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A solar PV-electrolyser-fuel cell system is proposed as a standalone power supply system at a case study site in Niamey, Niger. The load profile for the reference site is generated, and based on that, the sizing of the major system components, i.e PV system, electrolyser, and fuel cell, has been done. The system is analysed for its operational performance to ensure the reliable supply of required electricity demand throughout the year. Additionally, another system with solar PV and battery is considered solely for comparison. The technical and economic parameters are assessed and compared. The calculated levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for solar PV-electrolyser-fuel cell system is 0.12 €/kWh and for its counterpart it is 0.17 €/kWh. Two cases are considered to calculate the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH). Calculated LCOH values for the proposed system and the other system (electricity purchase case) are 8.21 €/kg and 4.78 €/kg, respectively. The levelized cost of storage only (LCOS) analysis revealed that the values for hydrogen option at 0.35 €/kWh and for battery option at 0.71 €/kWh. Based on these findings, the proposed system proves to be feasible for onsite installation. This indeed opens an alternative system configuration for rural electrification in a long run in Sub-Saharan Africa. • A university building in Niger is chosen as a reference site for system analysis. • Feasibility of replacing batteries with hydrogen-fuel cell combination is assessed. • System consists of about 150 kW solar PV, 50 kW electrolyser and 20 kW fuel cell. • LCOE, LCOH and LCOS of new system are compared with conventional PV-battery system. • Those values are about 0.17 €/kWh, 8.21 €/kg and 0.35 €/kWh respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Rural electrification is critical for socio-economic development, enhancing livelihoods, education, and productivity in rural areas. The Namibian government's Rural Electrification Programme (REP) aims to improve the socio-economic status of rural communities, many of which lack electricity access. This qualitative study uses semi-structured interviews with key informants to assess the socio-economic impacts of the REP in Namibia. Thematic analysis reveals that electrification significantly boosts productivity, income generation, healthcare, and education, yet also presents unintended challenges. For example, disparities emerge as not all residents can afford electricity, exacerbating socio-economic divides. Policy gaps, resource mobilisation, and infrastructural challenges hinder REP's full potential. This study's findings highlight the need for robust policies to ensure equitable and sustainable rural development, aligning with Namibia's Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. Further research should explore renewable energy integration and the broader impacts of rural electrification in Namibia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Electricity access is often a persistent challenge in remote rural areas of developing countries because of high costs and logistical difficulties in extending the national grid. This work will investigate optimizing a hybrid standalone renewable energy system to provide a sustainable and adequate power supply to dispersed villages in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, India. Integrating locally available renewable resources includes solar, wind, biomass, and biogas. In this work, an HSRES model will be developed using HOMER Pro software and Harris Hawk Optimization to optimize the sizing and cost of the system. The proposed HSRES model significantly reduces NPC and COE in traditional fossil fuel-based systems, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating environmental degradation. The optimized values of NPC and COE are 1,024,323 $ and 0.219 $/kWh. The HHO technique provides better results than the Homer Pro technique, as the NPC of the hybrid system is 0.25% less than that obtained in the case of the HHO technique. The work highlights the economic viability, ecological benefits, and social impacts of the HSRES model as it improves living standards and creates job opportunities, which contribute to economic growth in remote areas. It shows how the complementarity of the different renewable energy sources makes the HSRES model replicable for rural electrification worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Sub-Saharan Africa, especially its rural areas, faces significant challenges in achieving universal electrification despite its abundant renewable energy resources. The region has the highest population without access to electricity, largely due to economic, infrastructural, and geographical barriers. Energy poverty is a critical issue that hinders sustainable development and exacerbates inequalities. Namibia's sustainable energy policy aligns with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7, which aims to provide affordable and reliable modern energy access for all. The policy emphasizes mini-grids and decentralized power systems as key strategies for rural electrification. However, despite increased deployment of mini-grids, these solutions often struggle with long-term sustainability. This research explores cost-effective electrification strategies through scenario-based modeling to reduce energy poverty and expand energy access in Namibia's rural communities, focusing on the existing mini-grids in Tsumkwe and Gam. Using a comprehensive methodology that incorporates HOMER Pro for mini-grid capacity expansion and MS Excel for evaluating main-grid extensions, this study aims to identify the most feasible and economical electrification solutions. The analysis compares electricity supply, total net present cost, and the levelized cost of electricity across these systems. The findings will offer insights into addressing energy poverty in Namibia and provide recommendations for sustainable and scalable rural electrification across Sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This study provides a review of the sustainability of rural electrification projects in developing countries to identify drivers of the long-term success of these initiatives. Unlike previous studies that often separate sustainability into social, economic, and environmental dimensions, this research adopts a comprehensive approach, acknowledging the interconnectedness of these aspects. Twenty-one sustainability drivers were identified. Based on these, a framework was proposed to organize them across project phases and key activities, supporting sustainable project planning and execution. This framework enables stakeholders to integrate sustainability considerations into the design and management of rural electrification projects, facilitating strategic action across diverse areas. The findings underscore well-known sustainability drivers such as renewable energy adoption while highlighting less-researched aspects, including project monitoring and waste management. Further studies should explore these under-researched areas and examine the potential of digitalization to enhance project sustainability, particularly as rural connectivity improves in developing countries. This approach can provide insights into optimizing rural electrification projects for long-term success and resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This study demonstrates the optimal design of a hybrid renewable energy system for the electrification of a potential rural national park reserve. The objective is to evaluate the feasibility of utilising renewable energy sources (RESs) to reduce GHG emissions. The core components studied are photovoltaic solar (PV) panels, wind turbines (WTs), diesel generators (DGs), and battery banks (BBs). The research involves estimating the reserve's load profile, assessing the potentials of RESs, and designing various system configurations. Each configuration is evaluated to derive the most efficient option. For a building with an energy demand of 832,640 kWh/yr, it is found that PV-WT-BB is the best configuration which comprises of 500-kW PV, 200-kW WT, and 1424-kW BBs and contributes an annual generation of 1,821,732 kWh/year. With a net present cost of $2,206,308 for the lifetime of the project, it saves 757,162 kg/year of total GHG emissions if the reserve operated using DGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The systematic review used PRISMA guidelines to examine the impact of carbon pricing mechanisms on energy poverty and socio-economic outcomes. Furthermore, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched for articles published between 1984 and 2023. Nine key themes emerge, including sustainable urban development, renewable energy transition, and governance challenges in energy distribution. The findings underscore the implications of the mechanisms for energy security and socio-economic aspects in developing nations. These mechanisms span multiple SDGs, including SDGs 1, 2, 4, 7, and 11. These findings have several implications, among others, (i) Strategically allocating carbon pricing revenue, e.g. targeted social programmes or investments in renewable energy, can counteract adverse effects and contribute to social equity. (ii) revenue from energy-related policies can be leveraged to alleviate energy poverty through rural electrification and infrastructural development. This study contributes insights for policymakers and practitioners emphasising the interconnectedness of environmental policies with broader development objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This study explores the techno-economic feasibility of, both off-grid and on-grid, hybrid renewable energy systems for remote rural electrification in Thala City, located in the highest region of Tunisia, using wind and biomass resources. Employing Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources based on different scenarios includes grid-connected and stand-alone configurations with pumped storage hydropower and lead acid battery storage while minimizing the levelized cost of energy, the net present cost, and greenhouse gas emissions. The optimal configuration wind/biomass/pumped-hydro storage/Converter grid-connected, minimizes the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and net present cost (NPC), resulting in a cost of 501,540 US$ and LCOE of 0.042 US$/kWh. Notably, 7% of electricity is generated from olive mill waste, 69% from wind turbines, and 24% is purchased from the grid. This hybrid system emits 342 tons/year of CO2, 76% less than a grid-alone system, contributing to an annual CO2 reduction of 1000 tons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Renewable energy systems are becoming more and more popular and used these days as a result of environmental, technical, and economic concerns. The reliable and optimal economic size of the system is the primary issue with the renewable energy-based power supply system for rural electrification. A new Zebra optimization algorithm (ZOA) is used for the optimal design and to perform the techno-economic performance analysis of the renewable energy-based off-grid power supply system with the stochastic load profile of Ethiopian rural communities. The components of the power supply system are modeled, the objective function is formulated, and optimization and techno-economic analysis are performed to get the minimum total annual cost of the hybrid system with the consideration of loss of power supply probability (LPSP), stochastic load profile and solar module optimal tilt angle. Three off-grid power supply systems, such as PV-BAT, PV-WT-BAT, and WT-BAT, are proposed to evaluate the optimal configuration for the study site at various LPSP. The study's findings showed that the photovoltaic-battery (PV-BAT) system, with an optimal size of 3483.161 kW of PV, 3668 units of storage batteries (11,444.160 kWh), and 2082 kW of converter at 0.044030% LPSP, is the best configuration for electrifying the rural communities of the study site with the minimum annual total cost of 621,736.056 USD and 0.227063 $/kWh COE. It results in a 3.3% annual total cost reduction and a 1.3% unmet load (kWh/year) improvement as compared to the PV-WT-BAT system. The performance of the proposed ZOA in obtaining the optimal size of the renewable energy-based power supply system for rural communities is evaluated by comparing it with the previous studies, gray wolf optimization (GWO) and HOMER Pro software, and it was found that the proposed algorithm is best at finding the optimal size of the power supply system at the minimum annual cost. The standard deviation for ZOA and GWO, respectively, in determining the optimal configuration value for 25 runs is 14.295 and 36.360 for the PV-BAT configuration, indicating that ZOA is more reliable than GWO in determining the optimal size. Furthermore, ZOA yields a 16.76% reduction in the total net present cost when compared to the HOMER software results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Nowadays, standalone microgrids that make use of renewable energy sources have gained great interest. They provide a viable solution for rural electrification and decrease the burden on the utility grid. However, because standalone microgrids are nonlinear and time-varying, controlling and managing their energy can be difficult. A fractional-order proportional integral (FOPI) controller was proposed in this study to enhance a standalone microgrid's energy management and performance. An ultra-capacitor (UC) and a battery, called a hybrid energy storage scheme, were employed as the microgrid's energy storage system. The microgrid was primarily powered by solar and wind power. To achieve optimal performance, the FOPI's parameters were ideally generated using the gorilla troop optimization (GTO) technique. The FOPI controller's performance was contrasted with a conventional PI controller in terms of variations in load power, wind speed, and solar insolation. The microgrid was modeled and simulated using MATLAB/Simulink software R2023a 23.1. The results indicate that, in comparison to the traditional PI controller, the proposed FOPI controller significantly improved the microgrid's transient performance. The load voltage and frequency were maintained constant against the least amount of disturbance despite variations in wind speed, photovoltaic intensity, and load power. In contrast, the storage battery precisely stores and releases energy to counteract variations in wind and photovoltaic power. The outcomes validate that in the presence of the UC, the microgrid performance is improved. However, the improvement is very close to that gained when using the proposed controller without UC. Hence, the proposed controller can reduce the cost, weight, and space of the system. Moreover, a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) emulator was implemented using a C2000™ microcontroller LaunchPad™ TMS320F28379D kit (Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX, USA) to evaluate the proposed system and validate the simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

In India, energy security and electrification of rural area remains significant challenges. In addressing energy changes, solar photovoltaic (SPV) systems will play a major role, particularly in remote and rural areas. This research presents the design and performance assessment of a hybrid SPV plant integrated with battery energy storage system (BESS) at a government school within an Indian village. This hybrid SPV system is designed to utilize grid electricity when available, switch to solar power during the day when it is available, and use stored battery power at night time. The designed SPV system is of 1785 Wp, capacity coupled with a 560 Ah battery pack. The performance metrics, energy production, and storage efficiency, are analyzed using simulation data from PVsyst software. The results shows that system produces an annual energy of 2149.28 kWh/year and shows a performance ratio (PR) of 72.75% and a solar fraction (SF) of 98.31%. This proposed hybrid SPV system ensures continuous power supply, reduces dependency on the grid, and significantly lowers CO₂ emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) played a central role in delineating the Tennessee Valley as an energy region. Utilizing mapping as critical practice, this study delves into the spatial history of the region, examining how the construction of an integrated network of hydroelectric dams by the TVA underpinned a regime of techno-environmental development. By bringing together historical cartographic information and archival sources, mapping reveals how environmental, technological, and social infrastructures intertwined to create a complex geopolitical