Solar Battery Charging Stations
<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CArbeiten%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CArbeiten%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CArbeiten%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style> </style> = Example ‘Energising Development’ Mali =
Mali's power grid covers only a few urban areas and more than 97 % of the rural population live without access to electricity. In order to enhance living conditions of the population photovoltaic battery charging stations were installed in seven rural municipalities as a part of the Malian Communal Electrification Programme ‘Électrifcation Communale’ (ELCOM) which is a unit of the Local Government Support Programme (‘Programme d’Appui aux Collectivités Territoriales’ (PACT))and forms an integral part of the ‘Energising Development’ (EnDev) initiative, a German-Dutch partnership.
ELCOM’s objective is to provide access to electricity in rural areas of Mali, not only by constructing SBCS for local people, but also by installing communal solar power systems for key public buildings (health centres, schools, town halls) and solar street lights.
The SBCS are property of the municipality and the operation is delegated to a private service provider who runs them on a fee-for-service basis. The fee is used to cover the maintenance and upgrade costs of the SBSC as well as the maintenance costs for the communal PV systems installed in schools, health centres and town halls.
From the beginning of 2008 until the beginning of 2009, 26 SBCS were constructed. The municipalities contributed to the expenses in cash and in kind (labour by the villagers) with an average proportion of 10 to 20 % of the initial investment costs. The remaining costs were covered by EnDev funding.
Most of the SBCS constructed have a recharge capacity of three batteries per day.
They consist of
- a building with recharge
terminal,
- six PV panels with a capacity
of 65 Wp each,
- a charge controller and
- necessary equipment such as
cables and fittings.
Some SBCS have a capacity of six batteries per day (capacity of 780 Wp (= 12 panels), two charge controllers) and one has a capacity of nine batteries. Furthermore, each SBCS has its own small PV system for lighting consisting of a 65 Wp panel, a charge controller, a battery and lamps for inside and outside. </meta></meta></meta></meta>
