Click here to register!
Design Supply Infrastructure
Introduction
The technical design of the electricity supply infrastructure is a central aspect for the successful implementation of rural electrification interventions. The WP5 toolbox will, additionally to WP4, provide a review of technical planning tools (#refer to WP4 - review of technical planning tools#) and address important complementing aspects in light of current policy momentum. The aspects include standards and testing of mini grid and stand-alone-solar (SAS) systems, open source technologies, the localization of the upstream value chain of components as well as end-of-life aspects. Firstly this section will give an overview of challenges off-grid sector entrepreneurs have to face concerning the infrastructure design, followed by guiding principles on the individual topics.
Definitions
- Define the Geographical Scope of the project
- Assess available energy resources
- Size the system
- Select the system configuration
- Design the distribution system
Challenges
The following chapter will focus on the different challenges that off-grid developers encounter during the implementation of their projects.
Lack of standardized data
Each off-grid solar project is tailor-made for specific conditions and environments. Only few companies collect data and if so, it’s mostly under a non-standard way which makes them non comparable and limits usability. An international standard for data could help data systems to act as integrated networks rather than isolated first-access electricity systems[1].
Competition of affiliated and unaffiliated products
Unaffiliated products are often less expensive than affiliated devices and therefore being regarded as more preferable for rural energy-poor households but also have a reputation for poorer quality and durability. Furthermore they tend to be sold through networks of third-party distributors, which leads to the open question of who is responsible for the products after their life-time and for the resulting e-waste. Some affiliated product companies have already been active in implementing solar waste initiatives voluntarily with the help of GOGLA. Unaffiliated devices represent the majority of products sold but are often failing to meet current regulatory quality standards and minimum warranty requirements. On the other side they tend to be easier repaired or upgraded in the informal repair markets on which energy-poor households usually rely on[2].
Limited intervention on the hardware configuration increases solar e-waste
In order to ensure high quality products and to preserve product warranties, off-grid solar products addressing consumers usually rely on design techniques that are intended to limit third-party access. This is referred to as ‘Black-boxed technologies’ which have the consequences of a limited ability to be repaired, particularly when spare parts are only hard to source locally. A poor reparability design, as well as the typically short lifespan of low quality appliances (three to four years) may lead to an increase in solar e-waste. Most connected OGS systems are distinguished by the fact that they offer comprehensive plug-and-play systems which are marketed as integrated systems that only require little technical knowledge for installation. But when it comes to the interoperability, they are limited as only specific spare parts can be used with the system. This results in a limitation of consumer choice and constraints in the establishment of second-hand markets for solar appliances[2].
Regional insecurities limit the development of mini grid sites
The expansion of mini grid sites in Nigeria and especially in the north of Nigeria suffers from an increased level of insecurities including banditry and insurgencies. Regarding impacts on logistics, operations and maintenance, the transportation of equipment and field personnel to and the quality-of-service deliveries at high-risk project sites are more challenging and lead to higher costs. As a result many areas are excluded from mini grid developers, whether the sites are viable or not. This is particularly obstructive because these areas usually have a lower level of electrification than the rest of the country[3].
Guiding Principles
Which standards need to be met?
Quality standards for SAS products in Nigeria are based on the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards and set out by the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON). SON developed quality standards under the SON Conformity Assessment Program (SONCAP) for product certifications to ensure minimum product standard conformity through the setting up of a testing lab for market quality checks and surveillance [4].
When importing goods, importers must present a Product Certificate (PC) for the clearance of their goods and a SONCAP Certificate (SC) for each consignment of regulated products issued by an international accreditation company. ACE TAF developed an importation guide for solar PV products and technologies in Nigeria which gives information on quality standards, harmonized commodity description and coding systems as well as providing guidance for the importation process of solar technologies[5].
Usage of Open-source designs
An Open source design is a design which is publicly available and can easily be reproduced, developed and maintained. This means that anyone can look at the data, documents or, in the case of a software, code and in some cases modify and distribute it. Open source can also emerge in the form of a freely accessible blueprint that other developers can adopt. In this way, systems for example mini grids can benefit from the experience of many people and continue to develop[6].
Smart grid technologies like Electronic Load Controllers (ELC) can manage off-grid systems automatically and optimize the use of renewable power. ELCs are often only available at high prices or utilize internet connections when they are not installed in form of a hardware. By using open source designs developers can reduce costs of both acquisition and maintenance. Open source makes it easier to reproduce and therefore manufacture and maintain locally, as the distributors have insights into the hardware. Furthermore the use of ELCs can have the benefit of collecting parameters like the system performance over lifetime or system efficiency, which can help to optimize the use of the system[7].
