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In this study, we examine the impact of rural electrification on women empowerment. Previous studies have examined this relationship mainly using self-reported measures of empowerment, and experimental approaches. We conduct an incentive-compatible framed field experiment in a natural household setting. We modify the public goods game by introducing a trade-off between real household items and cash in three scenarios: a woman-only case, a man-only case, and a joint decision case. We then construct a women empowerment index ranging between 0 and 1. A joint decision closer to 1 indicates greater bargaining power for the wife, while a joint decision closer to 0 indicates greater bargaining power for the husband. We then apply propensity score matching to address potential selection bias. We find households in rural electrification villages, to have higher women empowerment index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the social index of access to clean energy, the country of CHAD is one of the least electrified in the world and the last in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with only 11.3% of its population having electricity access. The access is considerably lower in rural areas of CHAD (1.3%), meaning that 98.7% of the Chadian rural population currently depends on the unsustainable and polluting fuels such as wood and charcoal to meet their energy needs. The absence of electricity is also an opportunity to find a new solution for sustainable, clean, affordable and reliable electricity, which is a prerequisite for social and economic growth. This paper proposes an approach for performing a techno-economic, environmental, and social assessment based on optimal modeling of PV/wind/battery/fuel cell systems in both connected to the grid and standalone configurations for delivering electricity to rural areas within the context of CHAD using MATLAB R2023b to implement and run two (2) meta-heuristic optimization methods: Non-dominate Sorting Genetic Algorithm and Cuckoo Search Algorithm. To fulfill this purpose, we used 2 study cases in two (2) regions of the Sahelian zone of CHAD (MASSAKORY in the HADJER-LAMIS region and MAO in the KANEM region) with geographical coordinates of 13°00′N 15°44′E and 14° 7′ 16" N et 15° 18' 37" E, respectively. The hourly load profile data for a whole year, the hourly metrological data and the characteristics techno-economic of the proposed system components are utilized for the same purpose. The Annualized System Cost (ASC) and the System Self-Sufficiency Index (SSSI) were chosen as objective functions. The simulation results demonstrate that the Net Present Cost (NPC) of proposed systems are $2,107,900 (grid connected), $ 512,650 (off-grid), the cost of the grid is $2100, the LCOE is 0.1457$/kWh (grid connected), 0.0538$/kWh (off-grid), and the LCOH is 2.2892 US $/kg. These last two criteria are the lowest in comparison to the findings of previous work conducted in CHAD by HOMER Pro. The yearly equivalent avoided Greenhouse gas (GHG) is 460,480 kg (grid connected system), 463,467 kg (off-grid system), the grid GHG emission is 3400 kg and the renewable energy sources fraction is 99.27%. Each of proposed systems will create four (4) new jobs and improve the HDI by 5.93% (grid connected system HDI = 0.4216) and 25.04% (off-grid system HDI = 0.4991). This study could help designers, companies, investors, policymakers, and the government of CHAD in decision-making during the installation of such a system in specific rural areas and also provide a better practical energy design tool. • A multi-criteria optimal sizing of an off-grid and grid-connected hybrid photovoltaic-wind system with battery and fuel cell storage system was proposed to give access to sustainable, affordable, reliable, and clean energy for rural electrification in CHAD. • Two (2) well-known metaheuristic optimization algorithms, the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) and the Cuckoo Search Algorithm (CSA), are implemented in MATLAB 2023b to size the proposed systems optimally. • A techno-economic, environmental, and social analysis was performed for the optimization of the systems sizing considering the two (2) configurations (grid-connected and off-grid) and two study cases in two (2) regions of the Sahelian zone of CHAD. • Results showed significant social, environmental, economic, and system reliability improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate action is the grand challenge of the 21st century. Large reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are needed, with net-zero CO 2 emissions by mid-century a requirement for many scenarios that restrain global warming below 1.5 °C by 2100. This will require massive deployment of renewables such as ground-based solar and wind, increased long-distance grid transmission capacity, and electrification of much of the global economy. Increased electrification, coupled with rising standards of living in developing countries, will drive ever-larger electricity demand to 2050 and beyond. And the intermittency, land-use, and transmission requirements of ground-based solar and wind present challenges to large-scale deployment to meet Net Zero targets. Space-based solar power (SSP) presents an enticing alternative, and with full reusability of upcoming heavy launch vehicles and modular SSP architectures, the economics of deployment are expected to become favorable in the coming decades. Efforts exist today to deploy demonstrators this decade, with initial production systems by 2050. However, deploying SSP at the scale required to address rising, global electricity demand will itself require orders-of-magnitude greater launch frequencies. If heavy launch frequency does not increase quickly enough, due to environmental concerns, launch site competition, or other bottlenecks, the dropping cost of launch will not be sufficient to enable SSP for global impact this century. A space elevator (SE) development program like that proposed by the International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC) offers an alternative delivery mechanism for scaling SSP beyond 2050, hedging the risk of reliance on a single delivery system while reducing the time required for large-scale SSP deployment. To de-risk possible futures in which SSP is a major part of the global energy mix this century, a dual space access architecture is proposed, leveraging the strengths of heavy launch and SEs together. Such an architecture would secure the future for green energy on Earth, in 2050 and beyond. • Net-zero CO 2 emissions by 2050 required for many climate scenarios with < 1. 5 °C warming. • Massive deployment of renewables and scale-ups of long-distance transmission required. • Space-based solar power (SSP) is becoming economically viable as an enticing alternative. • Reusable heavy launch must scale-up rapidly to deploy SSP at scale for net-zero. • A space elevator development program would de-risk delivery of SSP at scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation of electricity from Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in off-grid systems has increased rapidly over the last several years, mostly to satisfy regional electricity demand. The objective is to develop a hybrid PV/Wind/Battery/Diesel generator/ Power to Hydrogen (P2H) system configuration that can effectively and economically meet the energy demands. For an optimum design of a hybrid system, this work incorporates technical parameters (Loss of Power Supply Probability (LPSP), Renewable factor, PV fraction, and Wind fraction), economic factors (Cost of Energy (COE), Net Present Cost (NPC), and Annualized system cost (ASC)), social factor (Human Developing Index (HDI)) in the proposed design. A distinctive feature of the works is that it proposes a novel Improved Red-Tailed Hawk Algorithm (IRTHA) which utilizes a hybrid approach that incorporates nonlinear decay and chaotic map strategy for designing optimum hybrid systems. The effectiveness of the proposed IRTHA is determined by implementing it on the CEC 2019 benchmark problems and then comparing its outcomes with that of existing Metaheuristic (MH) algorithms. The proposed IRTHA and other MH algorithms are used to determine the appropriate size and conduct a techno-socio-enviro-financial evaluation of an HRES. The investigation reveals that the IRTHA has identified the most economical COE, NPC, and ASC of electricity for the selected site, which are determined to be 0.3772 $/kWh, 44,05,900 $, and 3,10,000 $/year respectively and these values are found to be economically efficient. Additionally, IRTHA demonstrates superior performance in mitigating the environmental pollutant CO 2 , with a maximum emission of just 549.8792 kg/year. Also, Lifetime model assessment of the design substantiate the results of the IRTHA. Finally, sensitivity analysis is conducted for the parameters such as solar radiation, wind speed, temperature, and component cost to determine a more feasible design. • An HRES consist of PV-WT-BES-DG-HESS is proposed for rural electrification. • Improved Red Tailed Hawk (IRTHA) algorithm is developed to find the optimal size of the system. • Comparison of IRTHA with other MH algorithms using CEC 2019 benchmark problems and validation of results by statistical tests. • Technical, economic, environmental, and social studies are conducted for designing the most efficient HRES. • Viability of HRES is evaluated by using lifetime assessment and Sensitivity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a set of aspirational objectives for the world, addressing interlinked themes including poverty, hunger, and climate action. Meeting these goals requires a similarly integrated and interdisciplinary approach. One component of such an approach may be agrivoltaic systems (AVS): dual use solar and agricultural systems wherein crops are grown beneath and between solar panels. Given their intersectoral nature, AVS will have complex impacts on the achievement of the SDGs. This analysis seeks to evaluate how AVS could impact progress towards the SDGs based on literature around the impacts of agriculture, solar, and AVS, and the indicators measuring progress towards the SDGs. It uses a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) framework and applies it in a unique way to understand the direct and immediate impacts to the SDGs following the installation of an AVS (i.e., strengths and weaknesses), and the potential