A simulation-based evaluation of the benefits and barriers to interconnected solar home systems in East Africa

Soltowski, Bartosz and Bowes, Jonathan and Strachan, Scott and Anaya-Lara, Olimpo (2018) A simulation-based evaluation of the benefits and barriers to interconnected solar home systems in East Africa. In: IEEE PES Power Africa Conference 2018, 2018-06-26 - 2018-06-29. (https://doi.org/10.1109/PowerAfrica.2018.8521058)

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Abstract

This paper outlines the relative advantages and disadvantages of interconnecting Solar Home Systems (SHSs) to form micro-grids. Real world remote monitoring data from a number of SHSs operated by BBOXX in Rwanda is analyzed and it is shown that significant demand diversity and differing patterns of energy use exist in SHSs. Significant variation in daily demand, is demonstrated for identical SHSs from 0-10 Wh/day up to 110 Wh/day. Around 65% of generated energy is currently unused and could be utilised to connect new customers and increase the demand of existing customers if systems were interconnected.

ORCID iDs

Soltowski, Bartosz, Bowes, Jonathan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8425-0941, Strachan, Scott ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2690-496X and Anaya-Lara, Olimpo ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5250-5877;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)