terrain. The emergent geography of the region demonstrates the TVA's belief that techno-environmental region-building could serve as a vehicle for progressive social change and provide a substitute for existing racialized political geographies. However, despite the TVA's public intentions, the benefits of development were unevenly distributed, ultimately perpetuating racial disparities and socioeconomic inequities. As our need to rethink energy infrastructure gains urgency, the map and accompanying text hope to provide reflection on the infrastructural underpinnings of the Tennessee Valley, offering potential insight for contemporary discussion on energy transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This study aims to design the best off-grid integrated renewable energy (IRE) system for the electrification of twelve villages located in the Munsyari Block of district Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand state (India). Three off-grid IRE systems consisting of a solar photovoltaic (SPV) system/micro-hydro power (MHP)/biogas generator (BGG) and various battery energy storage (BES) devices like Lead-Acid (LA), Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), and Sodium-Sulfur (NAS) have been proposed and optimized on the MATLAB to meet 8760-hour load demand. According to the simulation results, the total life cycle cost (LCC) and cost of energy (COE) of the SPV/MHP/BGG/NAS (base case) are INR 68.77 million and 16.77 INR/kWh, respectively. It offers approximately 20% and 100% lower LCCs than LA and Li-Ion battery-based IRE systems, respectively. The proposed system includes 676 SPV panels (NSPV), 648 BES devices (NBES), micro-hydro power of 25 kW capacity, biogas generator of 40 kW capacity, and power converter of 114 kW. Furthermore, the performance of the IRE system was evaluated by taking into account the load-resource associated uncertainties, and it was discovered that the LCC, COE, NSPV, NBES, and excess energy are increased by approximately 66%, 75%, 17%, 318%, and 373%, respectively, when compared to the base case. Finally, the sensitivity analysis has been conducted with the variable input parameters, such as inflation rate, discount rate, solar radiation, and dung collection efficiency. It is found that the variation in inflation rate significantly reduces the system LCC by 21.81 million INR. Whereas, variation in discount rate significantly increases the system COE by 5.72 INR/kWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Literature shows that only 56% of Kenyan households had access to electricity, with rural areas having the lowest access rate at percent. The high cost of extending the power grid to remote areas and power losses on distribution are significant challenges facing rural electrification. In addressing power accessibility problems, especially in rural areas, there is a need for tapping hydropower generation through the invention and implementation of in‐duct turbines to maximize the utilization of already existing pressurized water ducts that supply water in various parts of Kenya for hydropower generation. Makueni County is endowed with gravity‐fed water ducts with high potential for hydropower which can innovatively be produced by application of in‐duct turbines. This paper focuses on the assessment of energy needs and applications in rural areas. The research design was exploratory and experimental in nature. It was exploratory because, through an assessment, it sought to explore and identify the potential areas within the water supply lines for the production of hydropower to supply hydropower in Makueni County. It was experimental because the researcher developed (designed and fabricated) a hydro turbine for use in the production of hydropower from gravity water ducts of a diameter raging 100 mm. The research revealed that 62% (98) used solar power for lighting their homes, while 17% (28), 12% (20), and 8% (12) used lanterns, electricity, and kerosene lamps, respectively. Among the fuels assessed was firewood which was identified as the most used fuel at 89% (140). This was followed at a distance far by paraffin at 6% (9) of respondents. The households at 100% (158) identified electricity as a potential source of lighting for their household. The study recommends harnessing hydropower to enhance reach to 100% of the rural communities. The energy availability will provide opportunities for communities and institutions in rural areas to open their minds to business development and engage in income‐generating activities like the rearing of poultry and the development of light industries like the gridding of maize and other cereals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Rural electrification is a crucial step for the socio-economic development of isolated communities. Decentralized power generation, typically more favorable for renewable energies, requires an accurate analysis of the different electrification options, whose convenience depends on multiple factors. The application of Geographical Information Systems (GISs) to energy planning allows the assessment at a local level, considering the variability and demand distribution of spatial resources. This work introduces IntiGIS-local, a GIS-based model implemented in the ArcGIS environment, designed to calculate the levelized energy cost (LEC) for different electrification options. The model allows the comparison between three power generation alternatives: solar system, diesel generator set and solar–diesel hybrid system. Configurations are adjustable through input variables, with a special focus on the confrontation between individual systems and microgrids. The objective is to provide an adequate groundwork for developing a decision-making tool to assess diverse rural electrification options in future studies. The model IntiGIS-local is tested in the case study of the Guasasa community (Cuba). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

[Objective] It reveals the spatial distribution of carbon flow and the key path of carbon element transfer in Bin County, grasps the existing problems of Bin County's Production-Living-Ecological (PLE) space ecological environment, and then provides theoretical support for the future low-carbon rural planning and land-use resilience planning and management decisions in Bin County area. [Methods] Bin County was taken as an example. The overall metabolic network model of rural carbon elements' was constructed to identify and master the evolution law of the PLE spatial pattern, to quantitatively measure the characteristics of carbon sources, carbon sinks and the spatial-temporal dynamic changes of carbon elements in Bin County. [Results] (1) The predominant use of land continued to be for cultivation, while other types of land use displayed varying degrees of change, impacting the ecological environment. (2) Bin County's expanding residential areas had resulted in an initial surge, followed by a decrease in overall carbon emissions. In 2010, carbon emissions of Bin County spiked to 3.07 times of their previous levels, marking a crescendo. In 2020. the emissions of Bin County decreased by 2.25 million tons. The increase in the carbon sink was associated with the alteration in the area of the ecological space. (3) The spatial distribution of high carbon sink and source density mainly concentrated in the central and western parts of Bin County. The cultivated land production space and urban living space were the key components of carbon transfer in the two periods, respectively, and the mutual carbon transfer between the two land uses was also the dominant transfer path in different periods. [Conclusion] The spatial distribution of carbon flow and key paths of carbon element transfer in Bin County mainly concentrate in the areas with rapid urbanization process, where the ecological environment has serious problems. In the future, land use elasticity planning can promote regional sustainable development by formulating sustainable rural low-carbon emission reduction strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This paper compares the design feasibility and economic advantage of photovoltaic (PV)-diesel generator (DG)-battery, PV-wind-battery, and PV-biogas (BG)-battery hybrid systems. The objective of this study is to investigate the performance of the three hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) for sustainable electricity supply