impacts on the SDGs based on secondary or supplementary actions taken once an AVS is installed (i.e., opportunities and threats). Though the most obvious of AVS' impacts to the SDGs will be on Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), evaluation of individual indicators shows that AVS can quantifiably impact 14 out of 17 SDGs, largely in a positive manner. However, evaluating impacts on the SDGs indicator by indicator also reveals possible negative, and unexpected, consequences of AVS. Yet, impacts on the SDGs will vary by location-specific factors such as climate, and so this analysis concludes with an application of the SWOT framework in Ethiopia for a farm where an AVS is under consideration. Altogether, this work should provide a means for evaluating the impacts of AVS on SDGs and insights into how to mitigate possible detrimental impacts while capitalizing on benefits. • Agrivoltaics measurably impact 13 out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. • Impacts of agrivoltaics depend on a reference case: single use agriculture or solar. • Agrivoltaic systems can underpin rural electrification of farms and schools. • Targeted government initiatives can capitalize on the benefits of agrivoltaics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy access is a major challenge in many parts of the world. The paper addresses this challenge by proposing a local electricity market (LEM) design for nanogrids deployed in Madagascar. Each nanogrid shares a solar PV and battery system, and it meets demand locally before trading surplus energy with other nanogrids on a microgrid bus, facilitated through the creation of a LEM. Two distinct market approaches are investigated and compared: central clearing and bilateral trading. Bilateral trading generates trading prices through direct interaction between consumers and producers, whereas central clearing sets a single trading price based on the cost-ordered supply curve. Our study shows that central clearing generates more consumer-friendly prices and facilitates the trading of all technically feasible energy, while bilateral trading may results in unmatched trading capacity. We find an average price for central trading of 0.49 €/kWh compared to 1.24 €/kWh with a bilateral trading mechanism. To promote the low market prices, a bottom-up retail tariff structure is proposed. The aim of this simplified tariff is to promote initial electrification by minimizing entry prices for end-users' first electricity access to 0.89 €/kWh compared to the current average of 2.11 €/kWh. The discussed results were evaluated in consultation with the local company in Madagascar to ensure practical suitability and to achieve maximum significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the techno-economic viability assessment of solar PV/wind/diesel generator (DG)/battery hybrid energy systems (HES) for powering an isolated rural health clinic in northern Nigeria. HOMER–software tool developed by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been utilized for the techno-economic assessment of the proposed HES. The results of the simulation reveal that PV/DG/battery HES with 5.43 kW PV, 2 kW DG, 3.06 kW power converter, and 10 units of batteries emerged as the optimum system and most preferable with the minimum Net Present Cost (NPC) of $16,457 and Cost of Energy (COE) of $0.259/kWh compared to other system cases. The outcome also shows that the optimized solution is environmentally friendly as it presented an acceptable carbon dioxide emission of 1304 kg/year, which was about 80% and 82.5% less than that of system case 3 (DG/battery) and system case 5 (DG-Only). To have a good understanding of the operation of various system configurations considered, details of the system's battery storage status and power flow are discussed via the energy balance of the various system configurations. This analysis shows operating cost, fuel cost, COE, fuel consumption, and renewable fraction are sensitive to the variation in all the considered sensitivity parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents various aspects of harnessing solar energy and green hydrogen which is one of the objectives of the EU and Poland's energy transition. Theoretical issues were examined on the basis of the analysis of available source literature on renewable energy sources (RES), green hydrogen and energy transition. The research methods used in this paper include: critical analysis of the source literature, comparative analysis method and secondary data analysis. The article describes actions taken in Poland to facilitate the energy transition associated with harnessing solar energy and green hydrogen and presents author's diagram of energy transition related to RES and green hydrogen in EU and Poland. The analysis and assessment carried out in the article indicated that the new concept of operation of the entire energy market and its transition involves the integration of three sectors: transport, heat engineering and power engineering. In the future, green hydrogen will enable a reduction of CO 2 emissions from the power engineering and heat engineering sector to zero. Importantly, the electrification of heat engineering and transport based on domestic renewable energy sources will render Poland independent of the energy resources from other countries. The issues as presented in the article concerning renewable energy sources, green hydrogen and energy transition have not been collectively studied in Polish and foreign literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we aim to analyse the impact of hydrogen production decarbonisation and electrification scenarios on the infrastructure development, generation mix, CO 2 emissions, and system costs of the European power system, considering the retrofit of the natural gas infrastructure. We define a reference scenario for the European power system in 2050 and use scenario variants to obtain additional insights by breaking down the effects of different assumptions. The scenarios were analysed using the European electricity market model COMPETES, including a proposed formulation to consider retrofitting existing natural gas networks to transport hydrogen instead of methane. According to the results, 60% of the EU's hydrogen demand is electrified, and approximately 30% of the total electricity demand will be to cover that hydrogen demand. The primary source of this electricity would be non-polluting technologies. Moreover, hydrogen flexibility significantly increases variable renewable energy investment and production, and reduces CO 2 emissions. In contrast, relying on only electricity transmission increases costs and CO 2 emissions, emphasising the importance of investing in an H 2 network through retrofitting or new pipelines. In conclusion, this paper shows that electrifying hydrogen is necessary and cost-effective to achieve the EU's objective of reducing long-term emissions. • A new formulation is proposed for natural gas network retrofitting to hydrogen (H 2). • 30% of EU electricity in 2050 will supply 60% of the H 2 needs. • Flexible electricity-based H 2 production boosts renewables by 48%. • Using electricity for H 2 production cuts CO 2 emissions by 35%. • 11% gas network retrofit covers H 2 demand with no new pipelines required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Being a water stressed country, South Africa has become one of the leading countries in the production of water technological knowledge. • Many local innovations have not achieved their potential commercial success. • Policy measures are necessary to foster diffusion of local water technologies. • Partnerships with industrial operators can help overcome innovation diffusion hurdles. Because of its long experience with water scarcity, South Africa has built a highly active research and innovation capacity in the water sector, which is spearheaded by the Water Research Commission (WRC). As a result, South African scientists have been among the significant contributors to new knowledge creation in the water innovation domain, especially in water treatment technologies. This innovation dynamism has however not been translated into a large-scale harnessing of technological innovations to avert the looming threat of water shortage. This paper combines innovation diffusion theory with the technology maturation framework to explore the main factors that help explain the pace of innovation diffusion in the South African water sector. Data from key informant interview analysis as well as available secondary sources indicate that financing constraints and technical validation difficulties are among the main hurdles limiting the ability of innovators to scale up their inventions for commercialisation. Adoption costs and lack of municipal support budget are the most important factors that limit the ability of low income rural households to adopt water innovations. Policy measures to support diffusion strategies are necessary to ensure that innovators have the means to overcome the multiple diffusion obstacles that they are confronted with. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-jerk controllers, commonly implemented in production vehicles, reduce the longitudinal acceleration oscillations transmitted to the passengers, which are caused by the torsional dynamics of the drivetrain during torque transients. Hence, these controllers enhance comfort, drivability, and drivetrain component durability. Although anti-jerk controllers are commonly implemented in conventional production internal-combustion-engine-driven vehicles, the topic of anti-jerk control has recently been the subject of increased academic and industrial interest, because of the trend towards powertrain electrification, and the distinctive features of electric powertrains, such as the high torque generation bandwidth and absence of clutch dampers. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of automotive anti-jerk control, with particular attention to control structures that are practically implementable on real vehicles. The survey starts with an overview of the causes of the longitudinal vehicle acceleration oscillations that follow abrupt changes in the powertrain torque delivery. The main body of the text reviews examples of anti-jerk controllers, and categorizes them according to the adopted error variable. The ancillary functions of typical anti-jerk controllers, e.g., their activation and deactivation conditions, are explained. The paper concludes with the most recent development trends, and ideas for future work, including possible applications of model predictive control as well as integration of anti-jerk controllers with autonomous driving systems and other vehicle control functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We review the complementarity of Artisanal and Small-scale Mining and agriculture. • Communities can both benefit or be harmed through ASM effects on agriculture. • Land degradation, water pollution and labour shifts are the main harm mechanisms. • Most ASM happens in rural agricultural communities, so vulnerabilities increase. • Resources policy should ensure accommodation of both sectors in rural economies. Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) activities continue to grow in many resource-endowed countries with ASM-generated revenues serving as a precursor to socio-economic growth especially in mineral-rich rural communities. However, the rapid proliferation of this extractive activity into new frontiers often extends to territories where, traditionally, agricultural activities may already be present. Considering the destructive effects of the ASM life cycle on the environment, concerns have been raised regarding the negative agricultural impacts of ASM. Thus in this paper, we review the Janus-faced nature of ASM as discourses have developed in the burgeoning literature. Our review reveals an emerging narrative suggesting that in some instances ASM and agriculture complement each other with beneficial consequences. Nevertheless, this highly informal type of mining can have deleterious effects on agriculture through three main mechanisms: land degradation and farm invasions, water and mercury pollution, and the Dutch disease phenomenon – the shift of labour from the agriculture sector to the ASM sector. As most of the operations of small-scale mineral extractors take place in rural communities where agriculture is the main source of livelihood, we find the creation of vulnerabilities in the agrarian economy through these mechanisms. Considering the economic importance of the two sectors to livelihoods, stakeholders would need to recast resources policy to ensure the proper accommodation of both sectors especially in the rural economic space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming is causing a major ice retreat from the North Pole. From now on, this retreat allows almost permanent movement between East andWest off the coast of the Russian Federation along the Northern Sea Route (NSR). For a long time, navigators have been trying to use this route which significantly reduced the distance between continents. The amount of freight that currently travels on the NSR will inevitably increase in the coming years. To reduce environmental risks, one possible option is not to supply ships with heavy fuel oil. The ships could then be electrically powered and navigate in stages from one port to another along the route to refuel for energy. This electrical energy can be produced on site from renewable energy sources. In this article, a first feasibility analysis is outlined, taking into account the tonnage constraints for navigating on a possible route for the NSR, the cost of energy production and the possible location of several ports of call. Under current economic conditions, the solution would not be profitable as it stands, but should become so at a later stage, which justifies starting to think about a future full electrification of navigation on the NSR, which will also contribute to the economic development of the Russian Federation northernmost regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Standalone DC microgrid for remote off-grid locations. • 380 V DC Community grid with 72 V DC nanogrid members. • Roof-top solar PV installed homes with battery form nanogrid members. • Distributed renewable energy tapping and power management for rural electrification. • Flexible and scalable configuration. Roof-top solar PV and battery systems at individual homes form standalone DC nanogrids to electrify off-grid remote locations. To improve the reliability and sustainability of these installations, interconnections are required, forming a DC Community Grid (DCCG). A novel 380 V DCCG with 72 V nanogrid (home) members is proposed for this low voltage standalone DCCG. It is also proposed to adopt a decentralized power management strategy which utilizes the concepts of DC bus signaling and adaptive droop control. Power flow algorithm based on adaptive droop equations are developed for individual converter interfaces so that each of the subsystems operate independently but in coordination. Only local measurements of input/output currents and voltages of the particular interface are required. Therefore, these are applicable to any of the converter topologies used as an interface for the renewable sources, batteries and nanogrid interconnections. The decentralized approach will mitigate the dependencies of DCCG on the communication network. With the proposed architecture and power management strategy, addition or removal of loads, sources, or storage units at nanogrid level or community level can be done as plug-and- play without modifying the existing system. The system has been extensively simulated and analyzed using MATLAB/Simulink R2021b and further experimentally verified with closed loop operation using Spartan – 6 XC6SLX25 FPGA in FTG256 package. The experimental verification proves that the bus voltage variation is within the limits set by the power management algorithm while desired power sharing is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agrivoltaic systems have attracted considerable attention for increasing the renewable energy share in the Philippines while also focusing on decarbonizing electric power systems. Given the vast rice farming areas in the Philippines and their archipelagic geological location, the use of batteries was considered instead of extending transmission lines. The available locations of the rice farm areas and power grid constraints were considered in the power system. Through linear programming, the optimization of the power generation mix model uses the existing capacities of each generator and transmission line in each area of the Philippines, with a temporal resolution of 8760 h per year. The simulation suggests an optimal integration of power generation from agrivoltaics and/or batteries. A total of 11.04 TWh and 95.75 TWh could contribute to the energy mix by using 1% and 10% of agrivoltaics subjected in the rice farmlands, respectively. By simultaneously using batteries with 10% agrivoltaics, carbon emissions can be decreased by 85%, which is higher than the country's official target. This is the first study that provides a technically feasible picture of the large-scale integration of agrivoltaics into the Philippines' power sector. • First study of the large-scale application of agrivoltaics in an archipelagic country such as the Philippines. • Minimizing the total power costs and decarbonization of the power grid with agrivoltaics in the rice field. • Intensifying electricity access through rural electrification. • Reducing output suppression in the power grid system by utilizing battery storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The state of the Ghana Power System reflects a story of progress, challenges, and future potential. Ghana has experienced significant milestones and achievements in its power system, including the development of major infrastructure projects such as the Akosombo Dam and initiatives to expand access to electricity. The country has also made strides in diversifying its energy mix by embracing renewable energy sources. However, challenges exist, including the need to address system reliability, aging infrastructure, financial viability, and rural electrification. The integration of emerging technologies, such as smart grid solutions, energy storage systems, and regional power interconnections, offers opportunities for a sustainable and reliable power system. Recommendations for Ghana's power sector focus on diversification, grid flexibility, infrastructure upgrades, energy efficiency, institutional strengthening, and regional cooperation. Implementing these recommendations holds the promise of building a resilient, affordable, and environmentally sustainable power system for Ghana's future. • Detailed discussion related to integration of emerging technologies, in Ghana power system presented. • Offers opportunities for a sustainable and reliable power system. • Recommendations are made for Ghana's power sector. • Recommendations hold the promise of building a resilient, affordable, and sustainable system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multi-modal energy system planning approach to support political decision makers. • Energy sector coupling enables efficient transition pathway to achieve climate goals. • Main drivers: electrification of heat and mobility sectors and use of synthetic fuels. • High impact of the electricity exchange on the operation and costs of the system. In order to reach the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, a stepwise reduction of energy related greenhouse gas emissions as well as an increase in the share of renewable energies is necessary. For a successful realization of these changes in energy supply, an integrated view of multiple energy sectors is necessary. The coupling of different energy sectors is seen as an option to achieve the climate goals in a cost-effective way. In this paper, a methodical approach for multi-modal energy system planning and technology impact evaluation is presented. A key feature of the model is a coupled consideration of the sectors electricity, heat, fuel and mobility. The modeling framework enables system planners to optimally plan future investments in a detailed transition pathway of the energy system of a country, considering politically defined climate goals. Based on these calculations, in-depth analyses of energy markets as well as electrical transmission and distribution grids can be performed using the presented optimization models. Energy demands, conversion and storage technologies in households, the Commerce, Trade and Services (CTS) area and the industry are modeled employing a bottom-up modeling approach. The results for the optimal planning of the German energy system until 2050 show that the combination of an increased share of renewable energies and the direct electrification of heat and