Minigrid

The rise of clean energy and prosumers, net metering and greenhouse gas regulation all figure among the bogeymen as far as national electric companies are concerned.

A new Indian study shows that standalone PV systems combined with pumped storage could be a solution to energy poverty in developing nations. This easily deployable, chemical-free approach might be best in countries that lack battery-recycling rules, the researchers said.

Researchers in the U.S. have deployed a phase model, inspired by thermodynamics, to total system costs and technology choices of power grids. Doing so allowed the group to make assumptions for when all renewables powered microgrids become the most economically viable option.

Renewable energy training institutes are springing up all over Nigeria, empowering an army of young people with solar technology skills in a country where unemployment is a huge challenge.

Solar and energy storage play a key role in Project Gilghi, an off-grid water security system that could help people who have poor access to potable water and sanitation.

In a move that’s sure to pan out well for the Granny Smith gold mine in Western Australia, Aggreko has installed one of the country’s largest renewable energy microgrids, with 7.7 MWp of solar to be integrated with the site’s existing power station. pv magazine recently sat down with Karim Wazni, Aggreko’s managing director of microgrids and storage solutions, to discuss how microgrids and energy storage can help transition Australia’s resource sector.

The Solar Energy Corporation of India has issued a call for expressions of interest to supply clean energy to isolated off-grid communities and warned components will probably have to be transported manually.

Lumos Global has received US$35 million to fund its off-grid solar home systems installation project in Nigeria.

The Senegalese government is aiming to increase access to solar power in rural areas by reducing VAT on PV panels, inverters, solar thermal collectors and other products in an effort to achieve universal electricity access in the country by 2025.

Koen Peters has been the executive director of global offgrid solar association GOGLA since 2014. He has more than 20 years of international work experience, with more than 12 years in relation to energy access. He has gathered insights from many different perspectives and organizations, including government, consulting, startup businesses, and international finance organizations.