in remote areas of Afghanistan. Hybrid optimization model for multiple energy resources (HOMER) software was utilized to perform modeling, optimization, economic, sensitivity, and multi-year analysis of the hybrid systems. The findings indicates that the PV-biomass-battery hybrid system with $175,938 net present cost (NPC) and $0.29/kWh cost of energy (COE) is the most appropriate approach than the PV-DG-battery, PV-wind-battery and diesel-only system. However, the COE in optimal HRES is higher than the COE supplied by Afghanistan's national grid to the household resident in large cities, but COE in the hybrid system is about 37% lower than the cost of energy in the study area and some provinces of Afghanistan. The multi-year analysis was performed on the PV-biogas-battery hybrid system with considering a 0.8% yearly degradation of PV panels and a 2% load increase annually. The results show about an 11.2% increase in NPC and a 6.2% decrease in COE compare to the system without multi-year consideration. Moreover, the outputs from HOMER were evaluated using the Simplex algorithm. The results indicate that there were no significant variations in the results from HOMER and Simplex algorithms. Therefore, this illustrates that the simulations were consistent. The study's findings are anticipated to be helpful to stakeholders, decision-makers, and investors to achieve the goals and increase the electricity access rate in remote areas of Afghanistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This paper explores scenarios for powering rural areas in Gaita Selassie with renewable energy plants, aiming to reduce system costs by optimizing component numbers to meet energy demands. Various scenarios, such as combining solar photovoltaic (PV) with pumped hydro-energy storage (PHES), utilizing wind energy with PHES, and integrating a hybrid system of PV, wind, and PHES, have been evaluated based on diverse criteria, encompassing financial aspects and reliability. To achieve the results, meta-heuristics such as the Multiobjective Gray wolf optimization algorithm (MOGWO) and Multiobjective Grasshopper optimization algorithm (MOGOA) were applied using MATLAB software. Moreover, optimal component sizing has been investigated utilizing real-time assessment data and meteorological data from Gaita Sillasie, Ethiopia. Metaheuristic optimization techniques were employed to pinpoint the most favorable loss of power supply probability (LPSP) with the least cost of energy (COE) and total life cycle cost (TLCC) for the hybrid system, all while meeting operational requirements in various scenarios. The Multi-Objective Grey Wolf Optimization (MOGWO) technique outperformed the Multi-Objective Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm (MOGOA) in optimizing the problem, as suggested by the results. Furthermore, based on MOGWO findings, the hybrid solar PV-Wind-PHES system demonstrated the lowest COE (0.126€/kWh) and TLCC (€6,897,300), along with optimal satisfaction of the village's energy demand and LPSP value. In the PV-Wind-PHSS scenario, the TLCC and COE are 38%, 18%, 2%, and 1.5% lower than those for the Wind-PHS and PV-PHSS scenarios at LPSP 0%, according to MOGWO results. Overall, this research contributes valuable insights into the design and implementation of sustainable energy solutions for remote communities, paving the way for enhanced energy access and environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

From 1939 to 1941, the US Rural Electrification Administration conducted a nationwide educational campaign to share the benefits of electricity with rural Americans, known as the Electric Farm Equipment Show. A key part of the show was a series of appliance schools, which were run by female home economists and designed for a female audience. This article examines an appliance school organized for one REA women's club and the efforts of officials like REA chief home electrification specialist Clara O. Nale to navigate the disconnect between the official REA project, which assumed a gendered division of labor, and the real needs of the farm women they served. Through the Comanche County REA Women's Club, the article explores how REA administrators imagined that women would participate in its cooperative-led electrification efforts, women's engagement with and resistance to the REA's programming, and how technology adoption was ultimately mediated through women's priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

How are infrastructures socially appropriated? This article uses my fortuitous presence in a rural locality in eastern India as its residents discussed proposals for its complete electrification, allowing me to reflect on social negotiations around infrastructure prior to its installation. Drawing on a detailed ethnography of electrification in a West Bengal village, I illustrate the nuanced ways in which people inflect infrastructural projects with their collective ideas of what is right and good. As far as they can see, such projects are neither the unalloyed benefit that proponents celebrate nor the unmitigated evil that opponents lament. Rather, they are evaluated in relation to people's imagination of the collective good, to which such infrastructures may or may not be central. Drawing on the insights offered by my interlocutors as well as recent advances in the literature on the politics of infrastructures, this article interrogates the perspective that infrastructures advance governmental rationalities. Building on well-established insights that technological infrastructures are not socially neutral and that infrastructures are socially appropriated, disputed, and negotiated, this article demonstrates that people's engagement with infrastructures politicizes, rather than governmentalizes, them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This article analyzes the conditions under which major infrastructural investments generate electoral returns. It addresses when and how the constraints imposed by myopic voters under democracy can be overcome. We argue that sustained policy spillovers are critical to broadening the pool of beneficiaries and yielding significant returns to the incumbent in the medium to long run. We make this case by analyzing Luz para Todos (LPT)—a large-scale rural electrification scheme implemented in Brazil by the Workers' Party (PT). Leveraging the LPT's quasi-experimental allocation, we document its positive and persistent impact on the PT's vote support several years after the program started running. We then illustrate the mechanism of policy spillovers by showing the impact of the LPT on the provision of education in targeted areas. Our findings suggest that infrastructure policies are more likely to generate electoral returns when the policy provision entails spillover effects through other policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This article explores how the public might actively participate in renewable energy projects by studying the role of local and credentialed experts in the development of micro-hydro technology for self-supply (off-grid electrification) or commercialization (on-grid electrification) in Central Java, Indonesia. All of the data were gathered qualitatively, including semi-structured interviews with local experts and energy experts, as well as interviews with local entrepreneurs, private companies, government agencies, end users, and civil society groups. Other methods included document analysis, observations, and site visits. The research found that credentialed and local experts have distinct sets of expertise and roles that complement one another. This challenges the "deficit" model of public understanding of science, which often claims that energy projects fail due to a lack of policy-relevant knowledge. The expertise of locals, their financial situation, and their geographic location are all considered to be linked with the design of micro-hydro technology, which is most typically run-of-river. While micro-hydro design is often related to "decentralization," standardized expertise has emerged as a critical impediment to alternative energy commercialization. This article concludes that public participation, supported by decentralized policies, is required to drive future growth and maintain the long-term viability of micro-hydro technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Globally, rural areas suffer from