mobility sectors together with the use of synthetic fuels are the main drivers to achieve the climate goals in a cost-efficient way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers and their energy saving behaviors make significant sense for long-run sustainability and enacting effective energy policies, particularly in the fragile eco-environment and non-developed rural area. This study investigates the rural household energy-saving behaviors and influencing factors in the loess hilly region of China by taking Qin'an county in Gansu province based on a total of 506 households by adopting the participatory farmer assessment method. Most peasant families pay close attention energy conservation in their daily lives. Most farmer households (88.74%) were conscious of energy saving in their daily lives, and consider energy saving as a self-acting behavior (68.58%) and good habit (87.94%); electricity is the main clean energy for farmers; the price of energy-saving products is the key factor for farmers, and the female and the younger householders have better performance in energy conservation. Farmers' energy-saving behaviors are negatively correlated with the altitude of their dwellings but positively correlated with the education level of householders, family size, income. We argue that continuous training on energy saving is necessary and should be tailored to local conditions and supported by the government. • A rural household survey of 506 households was conducted in the loess hilly region of China. • Female, younger, and higher education level shows positive impacts on energy saving. • Energy-saving behaviors positively correlated with income, health conditions, environmental concerns, and energy availability and prices. • The training efforts for promoting energy saving of rural households should be enhanced. • We argue that government subsidies should integrate into the promotion of energy-saving products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring household access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all the people is one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). China has achieved 100% electricity access, while the traditional solid fuels such as firewood are still widely used in its rural area. This paper, using a long-term and large micro dataset and multinomial logit model, investigates quantitatively the determinants of cooking fuel choice in rural China. The results show that in addition to the previous knowledge on household income, occupation is crucial to the cooking fuel transition. In average, if the head of household changes its occupation from farm to non-farm, the possibility of using firewood would reduce by around 14–21%. The impact of income is slightly small. A 10% increase in income may result in 0.5% of possibility of firewood use. These conclusions are robust after considering the possible energy ladders using ordered logit regressions (OLR) and generalized OLR. After controlling other factors such as income and occupation, we have not found concrete evidence on the influences of education and gender of the household head and household member numbers. To accelerate the fuel transition, in addition to increase the household income, the government should pay attention to create more non-farm work opportunities for the rural. • We use a large micro dataset covering 2 decades and 9 provinces in rural China. • We use a multinomial logit model to capture the choice on disorder fuels. • In addition to the income, occupation is crucial to the cooking fuel choice. • No evidence shows the influences of education and gender if other factors controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Most sub-Saharan African countries have low and unequal access to electricity. • Multi-objective optimisation model integrates grid and off-grid electrification. • Solar energy is the cost-minimal strategy to minimise electrification inequality. • Off-grid electrification is a crucial component of all optimal solutions in Uganda. • Uganda's current official expansion plan is infeasible and would be sub-optimal. While electricity access is lowest in developing countries, the academic literature on generation expansion planning (GEP) has been informed almost exclusively by challenges in industrialised countries. This paper presents the first multi-objective, long-term energy planning optimisation model tailored towards national power systems with little existing power infrastructure. It determines the location, type, capacity and timing of power system infrastructure additions. Specifically, three novel generalisations of standard generation planning are introduced: (1) an expansion of the demand constraints to allow for industrial and household electrification rates below 100%, (2) a minimisation of sub-national energy access inequality in conjunction with minimising system costs considering environmental constraints, and (3) an integration of distribution infrastructure, explicitly including both on-grid and off-grid electrification. Using a specifically designed solution algorithm based on the ε-constraint method, the model was successfully applied to the previously unexplored Ugandan national power system case. The results suggest that while it is cost-optimal to maintain highly unequal sub-national access patterns to meet Uganda's official 80% electrification target in 2040, equal access rates across all districts can be achieved by increasing discounted system cost by only 3%. High optimal shares of locationally flexible on-grid and off-grid solar energy enable cheap sub-national shifts of generation capapcity. This paper strongly challenges the Ugandan government's nuclear energy and largely grid-based electrification expansion plans. Instead, it calls for solar concentrated power as a baseload option in the future and a focus on off-grid electrification which the model selects for the majority of household connections in 2040, even in a high-demand scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• China LEAP model used to assess multi-sector decarbonization strategies to 2050. • Energy, CO 2 impacts of accelerated electrification and renewables are assessed. • 2025 CO 2 peak feasible under 4 strategies, peak levels vary from 10.2 to 10.7 GtCO 2. • Faster electrification's CO 2 impact depend on pace of power sector decarbonization. • Demand-side renewable has similar CO 2 reduction impact as power decarbonization. Energy efficiency has played an important role in helping China achieve its domestic and international energy and climate change mitigation targets, but more significant near-term actions to decarbonize are needed to help China and the world meet the Paris Agreement goals. Accelerating electrification and maximizing supply-side and demand-side renewable adoption are two recent strategies being considered in China, but few bottom-up modeling studies have evaluated the potential near-term impacts of these strategies across multiple sectors. To fill this research gap, we use a bottom-up national end-use model that integrates energy supply and demand systems and conduct scenario analysis to evaluate even lower CO 2 emissions strategies and subsequent pathways for China to go beyond cost-effective efficiency and fuel switching. We find that maximizing non-conventional electric and renewable technologies can help China peak its national CO 2 emissions as early as 2025, with significant additional CO 2 emission reductions on the order of 7 Gt CO 2 annually by 2050. Beyond potential CO 2 reductions from power sector decarbonization, significant potential lies in fossil fuel displaced by renewable heat in industry. These results suggest accelerating the utilization of non-conventional electric and renewable technologies present additional CO 2 reduction opportunities for China, but new policies and strategies are needed to change technology choices in the demand sectors. Managing the pace of electrification in tandem with the pace of decarbonization of the power sector will also be crucial to achieving CO 2 reductions from the power sector in a scenario of increased electrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The energy conversion chain in a photovoltaic water pumping system was modelled. • Water collection by the inhabitants was included as a model input. • The model was validated by using data acquired on a system in rural Africa. • The accuracy of the model is higher than 95% when using local climatic data. • Accuracy drops of 1–3% when replacing local climatic data by satellite ones. Abstract The low electrification rate in rural sub-Saharan Africa prevents access to energy services which are essential to improve living conditions. One of these energy services is electrified water pumping, which is particularly relevant for these areas where water access continues being a significant challenge. Pumping systems powered by photovoltaic energy have emerged as an interesting solution in off-grid areas. This article presents a model of photovoltaic water pumping system (PVWPS) for providing domestic water to off-grid rural communities. The model simulates the pumped flow rate and the water level in the storage tank from the climatic data (irradiance, ambient temperature) and the profile of water collection by the users of the system. The modelling of the different stages of the energy conversion chain and a method for identifying the unknown parameters of PVWPS are presented in this article. The model is applied to a pilot PVWPS situated in a rural village of Burkina Faso. The comparison between the measurements performed on the system and the model outputs allows to validate the model experimentally. Results indicate that the model permits to accurately simulate the water height in the tank both when climatic data from local sensors and from satellite are inputted in the model. The model could therefore be applied to other off-grid areas to perform techno-economic optimization and size new PVWPS as well as to evaluate the performances of existing PVWPS. The originalities of this work include the consideration of the water collection profile as a model input and the monitoring of a PVWPS in a rural village of Sub-Saharan Africa, an area where no continuous measurements on these systems has been performed, to the best knowledge of the authors. Further, the comparison of the impact of inputting satellite climatic data instead of measured ones on the PVWPS model accuracy is also a novel contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Energy-water supply in low-income rural communities is addressed using a multi-objective model for defining the configuration and size of the system. The considered objective functions are minimizing the total annual cost, water and land usage, CO 2 emissions and maximizing local jobs and the social opportunity associated to technological change. The multi-objective strategy meets a trade-off solution between economic, environmental and social dimensions which are integrated by subsets of objective functions. Strategies for energy-water surplus management based on batteries and pumping systems are evaluated. Conflicts between social and economic objectives are identified. As Case Study, profiles of energy and water consumption of a rural community from Mexico are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • We developed a novel framework for the optimal planning of urban renewable systems. • Systems' emissions and economic considerations are included for planning. • Impact of different load profiles on the systems' life-cycle cost is studied. • Cost-benefit analysis of integrating natural gas with urban renewables is assessed. • The developed approach is applied to a model city (Victoria, Canada). Abstract Urban electrification with renewables is a crucial strategy for achieving low-carbon and climate-resilient communities. Given the different types of power customers (e.g., residential, commercial and industrial), this work develops a systematic and straightforward framework for the optimal planning of urban solar/wind/biomass (/natural gas) systems at neighbourhood scale using the actual real-time hourly electric loads. In achieving this objective, we defined three power scenarios (i) 100% natural gas; (ii) natural gas and renewables; (iii) 100% renewables (e.g., solar/wind/biomass) and identified the hybrid systems with the least NPC for each of the three power scenarios. Our results indicate that providing per kilowatt-hour renewable electricity to the industrial sector (0.385 USD/kWh) costs 4% less than the commercial (0.399 USD/kWh) and about 5% less than the residential sector (0.418 USD/kWh) at neighbourhood scales. The more significant cost of electricity (COE) of the residential system is primarily due to the greater batteries to solar PV fractions. Also, COE of solar/wind/biomass plant showed to be three times less than the equivalent solar/wind power system. Likewise, by integrating a low-emission natural gas (NG) generator to the hybrid solar/wind/biomass plant, the system's COE reduced by 30% while resulting in close to three order-of-magnitude higher annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To address the model accuracy concerning the uncertainty and variations associated with input variables, we further conducted the sensitivity analysis of the systems' COE address the model accuracy concerning the uncertainty and variations associated with input variables by changes in the discount rate and capital cost of the PV panels and batteries. As a result, systems' COE was detected to be more sensitive to the capital cost of batteries than solar panels. This study can help decision-makers in developing more effective policies and mechanisms to support the urban hybrid renewable energy systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Myanmar has one of the lowest rural electrification rates in the world, with only approximately 16% of its rural population having access to electricity. Promoting rural electrification is considered to be the key for inclusive socioeconomic development in Myanmar. However, grid extension faces huge challenge in rural areas of Myanmar due to the low population density and electricity demand, which creates opportunities for microgrid systems. This study seeks to provide an economic comparison of various microgrid systems in order to discover the most economically efficient microgrid system for rural electrification in each district of Myanmar in different time periods. Five microgrid systems, solar microgrid (SMG), diesel microgrid (DMG), biogas microgrid (BMG), solar & diesel microgrid (SDMG) and solar & biogas microgrid (SBMG), are studied in this paper. Models of demand projection and cost estimation are established to reflect the dynamics of energy demands and system costs in different regions over time. Moreover, simulations by HOMER are carried out to demonstrate the ideal economically efficient microgrid system for each district of Myanmar in different time periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Off grid alternatives to a centralized grid are considered essential for parts of the world in which grid access has currently not reached or is unlikely to reach. However, a "one size fits all" approach to system deployment by non-profits or governments will not work. Many different models of system ownership and finance are necessary for individual systems to match their cultural and demographic context. Our work attempts to investigate collective vs. individual ownership and subsidized vs. micro-lent finance in off grid electrification of villages in Southern India. We designed and built five subsidized microgrid systems across three rural villages with the help of a local non-profit, and analyzed the social response to their implementation through qualitative interviews. We also interviewed owners of subsidized single-family systems in a different village. Overall, satisfaction and ease of deployment seemed greater with the single family systems, and a subsidization model fit into the cultural ethos of the Indian non-profits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Battery state of charge profiles are affected by the suppressed demand effect. • In small rural systems the suppressed demand effect impacts directly to reliability. • Considering the suppressed effect demand lead to more sustainable systems design. Abstract Rural electrification programs usually do not consider the impact that the increment of demand has on the reliability of off-grid photovoltaic (PV)/battery systems. Based on meteorological data and electricity consumption profiles from the highlands of Bolivian Altiplano , this paper presents a modelling and simulation framework for analysing the performance and reliability of such systems. Reliability, as loss of power supply probability (LPSP), and cost were calculated using simulated PV power output and battery state of charge profiles. The effect of increasing the suppressed demand (SD) by 20% and 50% was studied to determine how reliable and resilient the system designs are. Simulations were performed for three rural application scenarios: a household, a school, and a health centre. Results for the household and school scenarios indicate that, to overcome the SD effect, it is more cost-effective to increase the PV power rather than to increase the battery capacity. However, with an increased PV-size, the battery ageing rate would be higher since the cycles are performed at high state of charge (SOC). For the health centre application, on the other hand, an increase in battery capacity prevents the risk of electricity blackouts while increasing the energy reliability of the system. These results provide important insights for the application design of off-grid PV-battery systems in rural electrification projects, enabling a more efficient and reliable source of electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Microgrids can be a valid alternative to grid extension for rural electrification. • Advance dispatch strategies and proper system design can significantly reduce costs. • We propose a new catalog-based microgrid design optimization algorithm. • Yearly performance is assessed via a realistic Rolling Horizon simulation. • The algorithm is applied to optimal regional electrification planning. Abstract Off-grid microgrids constitute an increasingly viable alternative to grid extension for rural electrification. Thanks to significant reductions in hardware cost, energy cost for off-grid users in areas sparsely covered by the national grid has become competitive with grid-connection once infrastructural costs are accounted for. Microgrids offer advantages also from an environmental and social point of view, featuring generation systems with high renewable penetration and facilitating the involvement of local communities in development projects. To further enhance microgrids economic competitiveness, it is necessary to devise innovative control strategies and design algorithms, that can ensure an optimal operating performance at the lowest overall cost. In this paper we present a new predictive design and dispatch optimization algorithm based on Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP). The new method is compared to a previously developed heuristic methodology, applying both to the design and yearly performance estimation of local microgrids, characterized on the basis of real data relative to a sub-Saharan African region. The potential advantages of including the proposed microgrid design method in a regional electrification planning model are illustrated in a realistic case example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the potential application of hybridized energy system (i.e., PV/Wind/Diesel) with battery storage in the northern region of Bangladesh. A techno-economic feasibility of different system configurations is evaluated and an optimized system is selected using HOMER (Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable) software. The hybrid system is optimized to meet a remote stand-alone village community’s load demand of 242.56 kWh/day with a 51.52 kW peak load demand. The result of this study indicates that the optimized hybrid system consists of 73 kW PV arrays, a 57 kW Diesel generator, a 387 kWh nominal capacity battery bank, and 28 kW inverters have the minimum Cost of Energy (COE) of 0.37$/kWh and the Net Present Cost (NPC) of $357,284. The outcome also indicates that the optimized system reduces CO 2 emission by around 62% in comparison with the kerosene used in a current situation and 67% with the grid connected system. Furthermore, the Life Cycle Emissions-LCE (kg CO 2 -eq/yr) production is considerably lower in PV/Batt/ICE system than the other system configurations. However, this system has a lower Duty Factor (DF) compared to Wind/Batt/Diesel and Batt/Diesel based system. Although this system is not comparable with the grid tariff, the proposed method is economically feasible than solar micro