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Resilient Off-Grid Solar PV Power Supply for Rural Communities

In: Supporting Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development in Africa - Volume I

Author

Listed:
  • Sebastian Namukolo

    (University of Zambia)

  • Ackim Zulu

    (University of Zambia)

Abstract

Off-grid solar-photovoltaic (PV) supply could be the path for achieving energy access in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa, significantly moving the rural population toward the target of the 7th Sustainable Development Goal. Energy from the PV plants has the desirable attributes of being clean and affordable. Despite these desirable attributes, off-grid PV plants are also prone and susceptible to lightning effects in operation, this situation particularly accentuated in sub-Saharan Africa where there is high lightning activity. To redress this, the general principles of lightning protection are invoked in the design of the PV power supply to stave off the negative effects resulting from the plant being struck by lightning. This paper discusses the matters of energy access using off-grid PV systems and proposes a design approach which makes the PV plant to be more resilient in lightning-prone regions. The proposed design approach has been derived by synthesizing the design procedures of off-grid PV systems and those of lightning protection of electrical installations. Five subsystems of lightning protection in PV-powered plants, which may be selectively applied depending on the results of the risk assessment, are adopted. This proposed approach is expected to reduce outages and downtime of the PV power plant.

Suggested Citation

  • Sebastian Namukolo & Ackim Zulu, 2020. "Resilient Off-Grid Solar PV Power Supply for Rural Communities," Springer Books, in: Elena G. Popkova & Bruno S. Sergi & Lubinda Haabazoka & Julia V. Ragulina (ed.), Supporting Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development in Africa - Volume I, edition 1, chapter 1, pages 3-15, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-030-41979-0_1
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-41979-0_1
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