Market Assessment for Locally Manufactured PV-Wind Hybrid Systems in Malawi

Sumanik-Leary, Jon and Org, Madis and Little, Matt and Persson, Jon and Kalonga, Clement and Eales, Aran and Yona, Louis and Kaunda, Morton and Kamwendo, Maxwell and Bayani, Edgar (2016) Market Assessment for Locally Manufactured PV-Wind Hybrid Systems in Malawi. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

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Abstract

This report carried out by Wind Empowerment, Community Energy Malawi and the University of Strathclyde evaluates the viability of using locally manufactured PV-wind hybrid systems to offer access to electricity to remote communities in off-grid regions of Malawi. The methodology included learning from existing initiatives, quantifying the potential market, and mapping the energy ecosystem. The key findings of this research are that whilst many of the barriers facing Small Wind Turbines (SWT) could be overcome, the fundamental lack of wind resources in most of the country creates an insurmountable barrier. Whilst the potential for job creation, local capacity building and strengthening of the local economy are certainly strong drivers for small wind, the evidence from this study shows that the wind resource in Malawi is much more variable, and the maintenance requirements for SWTs are much higher than for PV.

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