utility system, Wind/Batt/Diesel system, and Diesel generator only system. Additionally, the article discusses the social and economic benefits of implementing the hybridized system along with their barriers and challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building and power generation decarbonization present new challenges in electric grid reliability as a result of renewable energy source intermittency and increase in grid load caused by end-use electrification. To restore reliability, grid-interactive efficient buildings can provide grid flexibility services through demand response. Reinforcement learning is well-suited for energy management in grid-interactive efficient buildings as it is able to adapt to unique building characteristics compared to rule-based control and model predictive control. Yet, factors hindering the adoption of reinforcement learning in real-world applications include its sample inefficiency during training, control security and generalizability. Here we address these challenges by proposing the MERLIN framework for the training, evaluation, deployment and transfer of control policies for distributed energy resources in grid-interactive communities for different levels of data availability. We utilize a real-world community smart meter dataset to show that while independently trained battery control policies can learn unique occupant behavior and provide up to 60% performance improvement at the district level, transfer learning provides comparable building and district level performance while reducing training costs. [Display omitted] • Tackles reinforcement learning challenges in energy management. • Up to 60% performance boost with independent battery control policies. • Transfer learning cuts training costs and maintains performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a procedure that can help address the challenge of achieving universal energy access by facilitating the process of rural electrification. Our holistic methodology enables the analysis of electrification processes and tailored for the usage of open-source data, allowing for efficient "green-field" and "brown-field" expansion planning. To apply this methodology to a non-electrified rural area, population distribution, terrain, existing infrastructure, and accessible information from public databases are necessary inputs. This methodology adopts a cluster-oriented approach and utilises multi-parameter cost surfaces to represent terrain in order to perform routing of medium-voltage (MV) and low-voltage (LV) networks for unelectrified communities. The solution from the routing algorithm is enhanced utilising advanced features such as road tracking and pole-sharing. Following the energy demand assessment of each community, both the options of interconnection to the national grid and supplying loads with standalone microgrids were evaluated and compared to define the most cost-effective solution. This study proposes a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, where the solution for each community separately, in terms of the optimal microgrids' generation portfolio and grid routing, is then used as input for an integrated optimisation to obtain a realistic and cost-effective electrification plan. The overall electrification is achieved by solving a nonconvex mixed integer linear programming (MILP) optimisation constrained by electrical parameters, considering the loading of elements and voltage drops along the lines. Finally, the procedure provides an estimate of the overall materials and costs incurred, as well as a georeferenced deployment of electrical equipment. To validate the procedure and demonstrate its feasibility, the approach was applied to the electrification plan of the Butha-Buthe region in Lesotho. The proposed tool is shared on GitHub to support the adoption of a comprehensive electrification approach. • A new MILP based integrated optimisation capable to manage electrical constraints, in charge of solving the Integrated area optimisation (previous releases of the tool were purely based on graph theory, providing sub-optimal solution and not capable of managing electrical constraints). • Novel cost surface creation: penalty factors associated to lines deployment have been refined to become closer to real life costs faced by DSOs. • Internalization of microgrid sizing process: a MILP based optimisation algorithm for hybrid microgrid sizing has been fully integrated within the procedure, avoiding the reliance on commercial external software. • LV grid routing and secondary substations siting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between solar off-grid electrification and socio-economic development of rural Sierra Leone through the lens of the Sustainable Livelihood approach. To this end, the study focuses on the level of household income, education, and fuel choices for cooking as three selected outcome variables. The empirical analysis is based on the field survey data from the recently electrified Mobai and non-electrified Pendembu - two rural communities in Kailahun district of the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. The study finds that electrification associates with a move of the household income to a higher income bracket and an increase of daily learning hours of the primary and low-secondary school-age children by 42 min a day. Furthermore, the clean electricity access in Mobai has not resulted in the replacement of carbon-intensive fuels such as firewood or charcoal with renewable electricity for cooking. This is attributed to the lack of affordability of electricity and electric stoves, and also the taste preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the nexus between electrification of the mountainous rural areas and selected indicators of socioeconomic development, such as household income, learning hours, and fuel choices in cooking behavior. The empirical investigation is based on the field survey in the recently electrified Yapshor and non-electrified Deh villages of the Rushan district of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan. The study reveals a strong positive impact of electrification of these villages on the level of household income and daily learning hours of school-age children. Getting electricity access leads to a 34–48% increase in household income and to 71–95 min of additional daily learning hours for school-age children. Furthermore, electricity access also strongly contributes to the substitution of firewood, coal, or animal manure with clean electricity for cooking. Due to individual taste preferences there is, however, still a substantial percentage of village dwellers who have not shifted to clean electricity for cooking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the trade-offs between economic and environmental performance of an autonomous energy system utilising an existing Micro hydro power plant while improving its future reliability. The analysis primarily focuses on developing sustainable alternative to excessive reliance on Diesel Gensets in fulfilling the increasing seasonal shortfall in electricity supply from standalone Micro hydros. First, a preliminary assessment is conducted using hypothetical future shortfall in electricity supply from a Micro hydro of 10%, 20% and 30%, compared to a baseline of 2% shortfall, which shows drastic increase in the environmental costs (combined human health and ecological) by as much as 400%, 900%, 1400% respectively from continued use of conventional Diesel Genset. In the next step, a ‘Micro hydro sustainability indicator’ is formulated as the ratio of environmental costs to net present costs of different hybrid options. This is estimated through a mixed assessment framework, which combines consumer engagement for understanding the current and the projected future diurnal and the seasonal electrical loads along with quantitative evaluation of the corresponding costs. Finally, a demonstration case study implements this framework at the Khun Pang micro hydropower project in Si Lanna National Park within Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand for two scenarios – Scenario 1 (circa 2016–17, annual shortfall of 4% i.e. 571 kW h); Scenario 2 (circa 2025, projected future annual shortfall of 12.5% i.e. 3904 kW h). For smaller unmet load of up to 4% in Scenario 1, Diesel Genset turns out to be the most preferred hybrid option, irrespective of whether the environmental costs were included alongside the net present costs or not. However, for an increased future load of 12.5% in Scenario 2, including the environmental costs makes the hybrid Micro hydro-PV-Diesel-Battery system cost-competitive to the Diesel only option. Considering a 25-year project lifespan, it becomes the most sustainable solution for retrofitting micro hydro facilities in ecologically sensitive locations in order to meet future shortfall in electricity supply, with improved renewable penetration of up to 97.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrification of current networks is developing to modernize and have a complete smart structure. Rural network electrification as a special part of the power grid will play a vital role in the future smart grid. However, energy management and balancing the supply and demand in rural area have created challenges for the distribution companies. In response to the mentioned challenges, the transactive energy (TE) as a new market based technology is applied to integrate the nine villages and manage the energy exchanging among them optimally. In order to evaluate the effects of TE technology on the rural network integration, three models are considered for analysis of the energy cost of each village and energy not supplied (ENS) in the presence of the renewable energy resources. First model assumed that none of the villages is equipped with renewable energy resources and all their electricity demand is fully provided by the power grid. While the renewable and non-renewable energy resources are considered for two other models. In the second model (individual mode), the villages cannot exchange energy with each other (local transaction market) and they can only connect to the power grid, but in the third model (integrated mode) the villages have an interconnected situation and may exchange energy with each other and grid under the TE management. Simulation results for the nine villages located in India are presented and evaluated. The results investigation indicated that the cost of energy and ENS are improved in the third model in comparison to other models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy management and sustainable resources are regarded as major concerns when designing hybrid energy systems. Finding an efficient framework that combines reliable design and satisfies continuous operation at minimal cost at all conditions is essential for both customers and investors. In this regard, this paper details the adoption of a creative approach using HOMER software to come up with a flexible design of a hybrid system that includes conventional and renewable energy sources. This study involves a comprehensive survey in this field, detailed techno-economic assessments, analyses of operational performance, and the evaluation of environmental aspects pertaining to the aforementioned system. It investigates all conditions that influence the system for both off-grid and on-grid connections by examining it over a typical remote Malaysian village. