Biomass and Solar PV Hybrid Minigrids for Off-Grid Farming Communities
Overview
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Innovator |
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Project |
Biomass and Solar PV Hybrid Minigrids for Off-Grid Farming Communities | |
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Collaborators |
Diamond Development Initiatives (Nigeria) | |
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Location Applied |
Rural, off-grid communities in Ghana and Nigeria that rely on solar PV systems are limited in their hours of agricultural operations and access to electricity. Diesel generators and battery back-ups are expensive to operate, so operations are limited to a single shift.[1]
Clean Energy Solution
Husk Power will install a hybrid solution that combines a biomass gasification system with a solar PV system. The biomass plant uses a proprietary downdraft gasification technology that converts abundant agricultural residue into electricity. The system will power a mini-grid that produces electricity for residential, as well as agricultural, needs. The electricity is distributed to rural households and micro-enterprises through a mini-grid system—providing a better quality, cheaper way to meet their need for energy. Agricultural uses that will be powered include irrigation pumps, agro-processing mills, and drying and heating processes. The biomass plant converts abundant agricultural residue, such as maize cobs, rice husks, coffee husks, and cotton stalks, into electricity.[1]
Impact
The hybrid plant uses a combination of solar and biomass—both abundant resources in the communities selected for installation. Agricultural operations will be able to continue processing during nighttime hours, as the biomass plant will provide power when the solar PV system is not operating.[1]
Organization
Husk Power Systems (HPS) designs, installs, and operates biomass and solar photovoltaic (PV)-based power plants. HPS has partnered with Diamond Development Initiatives (DDI) in Nigeria, and Technology Management Group (TMG) in Ghana. DDI is a not-for-profit development service provider. TMG is an electrical contracting company that provides solutions for rural and urban electrification challenges.[1]
Progress Update
By the end of the Powering Agriculture Award in September 2017, African Bamboo had concluded the lease agreement at Hawassa Industrial Park for a facility of 16,500 m2 for its factory space for the manufacture and export of its bamboo-based composite boards. It has also completed testing, pre-certification and pre-labelling of the boards and defined mechanical, electrical and utilities requirements to start production. African Bamboo also concluded long-term supply agreements for the bamboo raw materials and bulk purchase agreements for all inputs. It has signed various sales contracts, letters of intent for investment and identified 120 buyers in Europe and United States. At full-scale production, African Bamboo expects to produce 600,000 m2 per year resulting in prospective annual earnings of Euro 2.5 million to 6,000 farmers. The abdication of the use of diesel fuel - which is the wide- spread practice in Ethiopia - and its replacement by biomass residues generated during the production process will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by a certifiable amount of 16,700 tCO2e per year.[1]
Further Reading
- Powering Agriculture Portal on energypedia
- Powering Agriculture Homepage, Winners/ Innovators
- Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge for Development
- Powering Agriculture Newsletters
- Ghana Energy Situation
- Nigeria Energy Situation
- Website Husk Power Systems
- Website Diamond Development Initiatives
- Website Technology Management Group
