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An analysis of renewable mini-grid projects for rural electrification

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  • Duran, Asligul Serasu
  • Sahinyazan, Feyza G.

Abstract

Almost 900 million people are living with no access to electricity, mostly in remote regions where extending the central grid is infeasible. These remote communities often heavily depend on expensive and polluting diesel generators that create significant financial and operational challenges. Following the recent advances and cost reductions in renewable technologies, governments, private sector, and non-profit organizations started investing in rural electrification projects through renewable mini-grids, some of which were reported to have been unsuccessful. The findings and the lessons learned from these projects remain highly compartmentalized across different studies, making it significantly challenging to derive evidence-based insights on clean rural electrification for investors and practitioners. This study aids in closing this gap by collecting project-level data on 104 renewable energy mini-grids installed across the globe. We first conduct a systematic review of these projects to derive qualitative insights on drivers of project success and the benefits to communities. Next, we empirically validate some of our qualitative findings and identify the factors contributing to mini-grid project success and cost.

Suggested Citation

  • Duran, Asligul Serasu & Sahinyazan, Feyza G., 2021. "An analysis of renewable mini-grid projects for rural electrification," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceps:v:77:y:2021:i:c:s0038012120308363
    DOI: 10.1016/j.seps.2020.100999
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    3. Kofi Nyarko & Jonathan Whale & Tania Urmee, 2023. "Empowering Low-Income Communities with Sustainable Decentralized Renewable Energy-Based Mini-Grids," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-31, November.
    4. Demirci, Alpaslan & Öztürk, Zafer & Tercan, Said Mirza, 2023. "Decision-making between hybrid renewable energy configurations and grid extension in rural areas for different climate zones," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PA).
    5. Abdul Munim Rehmani & Syed Ali Abbas Kazmi & Abdullah Altamimi & Zafar A. Khan & Muhammad Awais, 2023. "Techno-Economic-Environmental Assessment of an Isolated Rural Micro-Grid from a Mid-Career Repowering Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-35, January.
    6. Namujju, Lillian Donna & Acquah-Swanzy, Henrietta & Ngoti, Irene F., 2023. "An IAD framework analysis of minigrid institutions for sustainable rural electrification in East Africa: A comparative study of Uganda and Tanzania," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    7. Marco De Nigris & Francesca Giuliano, 2023. "The Role of Organised Civil Society in the Implementation of the Renewable Energy Transition and Renewable Energy Communities: A Qualitative Assessment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-27, May.

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