Assessment of Renewable Energy Resource Potential for Mini-grids

Overview

Accurate estimation of renewable energy potential is a preliminary exercise for mini-grid development. While information on solar and wind resources is becoming more readily available from satellite imagery and regional meteorological stations, technologies like small hydro and biomass gasifiers require detailed resource assessments at the site. In any case, despite the readily available information about solar and wind potential it is advisable to look at all possible technologies for a particular site as hydro power and biomass gasification can be more economically attractive.

The following sections provide information and links to resources on how to carry out resource assessments for individual renewable energy technologies.

Approach for Renewable Energy Resource Assessment

The following figure provides possible ranking of technology choices based on the availability of sufficient renewable energy resources.

Hydro

In the area of hydro power GIZ has developed several guides on resource assessment. For more information:

• Hydro_scout_guide_ET_may10.pdf

Biomass

The process of biomass estimation and methodology of calculation is methodical in nature. Different Biomass estimation methodologies are used for resource estimation. Land records and crop productivity in these lands are procured from relevant revenue, forest, agriculture and research organizations. The vegetation cover, regional socioeconomic,biomass extraction processes, extraction pricing as well as management regimes may differ depending on the ownership pattern existing in the region over land as well as resources.

For more information: www.eda.admin.ch

Solar

Open data sets and maps are available at:

• SWERA: http://en.openei.org/apps/SWERA/
  
• Solar GIS: http://solargis.info/doc/free-solar-radiation-maps
  

Guidance and manuals:

• Solar Energy Resource Assessment Handbook from the UN Asia Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology: http://recap.apctt.org/Docs/SOLAR.pdf
  

Experiences on operating solar radiation resource assessment stations:

• India: http://seci.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/SolarPACES2013_SolMap_Revision_20130909_1.pdf
  

Wind

Open data sets and maps are available at:

• Department of Energy: Wind Powering America State Wind Maps:
  www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweringamerica/wind_maps.asp
  
• Renewable Energy Atlas of the West: www.energyatlas.org/
  
• National Renewable Energy Lab – In My Back Yard: www.nrel.gov/eis/imby/about.html
  

Guidance and manuals:

• Comarison of available tools: http://proceedings.ewea.org/annual2013/allfiles2/481_EWEA2013presentationfinal.pdf
  
• Montana State University E3A Programme: http://e3a4u.info/wp-content/uploads/smallwind-step3.pdf
  

Further Information

• Portal:Mini-grid