Design and Analysis of Solar Energy Mini-Grid for Rural Electrification

Abstract

Electric power is a key driver of economic growth and prosperity. But access to electricity still remains a distant dream for majority of the population living in the remote and arid areas of developing countries mostly sub-Saharan Africa. With the growing demand for safe and reliable energy, solar as a source of energy remains the least utilized energy source in the Kenyan economy and yet one of the safest forms of energy. Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have shown their potential in rural electrification projects around the world. A solar based mini-grid is a solar PV (photovoltaic) plant with a localized distribution network to a unit village, or a cluster of villages, providing alternating current (AC). Basically it consists of solar PV modules of a certain capacity, solar inverters for converting the D.C power to AC power, housing for the battery bank and plant control systems.