Development of a DC Microgrid with Decentralized Production and Storage: From the Lab to Field Deployment in Rural Africa

Development of a DC Microgrid with Decentralized Production and Storage: From the Lab to Field Deployment in Rural Africa

The rural electrification of Sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia is crucial to end the energy poverty in which around 1 billion people are trapped. Swarm electrification, i.e., the progressive building of decentralized and decarbonized electric infrastructure in a bottom-up manner, tackles rural...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energies (Basel) Vol. 15; no. 18; p. 6727
Main Authors: Richard, Lucas, Boudinet, Cédric, Ranaivoson, Sanda A., Rabarivao, Jean Origio, Befeno, Archille Elia, Frey, David, Alvarez-Hérault, Marie-Cécile, Raison, Bertrand, Saincy, Nicolas
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Basel MDPI AG 01-09-2022
MDPI
Subjects:
Algorithms
Collaboration
communication-free control
Control algorithms
Control theory
Costs
decentralized control
Developing countries
Distributed generation
Economic development
Electric power
Electricity
Electrification
End users
Energy
Energy poverty
Engineering Sciences
field deployment
Households
Informal economy
LDCs
microgrid
Poverty
Rural areas
Rural electrification
Simulation
Software
Solar energy
Solar panels
Sustainability
Sustainable development
swarm electrification
Technology assessment
Madagascar
Sub-Saharan Africa
Africa
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Summary:The rural electrification of Sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia is crucial to end the energy poverty in which around 1 billion people are trapped. Swarm electrification, i.e., the progressive building of decentralized and decarbonized electric infrastructure in a bottom-up manner, tackles rural electrification challenges by quickly providing modern and reliable electricity services to unelectrified communities while fostering local socio-economic development. This paper follows the technological approach of this electrification model and presents the development of a DC microgrid with decentralized production and storage suitable for rural electrification. This DC microgrid aims at interconnecting nanogrids, small collective autonomous power units composed of a solar panel and a lead–acid battery for 4 to 6 households, to increase the electrical services brought to the community and enhance the economic sustainability of this rural electrification model. The design of the proposed microgrid as well as its control algorithm are thoroughly addressed and tested from software simulations and experimental testing to field deployment in Madagascar. Extensive software, experimental and field-tests results are illustrated, and the microgrid design feedback is given. This paper overall validates the proper operation of the proposed microgrid, confirming the technical feasibility of the swarm electrification approach.
ISSN:1996-1073
1996-1073
DOI:10.3390/en15186727