Localisation of the upstream value chain
The localisation of the upstream value chain of OGS products can create new local businesses. This is especially a benefit in rural areas as the informal sector still represents a large percentage of the economies performance. Especially in the component assembly and manufacturing sector, new jobs can be created. Other areas are: acquisition, sales and distribution, installation, technical maintenance and customer service. Localisation also offers advantages in terms of financing. The Solar Power Naija program requirements for applications include for example a certain share of locally-sourced components[8].
Currently almost all solar related products are imported. Only 10% of market demand is manufactured by two operators in Nigeria. In order to provide incentives for local production, the federal government granted solar panel manufacturing in 2017[9].
Fig.1: Relevant sectors for the localisation of the value chain[10]
Include end-of-life aspects of the infrastructure
The term end-of-life refers to the last step of the product life cycle. Different methods of dealing with a product at the end of its life must be defined. Reusing and recycling components should always be considered first before disposing.
Many solar products are not repaired or recycled or these processes are carried out in the informal sector which can lead to major environmental damage and health issues for the workers and people benefitting from them. Meanwhile an increasing number of companies are focusing on the optimization of the product life cycle, which includes a longer product life and the handling of the product at the end of the value chain. Furthermore, many companies are establishing e-waste strategies voluntarily, motivated through environmental and social aspects. An e-waste strategy can also add economic value by generating an additional source of revenue. For example, the introduction of an after-sale service can help to increase customer trust and thereby increase the return rate of the components which can then be repaired and resold. E-waste strategies may include take-back and collection systems for old appliances, second-life batteries or improved reparability[11].
Various other approaches can be taken into account for incorporating end-of-life aspects in the design of electrification measures. When selecting materials and resources, e.g. batteries, attention should be paid to durability and ease of repair (e.g. by exchanging individual components). Furthermore, customers must be offered incentives to return their old appliances and have defective appliances repaired for example in the form of a warranty. Companies should additionally create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to assist with the operational delivery of an e-waste management strategy[12].
It should be noted that most companies which are voluntarily engaging in e-waste management, are not profitable yet. However, companies can benefit from funding. The Global LEAP Awards is recognising end-of-life aspects through providing grant funding to firms which want to improve repairability, upcycle or recycle solar components[2].
Existing Tools
This section highlights tools that are relevant for the development of mini grids, SHS or both and address technical aspects and design considerations.
Mini Grid
For more tools for mini-grid practitioners, please consult the Catalogue for Mini-grid Tools.
| Name | Nigeria specific | Open source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energypedia Mini-grid Portal | No | No | The mini-grid portal provides an overview of the information available on energypedia related to mini-grids. You can look for specific topics, case studies or tools. |
| USAID Mini-Grids Support Toolkit | No | Yes | The toolkit is organized into modules, each of which presents recent learning and experience on a critical area relating to mini-grids. These modules include national policies and planning, emerging technologies, technical design, economics, financing, ownership, regulation, environmental impacts and community considerations. |
| HOMER Software | No | No | The “Hybrid Renewable and Distributed Generation System Design” (HOMER) software evaluates and compares hybrid micro grids and on-grid systems by cost effectiveness and reliability and optimizes the energy assets (sizing and operation). The software is commonly used for comparing different scenarios. |
| Green Mini-Grid Help Desk | No | Yes | The Help Desk hosted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) is providing information for mini grid developers, policymakers and regulators in sub-saharan Africa. It provides insights from the setting up of a mini grid (business) over technical design to operation and maintenance. Besides this, publications as well as training and templates to relevant topics can be found here. |
| State of the Global Mini-grids Market Report 2020 | No | Yes | The report aims to raise awareness about mini-grids, mobilizing investments in the mini-grid sector and serving as a benchmark to measure progress in the sector for decision-makers. It provides the latest updates on the global mini-grids market and highlights key trends in the industry that, together, can stand as the definitive source of information for stakeholders. |
