Abstract
Solar photovoltaic (PV) mini-grids are generally seen as a way to provide an affordable and sustainable energy supply to rural communities. Especially in regions with high economic growth, high energy demand, and remote areas without a grid connection like Southeast Asia , many different actors plan, build, and run PV mini-grids. Nevertheless, there are many barriers to be tackled when using PV mini-grids for rural electrification . In this chapter, we explore the opportunities in implementing PV mini-grid programmes as well as the challenges along the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability . We also present ideas on possible solutions, based on the experiences of the authors in Indonesia , as well as a literature review from PV mini-grid programmes in other countries. We conclude that the sustainability dilemma of PV mini-grids can be resolved by fulfilling the following factors: PV mini-grids projects (1) are implemented in the remote villages with clustered settlements where a main grid connection is not feasible, (2) involve the rural communities from the planning phase to the end of the project cycle and provide necessary knowledge on a continuous basis, (3) apply life cycle thinking in developing the system, (4) ensure the autonomous functioning of the system—including quality assurance of the installations and warranty for all components as well as using locally available materials wherever possible—and (5) incorporate a scenario when the national grid is available for the PV mini-grid community. This chapter is written by and addressed to practitioners by providing a comprehensive overview of the potentials and risks of using PV mini-grids.
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Notes
- 1.
All components of PV system other than the PV modules are commonly known as balance of system.
- 2.
This only accounts for the PV mini-grids developed by government agencies.
- 3.
MHP and its applications in the rural Philippines are elaborated in Chapter “Micro-hydro Power System” of this book.
- 4.
These countries are active in the network of community-based small-scale hydropower practitioners in the global south. www.hpnet.org/.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
More detailed discussion on SHS and its impact on rural communities as well as its future development are explored in Chapter “Swarm Electrification: From Solar Home Systems to the National Grid and Back Again?” of this book.
- 8.
Various solar-powered cooling technologies are discussed in detail in Chapter “Solar-Powered Cooling for the Remote Tropics” of this book.
- 9.
The Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) is a global knowledge and technical assistance programme administered by the World Bank.
- 10.
Under the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, only the state-owned national utility PLN is allowed to sell electricity to Indonesian residents.
- 11.
- 12.
Millennium Challenge Account—Indonesia (MCA-Indonesia) is a trustee institution formed by the Government of Indonesia as the implementer of the U.S. Millennium Challenge Compact Grant.
- 13.
The massive PV mini-grids programme by the Indonesian national government had ceased since 2018. PLN now has the mandate to continue the development of rural PV mini-grids.
- 14.
Calculated based on data reference in PLN Statistik 2018 [18].
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Acknowledgements
We want to thank Dr. Timothy Walsh and Katharina Telfser for their insightful feedback. Both are consultants and work in Indonesia for Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). We are also grateful for the helpful inputs from Atiek Puspa Fadhilah and Bagus Ramadhani from The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) Indonesia .
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Suryani, A., Dolle, P. (2020). The Sustainability Dilemma of Solar Photovoltaic Mini-grids for Rural Electrification. In: Gandhi, O., Srinivasan, D. (eds) Sustainable Energy Solutions for Remote Areas in the Tropics. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41952-3_5
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