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted at all stages to verify the optimum design among all changes of different sell-back, power purchase, fuel prices, load growth, and other variables. Also, this study was proceeded to determine and examine the technical, economical and environmental aspects of the system. The results showed that the optimum system for both off-grid and on-grid connections consists of 300 kWp of photovoltaic (PV) modules, two diesel generators rated at 100 kW and 50 kW, a 150 kW converter and 330 kWh battery banks. The total Net Present Cost (NPC) and Cost of Energy (COE) fell within (1500000.0–2450000.0 $) and (0.151–0.233 $/kWh), respectively, for different renewable energy fraction (RF) values of (23–55.43%) and CO 2 emissions of (245284.0–570643.0 kg/Yr). Moreover, the results indicated the importance of considering all parameters prior to the implementation of any hybrid system in order to realize the proposed objectives. The study demonstrates the high capability of the proposed flexible design in meeting the loads, support continuous operation, and reduce the harmful emissions towards the environment over all conditions for both off-grid and on-grid connections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the feasibility of decentralized gasification of oil palm biomass in Indonesia to relieve its over-dependence on fossil fuel-based power generation and facilitate the electrification of its rural areas. The techno-feasibility of the gasification of oil palm biomass was first evaluated by reviewing existing literature. Subsequently, two scenarios (V1 and V2, and M1 and M2) were proposed regarding the use cases of the village and mill, respectively. The capacity of the gasification systems in the V1 and M1 scenarios are determined by the total amount of oil palm biomass available in the village and mill, respectively. The capacity of the gasification systems in the V2 and M2 scenarios is determined by the respective electricity demand of the village and mill. The global warming impact and economic feasibility (net present value (NPV) and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE)) of the proposed systems were compared with that of the current practices (diesel generator for the village use case and biomass boiler combustion for the mill use case) using life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost-benefit analysis (CBA). Under the current daily demand per household (0.4 kWh), deploying the V2 system in 10 4  villages with 500 households each could save up to 17.9 thousand tons of CO 2-eq per year compared to the current diesel-based practice. If the electricity could be fed into the national grid, the M1 system with 100% capacity factor could provide yearly GHG emissions mitigation of 5.8 × 10 4  ton CO 2-eq , relative to the current boiler combustion-based reference scenario. M1 had a positive mean NPV if the electricity could be fed into the national grid, while M2 had a positive mean NPV at the biochar price of 500 USD/ton. Under the current electricity tariff (ET) (0.11 kWh) and the biochar price of 2650 USD/ton, daily household demands of 2 and 1.8 kWh were required to reach the break-even point of the mean NPV for the V2 system for the cases of 300 and 500 households, respectively. The average LCOE of V2 is approximately one-fourth that of the reference scenario, while the average LCOE of V1 is larger than that of the reference scenario. The average LCOE of M1 decreased to around 0.06 USD/kWh for the case of a 100% capacity factor. Sensitivity analysis showed that the capital cost of gasification system and its overall electrical efficiency had the most significant effects on the NPV. Finally, practical system deployment was discussed, with consideration of policy formulation and fiscal incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the use of energy storage technologies coupled to renewable energy sources in rural electrification as a way to address the energy access challenge. Characteristic energy demanding applications will differently affect the operating conditions for off-grid renewable energy systems. This paper discusses and evaluates simulated photovoltaic power output and battery state of charge profiles, using estimated climate data and electricity load profiles for the Altiplanic highland location of Patacamaya in Bolivia to determine the loss of load probability as optimization parameter. Simulations are performed for three rural applications: household, school, and health center. Increase in battery size prevents risk of electricity blackouts while increasing the energy reliability of the system. Moreover, increase of PV module size leads to energy excess conditions for the system reducing its efficiency. The results obtained here are important for the application of off-grid PV-battery systems design in rural electrification projects, as an efficient and reliable source of electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Off-grid power systems represent one of the key solutions for rural electrification. Most of the analyses or tools already present in literature do not consider the final users' energy needs as the starting point of the process nor they consider the inherent uncertainties about loads and resources. Comprehensive stochastic procedures that look at the atypical features of rural contexts and include estimation errors into the design phase are strongly required. In this paper, we present Poli. NRG (POLItecnico di Milano - Network Robust desiGn): a novel software package for the robust design of off-grid electric power systems. Poli. NRG is composed of four blocks which separately face the different design phases: (i) the data inputs gathering block provides a methodology to collect field data as regards weather condition and load demand; (ii) the inputs processing block elaborates the inputs to obtain load and sources profiles over the entire lifetime of the plant; (iii) the system modelling and simulation block simulates different off-grid system configurations and evaluates the related techno-economic performances; (iv) the output formulation block finds the most robust design for the targeted context through specific optimization methods. After a comprehensive description of the software, we have applied it to size a PV + BESS microgrid system to supply power to a peri-urban area of Uganda. The results confirm that parameters' uncertainties deeply affect the design of the system and motivate the robust design approach proposed. Poli. NRG is devoted to map those uncertainties and provide information for decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developing countries, shortage of electricity is the main obstacle for economic and social development. In Cambodia, isolated grid diesel-based systems are used for rural electrification. However, due to the cost fluctuation and carbon dioxide emission of diesel fuel, alternative power generation scenarios are needed to consider. This paper aims to investigate the optimum scenario of a hybrid system for supplying electricity to one remote district in Cambodia. Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER) is used as a tool for techno-economic analysis. Three scenarios are considered in this study: diesel-only; diesel/PV; and diesel/PV with battery system. Results show that diesel/PV with battery is the optimum solution. This hybrid system comprises 13% of solar PV penetration with cost of electricity (COE) of $0.377/kWh. The initial capital cost and total net present cost (NPC) are $2,260,000 and $16,661,344, respectively. Furthermore, this system can reduce almost 720 tons/year of carbon dioxide if compared with conventional diesel-only scenario. Sensitivity analysis with variation of parameters such as diesel prices, component costs, real interest rates, as well as demand loads are also performed in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast-growing freight activities over the decades have become one of the major contributors to air pollution, leading to many efforts in freight decarbonization and electrification. However, the development of freight electrification is slow due to technological uncertainty, slow charging, high capital cost, etc. This paper analyzes the potential impact and benefit of heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) electrification and automation on fleet cost, infrastructure cost, the electricity grid, and environmental outcomes. In this work, we extended the vehicle electrification benefit analysis tool: Grid-Electrified Mobility (GEM) model, which had primarily been used to study light-duty passenger vehicles (LDVs), to analyze heavy-duty vehicle electrification. The extended model is derived for freight transportation electrification, and different freight electrification and automation adoption scenarios were analyzed. We find that the increased penetration of automated electric freight fleets within other types of electrified freight fleets from 1% to 99% will result in an overall cost reduction of 18.2%, fleet size reduction of 20.4%, and lower peak load reduction of 14.3%. • Current freight electrification development is limited by technical uncertainties. • A new method to quantify national impacts of electrified mobility-grid integration. • Future electrified freight fleet components charging/driving behavior simulation. • Automated electric freight will significantly reduce costs, fleet size and peak load. • Benefits of automated electric freight are achieved by smart charging/job