Rural Electrification With Hybrid Power Systems Based on Renewables - Technical System Configurations From the Point of View of the European Industry
Creators: name: Llamas, P.
name: Wollny, M.
name: Tapanlis, S.
Publisher: name: WIP-Munich
Year: 2008
Subjects: PV Systems
Off-grid Applications

description: 23rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, 1-5 September 2008, Valencia, Spain; 3353-3356
description: Aim of this paper is the presentation of the work and the services of the Alliance for Rural Electrification and introduction of standardised system configuration concepts for the rural electrification by Hybrid Systems based on renewable energy sources. The Alliance of Rural Electrification (ARE) was founded in 2006 in response to the need to provide sustainable electricity to the developing world, and to facilitate the involvement of its members in the emerging rural energy markets. The greatest strength of ARE is its robust industry-based approach, coupled with the ability to combine different renewable energy sources in order to provide more efficient and reliable solutions for rural electrification. ARE´s main objectives are to: Increase awareness of the potential of renewable energy in the fight against climate
change and poverty; Accelerate the deployment and use of renewable energy technologies within developing countries; Generate financial resources for rural electrification; Promote and support the development of healthy
decentralized energy markets. ARE is developing a number of communication tools and materials to carry out these objectives, including the creation of different Working Groups to assess the services and technologies currently supplied to rural areas; to support the creation of suitable financing instruments, adapted to these technologies and to push forward the off grid markets for rural electrification. Autonomous decentralized (off grid) rural electrification -based on the generation of renewable energy power on site through the installation of stand alone power systems in rural households-, and the set up of electricity distribution mini-grids -fed by RES or mixed systems-, have been proven capable of delivering high quality and reliable electricity for lighting, communication, water supply and motive power, among others. Off-Grid renewable energy
technologies satisfy energy demand directly and avoid the need for long distribution infrastructures. A combination of different but complementary energy generation systems based on renewable energies or mixed (RES- with a backup of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)/diesel/gasoline genset), is known as a hybrid power system. Hybrid systems capture the best features of each energy resource and can provide “grid-quality” electricity, with a power range from one kilowatt up to several hundred kilowatts. They can be developed as new integrated designs within small electricity distribution systems (Mini-Grids) and can also be retrofitted in diesel based power systems. Hybrid systems can provide a steady community-level electricity service, such as village electrification, offering also the possibility to be upgraded through grid connection in the future. Furthermore, due to their high levels of efficiency, reliability and long term performance, these systems can also be used as an effective backup solution to the public grid in case of blackouts or weak grids, and for professional energy solutions, such as telecommunication stations or emergency rooms at hospitals.