IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v16y2023i7p3203-d1114052.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Modelling and Validation of Typical PV Mini-Grids in Kenya: Experience from RESILIENT Project

Author

Listed:
  • Khalid Hanbashi

    (Institute for Energy Systems, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FB, UK)

  • Zafar Iqbal

    (Institute for Energy Systems, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FB, UK)

  • Dimitri Mignard

    (Institute for Energy Systems, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FB, UK)

  • Colin Pritchard

    (Institute for Energy Systems, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FB, UK)

  • Sasa Z. Djokic

    (Institute for Energy Systems, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FB, UK)

Abstract

PV-based mini-grids are identified as a feasible and, often, only economically viable option for the electrification of Kenyan remote and scattered rural areas, where connection to the national grid is challenging, and the related costs are high, if not prohibitive. This paper presents the analysis of typical Kenyan PV mini-grids by using some results of the work in the project “Reliable, Efficient and Sustainable Mini-Grids for Rural Infrastructure Development in Kenya (RESILIENT)”. After presenting average annual and seasonal daily load profiles of residential and small commercial mini-grid customers identified from the measured demands, the paper introduces the main mini-grid components and their models, including a simplified, but reasonably accurate, model of a mini-grid battery storage system based on the manufacturer’s charge–discharge curves. All mini-grid components are assembled in a scalable and easily reconfigurable simulation model of an actual Kenyan PV mini-grid, and they are implemented for the evaluation of PV mini-grid performance and the potential for expansion and connection of additional residential and small commercial customers. During the validation of the developed simulation model using available measurement data, an empirical approach for adjusting the PV system output power is specified for a more accurate match with the measurements. The presented results indicate the importance of the information on the actual control algorithms and control settings of the mini-grid energy management systems, on the thermal dependencies and characteristics of both PV generation system and battery storage system, and on the availability of on-site measurements of temperature and input solar irradiance. The developed PV mini-grid model can be used for further analyses, such as to study the techno-economic performance of different mini-grid configurations, to identify the optimal sizing of mini-grid components, and to specify efficient control and operation schemes based on the locally available resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Khalid Hanbashi & Zafar Iqbal & Dimitri Mignard & Colin Pritchard & Sasa Z. Djokic, 2023. "Modelling and Validation of Typical PV Mini-Grids in Kenya: Experience from RESILIENT Project," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-35, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:7:p:3203-:d:1114052
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/7/3203/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/7/3203/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fernando Antonanzas-Torres & Javier Antonanzas & Julio Blanco-Fernandez, 2021. "State-of-the-Art of Mini Grids for Rural Electrification in West Africa," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-21, February.
    2. Kirubi, Charles & Jacobson, Arne & Kammen, Daniel M. & Mills, Andrew, 2009. "Community-Based Electric Micro-Grids Can Contribute to Rural Development: Evidence from Kenya," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(7), pages 1208-1221, July.
    3. Liu, Yang & Bah, Zainab, 2021. "Enabling development impact of solar mini-grids through the community engagement: Evidence from rural Sierra Leone," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    4. Bhattacharyya, Subhes C., 2015. "Mini-grid based electrification in Bangladesh: Technical configuration and business analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 745-761.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hartvigsson, Elias & Stadler, Michael & Cardoso, Gonçalo, 2018. "Rural electrification and capacity expansion with an integrated modeling approach," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 509-520.
    2. , Diego, 2017. "The Natural and Infrastructural Capital Elements of Potential Post-Electrification Wealth Creation in Kenya," SocArXiv ddnhz, Center for Open Science.
    3. Domenech, B. & Ferrer-Martí, L. & Pastor, R., 2015. "Including management and security of supply constraints for designing stand-alone electrification systems in developing countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 359-369.
    4. Giacomo Falchetta & Nicolò Stevanato & Magda Moner-Girona & Davide Mazzoni & Emanuela Colombo & Manfred Hafner, 2020. "M-LED: Multi-sectoral Latent Electricity Demand Assessment for Energy Access Planning," Working Papers 2020.09, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    5. Fujii, Tomoki & Shonchoy, Abu S. & Xu, Sijia, 2018. "Impact of Electrification on Children’s Nutritional Status in Rural Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 315-330.
    6. Antoine Boche & Clément Foucher & Luiz Fernando Lavado Villa, 2022. "Understanding Microgrid Sustainability: A Systemic and Comprehensive Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-29, April.
    7. Domenech, B. & Ferrer-Martí, L. & Pastor, R., 2015. "Hierarchical methodology to optimize the design of stand-alone electrification systems for rural communities considering technical and social criteria," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 182-196.
    8. Islam, Asif M. & Amin, Mohammad, 2023. "The gender labor productivity gap across informal firms," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    9. Francesco Tonini & Francesco Davide Sanvito & Fabrizio Colombelli & Emanuela Colombo, 2022. "Improving Sustainable Access to Electricity in Rural Tanzania: A System Dynamics Approach to the Matembwe Village," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-17, March.
    10. Rajvikram Madurai Elavarasan & G. M. Shafiullah & Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar & Sanjeevikumar Padmanaban, 2019. "A State-of-the-Art Review on the Drive of Renewables in Gujarat, State of India: Present Situation, Barriers and Future Initiatives," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-30, December.
    11. Bahramara, S. & Moghaddam, M. Parsa & Haghifam, M.R., 2016. "Optimal planning of hybrid renewable energy systems using HOMER: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 609-620.
    12. Aparna Katre & Arianna Tozzi, 2018. "Assessing the Sustainability of Decentralized Renewable Energy Systems: A Comprehensive Framework with Analytical Methods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-18, April.
    13. Lahimer, A.A. & Alghoul, M.A. & Yousif, Fadhil & Razykov, T.M. & Amin, N. & Sopian, K., 2013. "Research and development aspects on decentralized electrification options for rural household," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 314-324.
    14. Ramachandra, T.V. & Jain, Rishabh & Krishnadas, Gautham, 2011. "Hotspots of solar potential in India," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(6), pages 3178-3186, August.
    15. Laia Ferrer-Martí & Rafael Pastor & G. Capó & Enrique Velo, 2011. "Optimizing microwind rural electrification projects. A case study in Peru," Journal of Global Optimization, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 127-143, May.
    16. Chaurey, A. & Kandpal, T.C., 2010. "A techno-economic comparison of rural electrification based on solar home systems and PV microgrids," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(6), pages 3118-3129, June.
    17. Tarkeshwar Mahto & Rakesh Kumar & Hasmat Malik & Irfan Ahmad Khan & Sattam Al Otaibi & Fahad R. Albogamy, 2021. "Design and Implementation of Frequency Controller for Wind Energy-Based Hybrid Power System Using Quasi-Oppositional Harmonic Search Algorithm," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-23, October.
    18. Pueyo, Ana & Carreras, Marco & Ngoo, Gisela, 2020. "Exploring the linkages between energy, gender, and enterprise: Evidence from Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    19. Molyneaux, Lynette & Wagner, Liam & Foster, John, 2016. "Rural electrification in India: Galilee Basin coal versus decentralised renewable energy micro grids," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 422-436.
    20. Artem Korzhenevych & Charles Kofi Owusu, 2021. "Renewable Minigrid Electrification in Off-Grid Rural Ghana: Exploring Households Willingness to Pay," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-17, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:7:p:3203-:d:1114052. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.