Transition to Renewable Energies Through Mini-grids - Discussion

Providing Access to Clean, Reliable and Affordable Power to the Poor in Bihar (India) Through Solar Microgrid Networks

1. The allowed consumption is 15 watts per household, is it possible to increase the demand?
It is allowed to increase it to 30 Watts
2. How did you identify the village? How can you assess the residents willingness to adopt solar minigrids? What is the cost per unit of electricity?
In this context, village means a town that does not have electricity. We can assist such villages by providing access to electricty, which costs 55 Rupee per kilowatt hour (kWh). The payback period of this project is around 3 years.
3. How do you manage the various stakeholders of the systems?
The systems are owned by the compnay itself. With the henlp of NGOs, companies can build, operate and transfer.
4. Is it possible for the community to manage the systems?
At the moment it is not because they need the authority. It is our intention to give them that in the near future.
5. Are you paying the NGOs involved?
We do not pay the NGOs, but part of the fees collecetd by them are shared.
6. Does your company have issues with gender?
No. In fact one of the operators is a woman.
7. How do you see the rule of the private sector?
At present the government is doing th eprojects, but in future the private sector should be more involved.
8. In the process of distribution, how do you manage the waste of energy?
No energy is wasted as it is decentralised.
9. Why is the cost per unit of electricty very high?
This is because it includes pulps and lightings in the sot of the solar system.
10. How do you see you company in the future?
Our long term vision is for scaling and we expect to grow.
11. What do you see as the key requirement towards transitioning to renewable energy?
The main requirements are regulation and policy.
12. Do microenergy systems work better?
Yes, because there are fewer losses in the case of smaller populations.
Interconnected Mini-grids for Rural Energy Transition - A Case Study of Nepal 1. What do you regard to be the key requirement to transition to renewable energy?
Regulation and policy.
2. If the use of individual renewable energy systems is reliable, why has the use not expanded?
To date in Nepal only small projects have been undertaken and are set to expand later.
3. Who owns the assets?
The community.
4. In the new project, which will take place in Nepal, will the new villages be electrified by new installations or will old mini-grids be connected together?
No new installations will be made. Rather, we will try to connect all the systems together. The 6 new projects are near to each other which will balance the power in the grid.
5. Do you use smart management?
We do not use that at the moment, but we may do so in the future.
6. Do the micro energy systems work better?
Yes, because the houses are separated, thus the voltage would drop if we were not using micro energy systems.
7. What is the most pressing question you look forward to answering?
What are the technical impacts of the new project!
Geographic analysis of isolated diesel mini-grids for the implementation of renewable energies – A case study of Tanzania 1. Why do you do analysis although it is owned by the government?
Because the situation is not the same in all countries
2. Is there hybrid mini grid
Yes, they are private. Non from TANESCO (
3. What does the generation cost include?
Capital Investment and Operation and Maintenance Cost
4. Is there are subsidies of diesel in Tanzania?
Yes, around 6%
5. What is the efficiency of the used diesel mini-grid generators?
No details.
6. What is the size of the used Diesel generators?
250kW, for 100000 people, and there are some Mega watts.
7. What do you regard to be the key requirement for transitioning to renewable energy?
Regulation and policy.
8What is the most recent question you look forward to know?
The output of the study can be used by micro energy companies.
9. What happens to the data from the mini-grids?
Any company wants to target Tanzania, and then they can contact TANESCO.