less infrastructure relative to urban areas. Political and development economists have mainly attributed this disparity in infrastructure distribution to governance. The literature has sufficiently discussed the role that rural-urban infrastructure inequality plays in development outcomes such as poverty. However, not much is known about the effect of the rural-urban infrastructure gap on the environment. To contribute to knowledge and policy discussions, we investigate the impact of rural-urban energy access (in)equality on environmental degradation and the role governance plays using data from 47 sub-Saharan African countries from 2000–2020. Evidence from the heteroskedasticity-based instrumental variable regression consistent with Driscoll and Kraay's estimation revealed that bridging rural-urban energy access inequality is associated with reduction in environmental degradation. We also documented that the direct effect of the governance-related variables used is mixed. The moderation and marginal effect estimates showed that improving governance quality conditions equality in rural-urban energy access to reduce environmental degradation. From a policy perspective, these findings suggest that the implementation of rural electrification policies supported by a good governance system would play a crucial role in mitigating environmental degradation in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

European states gradually established colonial rule in Africa between the mid nineteenth century and the beginning of the First World War. Historians have assessed the infrastructure introduced during this period through the lens of colonial state-building and resource extraction. This article offers another perspective by reconstructing the early history of electrification in Lagos Colony, one of the first British colonies in West Africa, within the contexts of African agency (that is, knowledge and socio-political influence) and class. It argues that electricity was not a novelty to Africans when the government opened the first power station in 1898. The principles of electricity were already being taught in the classroom and through public lectures in the 1860s, and temporary exhibitions of electric light had been a feature of Lagos society since the 1880s. Furthermore, because of some demographic advantages, the Africans of nineteenth-century Lagos were able to shape colonial policies, including on financing electricity. Lastly, contrary to colonial African case studies in which scholars have argued that racial politics affected access to electricity, extensive primary sources affirm that a rising number of Africans in Lagos enjoyed electric lighting on the streets, at religious centres and at home from 1898. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Dependence on fossil fuel has significantly resulted in global climate change and harms the ecosystem. The process of integration of electricity production with renewable energy sources can significantly improve the economics and energy balance, especially in rural areas. The optimization of decentralized energy generation in India is done by HOMER Pro software. It performs energy balance calculations and determines the least net present cost for each system configuration. In the present study, design of hybrid renewable energy system (HRES), i.e. solar PV, wind and biomass for a rural village in North Sikkim, has been done as a case study. The village is mainly dependent on agriculture and livestock economy. Daily load consumption by 160 houses in village calculated for two distinct seasons was 262.4 kWh with a peak energy demand of 63.45 kW. The optimized simulation results gave the best possible configuration combinations made up of 1.9 kW PV array, 20 kW biogas generator, 63 strings batteries, 1.96 kW inverter and a 2.3 kW rectifier. Results for the combination showed electricity generation was mainly from biogas generator which was cost-effective and sustainable alternative to grid extension. Moreover, the most economical HRES was strongly dependent on the available energy sources at the location. In addition to this, the system has internal rate of return of 7.42% and payback period of 4.53 years. The software helps in determining feasibility of the configuration and estimates the cost of installing and operating the system over the project lifetime. This techno-economic approach is viable and will meet the power demand of 160 households of the village and is therefore recommended for future electrification projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This document collects and summarizes the existing findings in the literature of regulations applicable to grid-connected and non-gridconnected photovoltaic systems at an international level. The documentary review synthesizes the content of each standard and shows the distribution of the actual regulations in Europe and America to find similarities and areas of opportunity with the aim of being a support and reference tool for those who regulate and monitor the deployment of technologies of generation of clean energy, in training courses for installers, users and anyone starting out in the photovoltaic energy business. Also, the IEC 60364 standard and NFPA 70 standard are compared, finding that the breakdown of elements is broader in NFPA 70, while the standards NEC do not cover installations photovoltaics that uses transport properties or utilities, only micropower systems with autonomous electronic equipment. In the case of off-grid photovoltaic installations the standardization focuses on promoting sustainable energies for electrification. Even though, PPP 59061A (2017) standard by TÜV SÜD covers functionality and affinity, taking the photovoltaic system as a whole, and showing the need for new standards that meet the demands of the current market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The use of decentralized renewable energy systems will continue to play a significant role in electricity generation especially in developing countries where grid expansion to most remote areas is uneconomical. The income levels of these off-grid communities are often low, such that there is a need for the delivery of cost-effective energy solutions through optimum control and sizing of energy system components. This paper aims at minimizing the net present cost (NPC) and the levelised cost of energy (LCOE). The study presents a hybrid power system involving a hydroelectric, solar photovoltaic (PV), and battery system for a rural community in Cameroon. The optimization of the system was done using HOMER Pro and validated using a meta-heuristic algorithm known as genetic algorithm (GA). The GA approach was programmed using the MATLAB software. After the HOMER simulation, the optimal power capacity of 3 kW solar PV, 334.89 Ah battery, and 32.2 kW microhydropower was used to meet the load. The village load profile had a daily energy usage of 431.32 kWh/day and a peak power demand of 38.49 kW. The optimized results showed an NPC and LCOE of $90,469.16 and 0.0453 $/kWh, respectively. The system configuration was tested against an increase in hydropower capacity, and it was observed that increasing the hydropower capacity has the ability to significantly reduce the LCOE as well as the battery and solar PV size. A comparative analysis of the two approaches showed that the optimization using GA was more cost-effective than HOMER Pro with the least LCOE of 0.0344 $/kWh and NPC of $86,990.94 as well as a loss of power supply probability (LPSP) of 0.99%. In addition, the GA method gave more hydropower generation than HOMER Pro. This supports the fact that stochastic methods are more realistic and economically viable. They also accurately predict system operation than deterministic methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Biomass gasification has significantly advanced in terms of performance and is increasingly used in rural off-grid electricity applications. The downdraft gasifier is primarily used in biomass gasification applications, in which it functions as a reactor into which biomass and gasifying air are introduced to generate producer gas that is then used in an engine generator to produce electricity. However, the safety and stability of biomass gasification remain challenging and depend on several factors, such as the startup heating process, which can affect risks of fire, explosion, and