Why Innovation In Renewables Is Driving Electrification Worldwide for 2019 and beyond

Innovation In Renewables Is Driving Electrification Worldwide

Over 840 million people worldwide do not have reliable access to energy. The United Nations notes that this number has been reducing gradually since it launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. The UN’s 7th goal reads as: “Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”. SDG7 aims to promote electrification in developing nations, while also improving global access to renewable energy and clean technology.

All UN member states are currently working towards reaching the 17 goals set out by the SDGs, encouraging innovation as the deadline for completion approaches. New technology has opened the door for more renewable energy projects across the world, and countries across Africa are seeing radical change through the implementation of pico-solar and mini-grid installations.

Small-Scale Options

Most existing electrical infrastructure across sub-Saharan Africa relies on fossil-fuel generators and power plants, but it is not extensive enough to provide energy for all the communities across the continent, particularly those in rural areas. It is estimated that there are 600 million people living without electricity access across Africa, 100 million of whom live in major urban centers.

Faced with a growing need to supply access to clean, renewable energy, governments have invested in creating an environmentally-friendly grid that is easy to access and can be expanded if needed. As a result of these needs, mini-grids have become very popular. These small decentralized grids can run on solar, and provide electricity for local consumption, reducing the need for diesel generators and large coal-based power grids.

A steady, local supply of energy ensures not only that the community can become self-sufficient, but also improves quality of life. A mini-grid in the village of Bisanti, Nigeria is able to support 340 households as well as the community’s small businesses, the school and the local clinic. Having dependable access to energy ensures that commerce can thrive by opening for longer hours, gives clinics the opportunity to store medicines in cold storage, and provides individuals with the ability to power their fridges, phones and fans.

Global prices for solar PV solar module prices dropped 80% between 2009-2015, which has helped lead a revolution in Africa’s energy sector. Along with the implementation of batteries, mini-grids are giving governments across the continent an option for a transition away from fossil fuels while providing energy access for rural communities.

Isolated villages or smaller communities also face a more specific energy access issue: low demand. In areas where setting up a mini-grid is not economical, pico-solar installations have become a go-to. Pico-solar installations function as miniature battery packs powered by a small solar cell, they enable communities to use them to power for phone chargers, electric lamps, and small household appliances. In some cases, larger pico-solar can even be used to service larger electricity demands such as televisions and freezers.

Described as a “development that is currently unfolding at an incredible speed and yet continues to occur somewhat below the radar” by the United Nations Environment Program, pico-solar has seen widespread implementation across Sub-Saharan Africa. These projects are much smaller than mini-grids, making them cheaper to set up and maintain.

Their size makes them very cost-effective units and they are used in conjunction with popular mobile phone payment schemes that make them very cheap alternatives over diesel or kerosene power generators. Traditional stoves and kerosene lamps can cost a household more than a third of its monthly income, pico-solar reduces the cost of energy by providing clean and easily accessible power.

Global Impacts

The International Energy Agency predicts that by 2040, 70% of Africa’s rural energy supply will be supplied by mini-grids and pico-solar installations. Additionally, a study by the Global Green Growth Institute shows that a transition away from fossil-fuel generators could save 470 million metric tons of CO2 per year – the equivalent of Brazil’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. However, there are some barriers currently limiting the growth of small scale solar infrastructure. There is an inadequate regulatory framework in place to define how developments should be carried out, while a lack of business models and financing has further limited implementation of these options.

A recent report by the Powering Jobs Census has shown that the continued growth in electrification and improving global energy access would also generate job opportunities and reduce inequality. This is welcome news for the African and Asian regions who are looking to bring electricity to 840 million people. Mini-grids and pico-solar could yield the answer to “jobless growth” by providing employment opportunities in the development and maintenance of their installations.

In Kenya, decentralized energy companies already employ over 10,000 people, with that number expected to climb as the market for small-scale solar developments grows. Meanwhile, in Tanzania, the implementation of pico-solar projects in various communities has resulted in a 500% surge in local employment rates.

The 17 SDGs have been put in place to fight climate change and decrease world inequality while promoting sustainable development. Not only that, but it is also set to revolutionize how we use renewable power as a tool to improve energy efficiency and community well-being. While SDG7 focuses on global electrification, it emphasizes clean, renewable power – ensuring that access will not just benefit the 840 million people that desperately need it, but also the remainder of the world’s ever-growing population.

By Teague Egan, who is an American businessman, entrepreneur, investor, inventor, and philanthropist. He is the founder and CEO of EnergyX, a sustainable energy company focused on lithium extraction, separation, recovery, and refinery technology, as well as solid-state battery storage.

Standard Microgrid Project Engineer Admire Ncube accesses usage and performance data from the micro-grid in Ngwerere, on the outskirts of Lusaka, Zambia. REEEP/JASON MULIKITA

Despite significant progress in recent years, the world is falling short of meeting the global energy targets set in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for 2030. INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY (IRENA)

A solar home system sold by M-Kopa, a Kenyan solar energy company headquartered in Nairobi. MKOPA

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