scheduling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Improving the performance of diesel generators gives economic and environmental benefits for hybrid microgrids planning. • Better interaction among diesel generators and renewable energy for rural electrification can be achieved using cost optimisation tools. • Including biofuel blends in a cost optimisation tool allows for assessing locally produced fuels for diesel substitution. • PM 2.5 and NO X emissions influence the biofuel selection to be used within hybrid microgrids. • Cost-benefit analysis helps to determine the best microgrid system configuration, considering financial and environmental aspects. Diesel generators (diesel gensets) are widely used within microgrid (MG) and off-grid systems for rural electrification, particularly in developing countries. The sizing and selection techniques during the MG planning stage are a key for maximising cost-effectiveness and minimising environmental impacts. This becomes more important for hybrid mini-grid systems when photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation and other renewable energies are included in the system as special attention is needed to limit the genset's output power, to keep it within the recommended operating range. This paper presents a cost optimisation model, centred on the generatoŕs performance, within diesel/PV/battery MGs, for minimising the MG's operating costs and environmental impact. The model considers fuel consumption equations adapted for castor oil-diesel (COD) blends and two major pollutant emissions (NOx and PM 2.5), which are not considered in other optimisation models. The optimisation was implemented for high, medium, and low electricity demand scenarios, with eight possible system configurations, for the Lindi Region of Tanzania as it belongs to one of the five countries with the lowest electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). An economic assessment was done to compare the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) of the system configurations. The impact of the fuel price and pollutant emission costs on the fuel selection was investigated using sensitivity analysis. The results confirmed that for specific electricity demand each scenario requires a unique set of diesel generators and the selection is affected by the PV share and the battery energy storage (BES) units included. The best LCOE for the high, medium, and low electricity demand scenarios were 0.43£/kWh, 0.42£/kWh, and 0.45£/kWh, respectively. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the pollutant emission costs have a significant impact on LCOE for the different fuel choices whereas the variation of fuel prices has a minimal effect unless the diesel price increased by 100%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minigrid systems powered by solar photovoltaics and battery storage are being deployed around the world to provide basic energy access and facilitate economic development. We use a minigrid simulation and optimisation tool that we have developed to assess various minigrid options in meeting the growing electricity demand of a community in rural Uttar Pradesh, India, in terms of the reliability of the service they provide, the cost of electricity, and total greenhouse gas emissions. We assess the breakeven distance at which off-grid minigrids are favourable in comparison to extending an unreliable grid network with a minigrid backup system, both with and without a carbon price. We suggest that policy recommendations that would encourage the use of minigrids for sustainable rural development, for example allowing subsidies to be available for system expansions and minimum service reliability requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the past and current practices for rural electrification and the current trend in using off-grid microgrids to provide energy to the customers with no access to the central electricity network. The challenges correspond to the capacity expansion of off-grid microgrids including the financial and business models for establishing these technologies, the economic and reliability considerations, the environmental issues, the expansion and feasibility studies, and the uncertainties in the operation horizon were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is amongst the least developed countries in the world and has an unusual topography. About 90% of its population lives in rural areas and has little or no access to electricity. At a minimum, achieving PNG's target of 70% of the population having access to electricity means rural access rates will need to rise from 7.6% to close to 65%. The rural electricity market is very complex because the traditional model of utility based centralized grid extension cannot cover the entire population for demographic and economic reasons. Renewable Energy sources present unique opportunities for greater fuel diversity and security.In this work feasibility of hybrid electricity systems consisting of small scale Generating sets, Hydro, solar PV with and without energy storage solutions is studied. The potential of various renewable resources like Hydro, solar resource, etc.is estimated. Electric load for the basic needs of rural community including school, recreational and health centre is estimated. HOMER is used for optimization and sensitivity analysis of different hybrid systems. Considering the load profile and resource estimation, the most cost effective system is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work provides a comprehensive approach for electrification of rural areas of Kenya through taking into account both energy demand and supply sides. Toward this, a pre-fabricated composite building is assessed by defining two different levels of energy needs and calculating annual cooling and heating energy demands to keep the occupants within the comfort temperature range. Consequently, four passive cooling techniques (shading, natural ventilation, cool painting and increased thickness of interior gypsum plaster) are applied to decrease the cooling energy demand. Afterwards, a stand-alone photovoltaic (SAPV) system is designed through sizing of the main components as well as determining the optimum tilt angle and azimuth for the PV array. Finally, four PV technologies (monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si), polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe) and copper indium selenide (CIS)) were assessed for the designed SAPV system and compared in terms of environmental impact and cost and CIS demonstrated the best performance in all criteria. The results highlight a reduction of about 84% in cooling energy demand through combining all passive cooling techniques originating a house displaying passive behavior. Moreover, the SAPV system proves to be a feasible solution with significant lower cost and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in comparison with alternative solutions. The results also outline the importance of the loss of load probability ( LLP ) in designing SAPV systems indicating a sudden increase in required power of array for LLP s less than 2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of access to electricity in rural areas hinders productive activities, which in turn affects sustainable rural development. Off-grid electrification options can offer an alternative but in order to develop productive uses of electricity in off-grid area, a detailed study of livelihoods and potential areas for improvement in the value chain is required. This paper reports such a study where a livelihood baseline survey was undertaken in a cluster of five remote off-grid villages in Dhenkanal district of Odisha (India) and through a series of interviews, focused group meetings and stakeholder interactions, the study finds that value-added services can be developed through an off-grid electrification intervention. Electrification can support productive activities, thereby offering an opportunity for improved income generation and a better quality of life and a transition to cleaner energy sources. The study provides a novel value chain framework for linking off-grid projects with local livelihoods replicable across multiple geographies ensuring sustainability of these projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments around the world strive to achieve ambitious targets of incorporating considerable amounts of distributed renewable generation and combined heat and power, in response to the climate-change challenge and the need to enhance fuel diversity. The scientific interest is moving toward off-grid power generation systems, based on conventional and/or renewable sources, often coupled with storage devices, which distribute power through a local grid network. This approach, applied to increase electricity access especially in remote areas, is effective to reduce poverty, mitigate climate change and improve the resilience. In this framework, the paper presents the assessment of different renewable sources for power generation in Nepal, aimed to (i) optimize the energy fluxes, (ii) evaluate the long term energy balance by comparing productions and consumption, (iii) preliminary size a multiple input/output storage device on the basis of specific boundary conditions. The study is geographically set within the Khumbu Valley, in the central part of the Himalayan Range, East Region of Nepal, recently damaged by severe seismic events causing serious consequences on population and territory. The specific features of the reference context have been assessed from different points of view, focusing on climate data, energy consumption, and available resources. Wind potential in several spots around Namche Bazar region was estimated using CFD methods, and a customized micro wind turbine – projected by University of Perugia – has been simulated to estimate a hourly production profile. With an accurate analysis of wind data and air density effects, it is possible to test energy production potential in areas with high average wind speed. The overall productions from wind turbines and solar PV panels were coupled with household load profiles; a storage system has been preliminary sized accounting technical and logistic aspects, e.g. charge limits of lead acid batteries and portability of the components in extreme conditions. Finally the avoided emissions were quantified in order to evaluate the mitigation effects on climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]