toxic gas emissions. As the biomass gasification is associated with high temperatures and demands safety measures, its startup process should follow a rigorous procedure that ensures reliable operation and minimizes the risk of hazard issues. This study presents a gasifier startup heating process based on a proposed safety protocols hazard analysis. The study indicates that the heating temperature in startup processes has been identified as a critical factor due to its role in impacting safety. The findings indicate that the biomass gasification process has significant risks, including the potential for fire, explosion, and release of environmental emissions via multiple pathways. The methods proposed here could lead to reduced risk from the abovementioned issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Rural farms constitute a vital component of a country's agricultural landscape, traditionally reliant on energy installations known for their reliability yet notorious for their energy-intensive and inefficient characteristics. While the smart farm concept, integrating renewable energy sources and resource management technologies, has seen widespread adoption in domestic and industrial sectors, rural farms have been slower to embrace these innovations. This study presents a groundbreaking solution, deployed on a rural farm in Portugal, resulting in an impressive 83.24% reduction in energy consumption sourced from the grid. Notably, this achievement translates to a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions, aligning with the growing need for environmentally sustainable farming practices. The technical intricacies of this pioneering solution are comprehensively described and juxtaposed with other scientific case studies, offering valuable insights for replication. This initiative represents a vital first step towards the integration or combination of conventional farming with photovoltaic energy production, exemplified by agrivoltaic systems. In conclusion, this research showcases the potential for rural farms to significantly enhance energy efficiency and financial viability, thereby contributing to a more sustainable and cost-effective agricultural sector. These findings serve as a model for similar endeavors, paving the way for a greener and more economically viable future for rural farming practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Electricity is one of the essential requirements for the economic development of a country. In Ethiopia, more than half of the total population does not have access to electric power. Micro-hydropower (MHP) is one of the most feasible renewable energy options for providing reliable electricity to rural areas. However, in low-income countries such as Ethiopia, the high price of a purpose-made turbine to generate electricity from MHP resources is difficult. This paper presents the feasibility study of a pump as a turbine (PAT) for MHP applications with and without impeller blade modification. The analysis was conducted in terms of initial investment cost, the net present value, payback periods, and the cost of energy. Decreasing blade thickness, blade tip rounding, adjusting blade inlet angle, and blade grooving, then comparing the result with PAT without modification and cross-flow turbine are the modification techniques considered in this research. Based on the projected system lifetime, the equivalent cost of power for the PAT and cross-flow turbines are 0.065 and 0.100 $/kWh respectively. The cross-flow turbine's payback period is 6.04 years, which is significantly longer than the PATs payback period of 3.42 years. From the entire study, it can be concluded that the MHP coupled with PAT provides a lower payback period and cheaper power production. Whereas, impeller blade modification has no significant advantage from the economic point of view. Generally, the impeller modification cost needs to be less than or equal to 25% of the initial cost of the PAT to use the less cost advantage of the PAT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The present paper examines, based on literature review and data from Africa Energy Outlook 2019, the feasibility of adoption of renewable energy from the ocean for socioeconomic development in sub-Saharan Africa, given the enormous potential the region has for ocean-based sources of energy. The study concludes that mini tidal power plants and salt gradient power are the ocean energy sources most suitable for coastal development. It recommends a gradual reduction in subsidies of fossil fuel-based energy sources in favour of support to renewable energy, building human resources and technical capacity, the establishment of smart partnerships and mobilisation of resources for an effective promotion of ocean renewable energy. It recommends further, that community engagement is needed to assure ownership and acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Renewable energy resources are becoming more appealing as energy demand and fossil fuel costs increase. The hybridization of these resources has the potential to reduce unpredictability and intermittency while increasing efficiency. The accuracy of size optimization of hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) can be improved by using accurate weather data that can be obtained through forecasting. Thus, to increase the precision of the size optimization, hourly forecasting of global horizontal irradiation, temperature, and wind speed for one year has been performed using Gaussian process regression (GPR), Support Vector Regression, Extreme Gradient Boosting, and Decision Tree techniques. The results of all four forecasting models (FM) are then compared and revealed that the results obtained from GPR are better than those of other FM; therefore, the forecasted data for solar, wind, and temperature obtained from GPR are used for sizing the HRES. The net present cost is utilized to analyze the viability of the HRES while considering system reliability. Furthermore, recently developed optimization algorithms, namely the Colony Predation Algorithm (CPA), Tunicate Swarm Algorithm (TSA), and Aquila Optimization (AO) algorithms have been applied to the sizing of a grid-connected HRES to meet the energy needs of a remote site in the Indian province of Haryana. A comparison of CPA, AO, and TSA has been carried out and revealed that TSA offers more promising outcomes. In addition, the simulation results demonstrate a 0.42% reduction in per unit cost of energy when forecasted data has been used for size optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Geothermal resource assessment is crucial for the rural electrification of Nigeria. A comprehensive set of criteria was used to appraise promising geothermal sites in Nigeria. The evaluation of the sites was performed using the multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method and taking into account evidence of a wide range of criteria from a set of geological, geophysical, well log, environmental, remote sensing, and geochemical datasets to appraise promising geothermal sites and to add to the current debate on the needed criteria for geothermal development. To gather relevant data, various sources such as bottom-hole temperature (BHT) data from different boreholes and oil and gas wells, aeromagnetic maps, reduced-to-the-pole, magnetic, heat flow, seismic, and geothermal gradient data from aerogravity maps, Bouguer anomaly maps, earthquake epicenter maps, satellite images, and geological maps were obtained from the literature. A case study of the thirty-six states of Nigeria, including the federal capital territory, Abuja (FCT), was conducted to illustrate how these criteria would reveal the technical aspect of the geothermal energy situation. A model was developed to show that the application of a wide range of criteria to the six datasets identified and analyzed in this study reveals that the datasets complement each other and should not be used independently. It can be found from the overall suitability map that more than 20% of the study area is suitable for geothermal energy development. It can also be observed from the map that some of the promising sites in Nigeria may include but are not limited to Bauchi, FCT, Taraba, Ebonyi, Adamawa, Oyo, and Nasarawa states in Nigeria. The opportunities for the further application of the approach are discussed, including the use of the model