 By 1 Comment
A hospital in Victoria, Texas, later this month will announce commissioning of a new microgrid, likely to be one of the first healthcare microgrid to come on line during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, the timing is fortuitous — Citizens Medical Center announced plans to install the 2.8 MW microgrid long before the pandemic, about a year ago, … [Read more...]
Microgrid Investment Less Risky than Grid Projects for Africa: Report
April 17, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Microgrid projects could play a major role bolstering the electric grid in Africa, which needs roughly $1 trillion in investments, according to a white paper by researchers at Boston University. The power system in sub-Saharan Africa is generally poorly developed and its quality ranges widely from country to country, and even within countries, … [Read more...]
Report Examines Sustainable Minigrids for Rwandan Refugee Camps
April 9, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Investment in clean energy solutions — in particular minigrids — offers the potential to reduce the costs and environmental impact of humanitarian operations, according to a briefing note on Rwanda published by Imperial College London, UK. Fossil fueled systems often power humanitarian assistance work. Philip Sandwell and Javier Baranda … [Read more...]
Mining Toolkit Helps Clean Energy Industry Protect Profit, People and Planet
April 3, 2020 By 4 Comments
Clean energy’s gold rush for minerals used to manufacture electric vehicles, solar and other systems is not always sustainable and sometimes employs questionable labor practices, says a group that has released a mining toolkit to help the industry develop best practices. The Energy Resources Governance Initiative’s (ERGI) toolkit aims to … [Read more...]
