Technical Standards for Nano/Mini-grid Development in Mozambique
Technical and Service Quality Standard
The development of mini-grids must follow specific standards in different areas: electrical design, safety, technology, and energy storage (if existing).
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) created a code of requirements for electrical design in an international level. IEC’s technical standard for mini-grids are defined in a series of documents: IEC Technical Specification Series 62257. IEC’s Technical Committee (TC) 8 offers specifications for rural electrification[1]. While this technical standard covers over 20 countries, Mozambique is currently not a participating country of this standard.
Depending on the renewable energy source powering the mini-grid a different technology standard will be needed. These standards tend to adhere to local agreements within the county by their national standardisation institution. In Mozambique, the institution that fulfils said role is the Instituto Nacional de Normalização e Qualidade (INNOQ). INNOQ is recognised by the International Organization for Standarization (ISO)[2], however it does not have a specific standard for mini-grids. In fact, Mozambique has a national grid code but there are no standards for mini-grids. The standards for mini-grids are an intended part of the SEFA grant and are already mentioned in the new Regulation for Energy Access in Off-grid Areas as part of the requirements to get a concession.
As a guideline for what the standards should cover, the regulation states that the development, operation and management of mini-grids shall comply, among others, with the applicable technical and safety standards on:
- construction and implementation of mini-grid infrastructure and production facilities
- construction and implementation of mini-grid distribution networks;
- operation and maintenance of mini-grids;
- frequency, voltage and harmonic variations;
- number and duration of power supply interruptions;
- current or future interconnection to the national grid
In terms of service quality and commercial relation standards for end consumers, the regulation states that the operation and management of mini-grids shall comply with the following:
- Obligation to connect final consumers to the mini-grid within the concession area and according to the operating plan;
- Model contract to be signed
- Connection processes and deadlines;
- Energy metering and billing;
- Model bill, billing deadlines, delivery of bill and cases of non-payment
- Invoice model, invoicing deadlines, delivery of invoice and cases of non-payment;
- Suspension of supply; and
- Complaint procedure and duty of information
Further details about the standards are not specified in the regulation[3].
In terms of connectivity to the national grid, mini-grid projects need to adhere to the technical standards of the National Grid Electricity Code as stated in the Ministerial Decree Nr. 184/2014[4].
Programmes like BRILHO are referring to international framework such as the US Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) QA Framework.[5]
Further Information
References
- ↑ IEC - TC 8 Dashboard> Scope’, accessed 10 August 2021, https://www.iec.ch/dyn/www/f?p=103:7:404603576950327::::FSP_ORG_ID,FSP_LANG_ID:1240,25.
- ↑ ‘INNOQ’, ISO, accessed 10 August 2021, https://www.iso.org/cms/render/live/en/sites/isoorg/contents/data/member/00/19/1978.html.
- ↑ Decreto-NÂo-93-2021-de-10-de-Dezembro-de-2021-Aprova-o-Regulamento-de-Acesso-Ã-Energia-Nas-Zonas-Fora-Da-Rede.Pdf’.
- ↑ ‘Mozambique – GET.Invest’. Accessed 31 May 2021. https://www.get-invest.eu/market-information/mozambique/.
- ↑ BRILHO, ‘BRILHO: Guidelines for Applicants - MDF, Call for Expressions of Interest’, 2021, https://brilhomoz.com/assets/documents/HD_BRILHO_Booklet_EN_A4_Digital.pdf.