to help policymakers decide where to invest in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This paper takes a cursory look at the problem of inadequate power supply in the rural healthcare centres of a developing country, specifically Nigeria, and proffers strategies to address this issue through the design of hybrid renewable energy systems combined with the existing unreliable grid in order to meet the healthcare load demand, thus ensuring higher reliability of available energy sources. The simulations, analysis and results presented in this paper are based on meteorological data and the load profiles of six selected locations in Nigeria, using which hybrid grid-connected systems integrating diesel, solar and wind energy sources are designed with configurations to give optimum output. The optimised design configurations in the considered case study, Ejioku, Okuru-Ama, Damare-Polo, Agbalaenyi, Kadassaka and Doso, produce very low energy costs of of 0.0791 $/kWh, 0.115 $/kWh, 0.0874 $/kWh, 0.0754 $/kWh, 0.0667 $/kWh and 0.0588 $/kWh, respectively, leveraging solar and wind energy sources which make higher percentage contributions at all sites. The load-following-dispatch strategy is adopted at all sites, ensuring that at every point in time, there is sufficient power to meet the needs of the healthcare centres. Further works on this topic could consider other strategies to optimise general energy usage on the demand side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

In 2021, Bangladesh reached 97% nation‐wide electricity access. With over 4.1 million solar home systems (SHS) installed by 60 Partner Organisations (POs) providing renewable electricity to more than 22 million rural people, SHS and microfinance have been instrumental in bridging and achieving the country's universal access goal. However, a huge gap remains in achieving the country's 100% use of renewable energy by 2050, with only 3.1% of current electricity generation accounted for by renewables. While at centralised level, governmental institutions are struggling to move past the legacy mandate of grid extension to an energy transformation paradigm at decentralised levels, rural Bangladeshi villages are already leading this transformation. Today, 100 solar peer‐to‐peer microgrids, built following the swarm electrification pathway, allow end‐users to run appliances, charge vehicles, and to trade renewable electricity for income. In this paper, we describe the organisational model of the partnership between Grameen Shakti, Bangladesh's largest PO, and climate‐tech start‐up ME SOLshare, the swarm electrification implementer. We assess, using data from the peer‐to‐peer grids, their socio‐economic and environmental impact, and their contribution to the SDG 2030 Agenda. Finally, we give an outlook towards the potential of achieving sustainable energy development through a scale‐up of the swarm electrification approach, including under a scenario of 100% national grid electrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Rural electrification is a crucial component of meeting sustainable development goals. In Pakistan, load shedding and power outages are frequent. According to the current data, Pakistan is experiencing a shortfall of power between 6000 and 6500 MW. Microgrid technology has the potential to provide a solution to this problem in an efficient and low‐cost manner. This paper proposes the development of a hybrid microgrid system (HMGS) for rural communities. For that purpose, a technological analysis of the HMGS system for rural electrification is performed. Solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind resource‐based renewable energy systems are considered in this work for the electrification of rural areas of Pakistan. A hybrid PV/wind system is designed using MATLAB software. Simulation results show that a 230‐V sinusoidal output voltage has been produced by the proposed model. The advantage of this model is that it minimizes the impact of transients and provides a sinusoidal output waveform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Rural electrification is closely linked one way or another to rural development, and enables the understanding of the complexity of social and economic development paths. The objective of this work is to analyse rural electrification in a European peripherical country like Spain throughout the twentieth century, contributing to the international debate on the issue. The article studies the territorial expansion of electricity in the Spanish countryside, tracing different phases and explaining the delay in the construction of a national network. It also analyses the relationship that arose in the long term between electrification and the evolution of the agricultural sector. The article concludes that, in the Spanish case, rural electrification played a modest role in agricultural change until the 1980s and was, to a great extent, the consequence, rather than the cause, of the modernisation of the sector to these years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This review proposes an overview of hybrid electric and full electric powertrains dedicated to greener aircraft in the "sky decarbonization" context. After having situated the state of the art and context of energy hybridization in the aviation sector, we propose the visit of several architectures for powertrain electrification, situating the potential benefits but also the main challenges to be faced to takeoff these new solutions. Then, as a first example, we consider the EU project "HASTECS" (Hybrid Aircraft: reSearch on Thermal and Electric Components and Systems) in the framework of Clean Sky 2. It relates to a series hybrid chain integrated into a regional aircraft. This energy system integrates especially power electronics and electric machines with a high degree of integration, which raises the "thermal challenge" and the need to integrate cooling devices. Through the snowball effects typical of the aviation sector, this example emphasizes how important it is to "hunt for kilos", an alternative solution consisting of eliminating the power electronics within the powertrain. This is why we propose a second example, which concerns an AC power channel without power electronics that only integrates synchronous magnet machines (generator and motor) directly coupled on an AC bus. This last architecture nevertheless raises questions in terms of stability, with one solution being to insert an auxiliary hybridization branch via battery storage. Theoretical analyses and experiments at a reduced power scale show the viability of this concept. Finally, some recommendations for future research with potential technological breakthroughs complete that review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The electrification of isolated or rural areas brings with it technical, economic, and social challenges that differentiate the operation of these networks compared to the traditional operation of large electrical power systems, such as the dependence of air or river transport on fuel for the supply of generation plants, the absence of individual measurement and the obsolete infrastructure of the distribution networks. Therefore, this paper proposes a hybrid methodology for studying a Colombian case, analyzing the development of programs for rational electricity use and energy efficiency in isolated areas. These first steps are related to the diagnosis of the current conditions of the power network, the identification of actors that can influence the regulation of the electricity service in the area, and the proposal of mechanisms that allow promoting the rational and efficient use of the electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This paper presents a framework for the electrification of an isolated rural residential area through a decentralized hybrid renewable plus diesel energy system. Solar/wind/diesel power units have been combined to supply continuous electrical power to a small isolated rural community in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The selection of the unit rates for an optimum cost -effective solution is evaluated. The framework activities include wind/solar speed/Radiation data collection via monitoring instruments on the test location and a time-based load forecasting calculation method. Based on the available data for the wind/solar attributes a control system is