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A cost optimal resolution for Sub-Saharan Africa powered by 100% renewables in 2030

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  • Barasa, Maulidi
  • Bogdanov, Dmitrii
  • Oyewo, Ayobami Solomon
  • Breyer, Christian

Abstract

This paper determines a least cost electricity solution for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The power system discussed in this study is hourly resolved and based on 100% Renewable Energy (RE) technologies. Sub-Saharan Africa was subdivided into 16 sub-regions. Four different scenarios were considered involving the setup of a high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission grid. An integrated scenario that considers water desalination and industrial gas production was also analyzed. This study reveals that RE is sufficient to cover 866.4 TWh estimated electricity demand for 2030 and additional electricity needed to fulfill 319 million m3 of water desalination and 268 TWhLHV of synthetic natural gas demand. Existing hydro dams can be used as virtual batteries for solar PV and wind electricity storage, diminishing the role of other storage technologies. The results for total levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) decreases from 57.8 €/MWh for a highly decentralized to 54.7 €/MWh for a more centralized grid scenario. For the integrated scenario, including water desalination and synthetic natural gas demand, the levelised cost of gas and the levelised cost of water are 113.7 €/MWhLHV and 1.39 €/m3, respectively. A reduction of 6% in total cost and 19% in electricity generation was realized as a result of integrating desalination and power-to-gas sectors into the system. A review of studies on the energy future of Sub-Saharan Africa provides the basis for a detailed discussion of the new results presented.

Suggested Citation

  • Barasa, Maulidi & Bogdanov, Dmitrii & Oyewo, Ayobami Solomon & Breyer, Christian, 2018. "A cost optimal resolution for Sub-Saharan Africa powered by 100% renewables in 2030," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 440-457.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:92:y:2018:i:c:p:440-457
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2018.04.110
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    Cited by:

    1. Keiner, Dominik & Gulagi, Ashish & Satymov, Rasul & Etongo, Daniel & Lavidas, George & Oyewo, Ayobami S. & Khalili, Siavash & Breyer, Christian, 2024. "Future role of wave power in Seychelles: A structured sensitivity analysis empowered by a novel EnergyPLAN-based optimisation tool," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    2. Bissiri, Mounirah & Moura, Pedro & Perez, Ricardo Cunha & Figueiredo, Nuno Carvalho & da Silva, Patrícia Pereira, 2024. "Generation capacity expansion planning with spatially-resolved electricity demand and increasing variable renewable energy supply: Perspectives from power pooling in West Africa," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 364(C).
    3. Vittorio Sessa & Ramchandra Bhandari & Abdramane Ba, 2021. "Rural Electrification Pathways: An Implementation of LEAP and GIS Tools in Mali," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-19, June.
    4. Hanieh Seyedhashemi & Benoît Hingray & Christophe Lavaysse & Théo Chamarande, 2021. "The Impact of Low-Resource Periods on the Reliability of Wind Power Systems for Rural Electrification in Africa," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-18, May.
    5. Oyewo, Ayobami Solomon & Solomon, A.A. & Bogdanov, Dmitrii & Aghahosseini, Arman & Mensah, Theophilus Nii Odai & Ram, Manish & Breyer, Christian, 2021. "Just transition towards defossilised energy systems for developing economies: A case study of Ethiopia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 346-365.
    6. Falchetta, Giacomo & Gernaat, David E.H.J. & Hunt, Julian & Sterl, Sebastian, 2019. "Hydropower dependency and climate change in sub-Saharan Africa: A nexus framework and evidence-based review," Earth Arxiv w7rj3, Center for Open Science.
    7. Keck, Felix & Jütte, Silke & Lenzen, Manfred & Li, Mengyu, 2022. "Assessment of two optimisation methods for renewable energy capacity expansion planning," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PA).
    8. Oyewo, Ayobami Solomon & Aghahosseini, Arman & Ram, Manish & Breyer, Christian, 2020. "Transition towards decarbonised power systems and its socio-economic impacts in West Africa," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 1092-1112.
    9. Hansen, Kenneth & Breyer, Christian & Lund, Henrik, 2019. "Status and perspectives on 100% renewable energy systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 471-480.
    10. Mensah, Theophilus Nii Odai & Oyewo, Ayobami Solomon & Breyer, Christian, 2021. "The role of biomass in sub-Saharan Africa’s fully renewable power sector – The case of Ghana," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 297-317.
    11. Sweerts, Bart & Longa, Francesco Dalla & van der Zwaan, Bob, 2019. "Financial de-risking to unlock Africa's renewable energy potential," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 75-82.
    12. Mukeshimana, Marie Claire & Zhao, Zhen-Yu & Nshimiyimana, Jean Pierre, 2021. "Evaluating strategies for renewable energy development in Rwanda: An integrated SWOT – ISM analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 402-414.
    13. Ram, Manish & Aghahosseini, Arman & Breyer, Christian, 2020. "Job creation during the global energy transition towards 100% renewable power system by 2050," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    14. Alassi, Abdulrahman & Bañales, Santiago & Ellabban, Omar & Adam, Grain & MacIver, Callum, 2019. "HVDC Transmission: Technology Review, Market Trends and Future Outlook," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 530-554.
    15. Dan Tong & David J. Farnham & Lei Duan & Qiang Zhang & Nathan S. Lewis & Ken Caldeira & Steven J. Davis, 2021. "Geophysical constraints on the reliability of solar and wind power worldwide," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    16. Bissiri, M. & Moura, P. & Figueiredo, N.C. & Silva, P.P., 2020. "Towards a renewables-based future for West African States: A review of power systems planning approaches," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    17. Robert Van Buskirk & Lawrence Kachione & Gilbert Robert & Rachel Kanyerere & Christina Gilbert & James Majoni, 2021. "How to Make Off-Grid Solar Electric Cooking Cheaper Than Wood-Based Cooking," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-21, July.
    18. Bogdanov, Dmitrii & Ram, Manish & Aghahosseini, Arman & Gulagi, Ashish & Oyewo, Ayobami Solomon & Child, Michael & Caldera, Upeksha & Sadovskaia, Kristina & Farfan, Javier & De Souza Noel Simas Barbos, 2021. "Low-cost renewable electricity as the key driver of the global energy transition towards sustainability," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    19. Gulagi, Ashish & Ram, Manish & Solomon, A.A. & Khan, Musharof & Breyer, Christian, 2020. "Current energy policies and possible transition scenarios adopting renewable energy: A case study for Bangladesh," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 899-920.
    20. Lopez, Gabriel & Aghahosseini, Arman & Child, Michael & Khalili, Siavash & Fasihi, Mahdi & Bogdanov, Dmitrii & Breyer, Christian, 2022. "Impacts of model structure, framework, and flexibility on perspectives of 100% renewable energy transition decision-making," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    21. Matsuo, Yuhji & Endo, Seiya & Nagatomi, Yu & Shibata, Yoshiaki & Komiyama, Ryoichi & Fujii, Yasumasa, 2020. "Investigating the economics of the power sector under high penetration of variable renewable energies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    22. Menyeh, Bridget Okyerebea, 2021. "Financing electricity access in Africa: A choice experiment study of household investor preferences for renewable energy investments in Ghana," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    23. Karbassi, Veis & Trotter, Philipp A. & Walther, Grit, 2023. "Diversifying the African energy system: Economic versus equitable allocation of renewable electricity and e-fuel production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 350(C).

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