| Mini Grid Policy Toolkit | No | Yes | This toolkit is composed by a set of Excel templates to support the calculation of cash-flows (“Financing tool”), feed-in tariffs for selling power into the main grid (“FIT-tool”), generation costs for different technologies. It can support the design of PPAs or joint ventures (“PPA tool”) and determine average tariff levels for covering the costs (“Retail tariff tool”). |
| Network Planner | No | No | Powered by machine learning and geo-spatial analysis algorithms, the Network Planner tool calculates the least cost of electrification mode to energize off-grid communities. This enables informed decisions about project implementation strategy and allows for cost comparison between implementing Mesh-grids and minigrid networks. |
| Community Energy Toolkit (COMET) | No | No | COMET is a role-playing software tool built around a representation of a mini-grid system, intended to be used as an educational and collaborative planning tool in designing a community-sized mini-grid system. The tool is designed to be used within a process that explores mini-grid planning and operational decisions. After the simulation, one can generate reports and analyse data on consumer demand and payments. Communities can develop workable solutions to challenges of managing a community-sized mini-grid, such as system sizing, tariff-setting, and demand-side management. By playing as a group, the players can also improve their understanding of energy technology, practice negotiation and consensus-building skills. |
| PV Mini-Grid Installation Dos & Dont's | No | Yes | This installation practice manual was written as a recommendation to improve and standardize the quality of existing and planned off-grid PV mini-grid installations. The publication, which is dominated by good and bad installation photos, is expected to be a lesson learned and a source of reference for stakeholders, especially in the process of installation, design, inspection, and operation and maintenance of off grid PV mini-grids. Good examples show recommendations on installation practices to avoid hazardous situations or reduce component life. The bad examples indicate which installations should be repaired and avoided in future PV mini-grid systems. |
| Mini Grid Solutions for Underserved Customers: New Insights from Nigeria and India | Yes | Yes | In many developing countries, 2 billion people endure frequent blackouts, with 1 billion facing extensive power outages annually. This study delves into the potential of under-grid mini grids as a solution. These mini grids, situated within areas served by existing distribution enterprises, offer a lifeline to communities underserved by conventional grids. Furthermore, the study investigates the challenges of weak service in peri-urban areas, often neglected by government and donor programs despite their proximity to the grid. |
Solar Home Systems (SHS)
| Name | Nigeria specific | Open source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PVPal - Solar PV System Design Toolkit | No | Yes | The toolkit provided by Green Empowerment, comprises an excel based software for designing off-grid solar systems for small scale power systems. |
| Building DC Energy Systems | No | Yes | The Open Educational Resource provided by Libre Solar is an open source hub, providing information on hardware and software for smart and renewable energy systems. Furthermore the website gives information on the layout of energy systems, component development and production for a printed circuit board (PCB), a carrier for electronic components. |
| ACE-TAF - E-Waste Guide for Stand-Alone Solar in Nigeria | Yes | Yes | The guide gives useful information and guidance about e-waste management in Nigeria. The document is addressed to governments as well as the private sector and can be served as a standard e-waste reference document for the Nigerian SAS sector. |
Both
| Name | Nigeria specific | Open source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PeopleSuN Off Grid Planning Tool | Yes | Yes | The browser-based tool for planning off-grid systems allows for both spatial optimization of an electrical grid and optimization of the design and unit commitment of the available energy converter technologies. The tool optimizes according to overall system cost reduction, considering a mix of SHS and minigrid- connected consumers. |
| PROSPECT - Open-source data platform | No | Yes | Prospect is a free, real-time, product-agnostic open source data and transaction platform. Services include the collection of real-time data as well as the analysation and visualization of them. For the analysis of performance and impact, Prospect combines customer, technical, usage, maintenance, and payment data streams. Through the built-in transaction functionality, users can be supported in their financing and subsidy disbursement. The platform is designed for small solar home systems as well as large mini grids and grid-connected networks. |