designed to manage the hourly synchronization of the three units. The system is tested by the MATLAB simulator with satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Pico hydropower is a versatile power source providing electricity access for the world's poorest living in isolated locations. Though on a global scale, a significant market for such pico hydro systems exists in many countries, they are not widely used because they are not easily available, and the available head is low. One solution to address these issues comprehensively is using a pump as a turbine. However, in the case of a pump as turbine, studies on the performance of pico hydro systems are generally available only for heads above 10 m. To assess the technical feasibility of pico hydro plant at very low heads (less than 6 m), experimental studies were conducted using a pump as turbine (PaT) with a modified impeller vane coupled with a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG). A power conditioner provided a stable output voltage of 220 V and a frequency of 50 Hz. The Pico hydro plant was evaluated with a test setup of a storage tank with a facility to have heads less than 6m and flow rates ranging from 6 to 9 liters per second. The results of the experiments at different heads - with and without power conditioner - are presented in tables and graphs, giving the output and efficiency of the different components of the system. Overall, it was demonstrated that this PaT could work at heads ranging from 2 to 4.5 m and at 4.5 m head with a flow rate of 7.5 l/s, the Pico hydro plant could generate a maximum power of 1.48 kW with an efficiency of 42%. The experimental setup was also used to power typical residential loads to demonstrate the effective applicability of this renewable energy resource. Overall, the results indicate the potential of Pico hydro systems that can help electrify communities to achieve SDG 7.1 using low-head hydropower resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The signal power in wireless communication systems is influenced by various factors, including the environment. These factors include path differences, operational frequency, and environmental conditions. Consequently, designing a communication system that generates a stronger signal is highly challenging. To address this, large-scale path-loss models are employed to estimate the path loss and signal power across different frequencies, distances, and environments. In this paper, we focused on the urban micro, urban macro, and rural macro environments to estimate path loss and signal power at millimeter wave frequencies. We compared the path loss and received power among different path-loss models developed by standard organizations. Simulation results indicate that the fifth-generation channel model provides enhanced path loss and signal power in urban micro environments, while the third-generation partnership project model performs well in urban macro and rural macro environments when compared to other path-loss models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

• A method for analyzing the triboelectrification process of plastics are proposed. • Effects of initial charge on the triboelectrification are experimentally analyzed. • The initial charge was first released into the control volume for some cases. Plastic recycling is one of the most economical and environment-friendly solutions for effective plastic waste management. Triboelectric separation is one of beneficial methods to accomplish this. A method and device capable of analyzing the triboelectrification of materials with specific initial charges are proposed in this study. The process of triboelectrification is experimentally analyzed for various initial-charge conditions using the proposed method and device. The triboelectrification process can be divided into two groups depending on the initial-charge conditions. For the specific initial conditions, termed Group 2 in this work, it is observed that the initial charge of one material is first released into the control volume, following which the two materials exchange charges, unlike in the conventional triboelectrification process. This study is expected to provide valuable insights into triboelectrification analysis, thereby advancing the multistage plastic-separation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Providing electricity access to remote rural areas plays a crucial role in the socio-economic development of the rural community. The use of renewable energy sources (RES) for electrification of remote rural areas has been increased in the past two decades. The integrated renewable energy system (IRES), which embeds two or more RES, is paid great attention to satisfy the energy needs of the rural areas. In the present study, the IRES model is developed using solar, micro-hydro, biomass, biogas, and wind energy sources to meet the electricity demand of the seven un-electrified clusters of hamlets of Limkheda taluka in Dahod district of Gujarat state in India. The proposed IRES model is optimized for the lowest total net present cost (TNPC) and cost of energy (COE) of the system using artificial bee colony (ABC), grey wolf optimization (GWO), and teaching learning-based optimization (TLBO) algorithms. The optimal operational strategy has been developed to minimize the operating cost of the IRES and the optimum sizing of the system. An optimal power scheduling method with a linear programming problem (LPP) approach has been carried out in the MATLAB environment. The proposed power scheduling method effectively reduces the TNPC and COE of the IRES. Finally, the results recorded in the paper confirm that the proposed configuration together with the TLBO method offers the lowest TNPC of INR 9.5951 million and TAC of INR 1.1274 million at the estimated COE of INR 5.68 per kWh, which is comparable with respect to standardized ABC and GWO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

• Novel forecast-based charging strategy for standalone PV battery systems. • Extension of lithium-ion battery life by keeping the SOC low. • Case-study with 14 standalone PV battery systems in Nigeria. • Longer battery life and cheaper operational costs of systems. • Enabler for green rural electrification. Standalone PV battery systems have great potential to power the one billion people worldwide who lack access to electricity. Due to remoteness and poverty, durable and cheap systems are required for a broad range of applications. However, today's PV battery systems do not yet fully meet this requirement. Especially batteries still prove to be a hindrance, as they represent the most expensive and fastest-aging component in a PV battery system. This work aims to address this by prolonging battery life. For this purpose, a forecast-based charging strategy was developed. As lithium-ion batteries age slower in a low state-of-charge, the goal of the operation strategy is to only charge the battery as much as needed. The impact of the proposed charging strategy is examined in a case study using one year of historical data of 14 standalone systems in Nigeria. It was found that the proposed operation strategy could reduce the average battery state-of-charge by around 20% without causing power outages for the mini-grids. This would significantly extend the life of the battery and ultimately lead to a more durable and cheaper operation of standalone PV battery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This article discusses the book "Powering American Farms: The Overlooked Origins of Rural Electrification" by Richard F. Hirsh. The book challenges the traditional narrative that rural America received electricity as a result of the New Deal, arguing instead that private utility companies played a significant role in rural electrification. The author provides evidence to support this claim and sheds light on the relationship between private utility companies and rural America. The article also mentions the book "Growing Gardens, Building Power: Food Justice and Urban Agriculture in Brooklyn" by Justin Sean Myers, which explores the social history and contemporary work of the urban food justice movement in East New York, Brooklyn. Myers uses ethnographic research and interviews to examine how the efforts of East New York Farms! address racial, ethnic, and class inequities in the local food system. [Extracted from the article] more...