Electrifying sub-Saharan Africa. The use of PV-diesel hybrid systems in rural areas

Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2014 in the subject Engineering - Power Engineering, grade: A, University of Cape Town (Energy Research Center), language: English, abstract: The main objective of this paper is to analyse if a small scale PV-Diesel hybrid systems can be a feasible solution for electrification of a rural village in Sub-Saharan Africa. The main question is, if the hybrid system which covers a peak demand of 30 kWp can compete economically and technically with the traditional diesel power generators. In a first step the current situation of rural electrification in Sub-Sahara Africa will be reviewed and different solutions for current electrification efforts will be analysed. Furthermore, recommendations from available case studies and literature on optimal design of hybrid systems will be considered. In a final step a simulation, by using HOMER simulation software, will compare a diesel generator solution against a PV-diesel hybrid solution regarding initial investment cost, levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), return on investment and payback.