| SEforAll, AllOn - Economic model for the solar value chain | Yes | Yes | With the goal of increasing local content in the value chain of OG-appliances, SEforALL and All On developed an economic model for the simulation of the impact of key levers on indicators of the value chain including for instance product prices, created jobs and GHG-emissions. Other tools developed under the project are a supply and demand-side geospatial data platform, the analysis of strengths and weaknesses in the existing solar component value chain as well as a guide with recommendations and implementation for the localization of components. |
| Assessment of Solar PV Component Standards, Certification | Yes | Yes | The report, published by the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), assesses and appraises the standardisation, certification, and testing facilities in Nigeria for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, batteries, charge controllers, inverters, and energy meters. |
| ELC Wiki | No | Yes | Resource base for open-source technology development for Micro-Hydro Power systems. |
| GEOSIM software | No | No | GEOSIM is a geospatial rural electrification planning tool software used to create highly interactive rural electrification planning scenarios. GEOSIM selects priority projects within the targeted territory and proposes least cost electrification solutions. A wide range of renewable energy generation options is included. |
| Inensus Open-source MicroPowerManager | No | No | The software was developed by INENSUS and facilitates the entire data management for decentralized electric utilities (DEUs) within a single platform. Operators and maintainers no longer need to operate their own server, but can transfer and access their data on the platform without further IT knowledge. |
| Solar Power Europe - Operation & Maintenance: Best practice Guidelines Africa Edition | No | Yes | The document assists the reader in developing a general understanding of the subject area operation and maintenance. The guideline addresses O&M contractors as well as installers, owners, investors, financiers, monitoring tool providers, technical consultants and interested stakeholders in Sub-Saharan Africa. |
| Database on Existing Solar Companies in Sub-Saharan Africa | No | Yes | Sun-Connect News provides a comprehensive list of companies offering products or services for the decentralised renewable energy sector in Sub-Saharan Africa. The list is not exhaustive, but includes the most important companies in this sector. One can filter by city, country, and type of business. |
Case Study
Bibliography
- ↑ Ustun, T.S. et al. (2019) ‘Data Standardization for Smart Infrastructure in First-Access Electricity Systems’, Proceedings of the IEEE, 107(9), pp. 1790–1802. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1109/JPROC.2019.2929621.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Munro, P.G. et al. (2022) ‘Towards a repair research agenda for off-grid solar e-waste in the Global South’, Nature Energy [Preprint]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-022-01103-9.
- ↑ AMDA (2022) Impact of Insecurity on the Development of the Nigerian Mini Grid Sector. AFRICA MINI GRID DEVELOPERS’ ASSOCIATION Nigeria. Available at: https://africamda.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Impact-of-Insecurity-on-the-Development-of-the-Minigrid-Sector-in-Nigeria-2022.pdf.
- ↑ ACE TAF (2021) Stand-Alone Solar Investment Map Nigeria. Africa Clean Energy Technical Assistance Facility. Available at: https://www.ace-taf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Stand-Alone-Solar-Investment-Map-Nigeria.pdf.
- ↑ ACE TAF (2019) Importation Guide for Solar PV Products and Technologies in Nigeria. Nigeria: African Clean Energy (ACE) Technical Assistance Facility (TAF). Available at: https://www.ace-taf.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ACE-NIGERIAN-IMPORTATION-GUIDE_2020092801.pdf (Accessed: 5 October 2022).
- ↑ WISIONS (2021) Smart Grids for Small Grids. Available at: https://www.wisions.net/smart-grids-for-small-grids/ (Accessed: 12 October 2022).
- ↑ WISIONS (2020) How can open source design contribute to achieving SDG 7? Available at: https://www.wisions.net/how-can-open-source-design-contribute-to-achieving-sdg-7/ (Accessed: 12 October 2022).
- ↑ GOGLA (2019) Off-Grid Solar. A Growth Engine for Jobs. Available at: https://www.gogla.org/sites/default/files/resource_docs/gogla_off_grid_solar_a_growth_engine_for_jobs_web_opt.pdf.
- ↑ RVO (2021) Solar Report Nigeria. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Netherland. Available at: https://www.rvo.nl/sites/default/files/2021/06/Solar-Report-Nigeria.pdf.
- ↑ SEforALL and All On (2021) ‘Achieving Economies of Scale in the Nigerian Solar Value Chain’. Available at: https://powerlibrary.nigeriaelectricityhub.com/2021/02/22/achieving-economies-of-scale-in-the-nigerian-solar-value-chain/ (Accessed: 12 October 2022).
- ↑ Rhodes, R. (2020) Beyond e-waste: A circular approach to reducing the footprint of the off-grid solar industry, GOGLA. Available at: https://www.gogla.org/about-us/blogs/beyond-e-waste-a-circular-approach-to-reducing-the-footprint-of-the-off-grid-solar (Accessed: 6 July 2022).
- ↑ Magalini, F. et al. (2021) E-Waste Guide for Stand-Alone Solar in Nigeria. Africa Clean Energy Technical Assistance Facility (ACE TAF) and National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency of Nigeria (NESREA). Available at: https://www.ace-taf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/E-Waste-Guide-for-Stand-Alone-Solar-in-Nigeria.pdf.
