The shortage of electricity in Nigeria creates a huge gap between demand and supply, making individuals and organizations look for alternatives to obtain regular supply of power. The objective of this study was divided into two parts. First identify the barriers and drivers of the adoption of solar PV systems among home owners and organisations in Rivers State Nigeria. Second, identify the challenges faced by the suppliers of this product for small and large scale suppliers. In order to achieve the objectives of this study, a qualitative research approach was used to carry out the study. A loosely-structured interview and a well-structured interview were used as the method. Findings from this study suggest that the need for a regular power supply was enough to motivate residential adopters to purchase and install solar PVC's and sustainability was a sufficient driver to encourage adoption among organizations interviewed in this study. On the other hand, inadequate policies to encourage subsidies, high cost, difficulty to access finances, high interest rates 20%-22% and short period of payback (3years) for loans involving renewable technology were identified as barriers among residential adopters. Lack of implementation of policies for example, double standard shown by custom officials at ports against the zero tax on importation of renewable energy products set by the government, low level of awareness among the public and lack of organized co-oprative group which provides advisory information to potential adopters were among the barriers identified within this study from interviews conducted with suppliers of solar PV systems.

Germany is to undertake a speedy phase-out of nuclear energy and at the same time move into the age of renewable energy. The policy basis for the transformation of the electricity system is the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). The aim of this report is to investigate the transformation of the German electricity system: popularly called the Energiewende. The report will introduce and analyze the Renewable Energy Sources Act as a policy instrument, and how the electricity grid needs to be developed in order to handle the increasing shares of electricity from renewable sources. The history, main regulations, and the success of the EEG will be investigated. Furthermore, the ways in which the EEG needs to be revised will be given attention. The imperfections of today’s electricity grid when implementing a dominating share of renewable electricity, and ways in which Information and Communication Technology can be used in solving those imperfections will be analyzed. The basis for this thesis is a literature study. Since this is a current topic changing frequently, up-to-date research is used as the main reference. The EEG is based on a feed-in tariff system. The main concern when implementing a dominating share of renewable electricity is the fluctuation over time. It is difficult to know how much power will be produced and when. The future challenge of the electricity grid is to keep meeting demand and supply in a secure way. To succeed with the transformation, the EEG not only needs to be revised but a solution to the system stability is also necessary. The EEG is considered a successful policy instrument but what it is missing today is incentives for balancing demand and supply, energy efficiency, and technology innovation. In order to deal with fluctuating sources, the main focus when upgrading the grid should be to improve the forecasting issues. The success of making RES a significant part in electricity generation could become strong proof for the global community that an electricity system based on renewable energy sources is possible.

The Abstract The main objectives of the presented thesis - The Assessment of Environmental Impacts of Representative Renewable Energy Technologies in the Czech Republic were complex assessment of representative renewable energy technologies within different criterions, assessment of their greenhouse gas mitigation effectiveness and evaluation of usefulness of financial incentives aimed on renewable electricity in the Czech Republic in the period 2005-2010. Thereafter representative technologies were compared with nuclear and best available techniques coal-fired power plants in order to determine the best convenient electricity generating technology. Wind, photovoltaic, small hydro-electricity and geothermal power plants were appraised in particular. The thesis was based on partial analysis and meta-analysis aiming on particular aspects and the entire life cycles of the technologies was taken under consideration. The basic methodology framework of life-cycle assessment, which was useful for a comparison of different electricity-generating technologies, was applied within the thesis. The key input data were gathered via meta-analysis. The database GEMIS 4.81, reports by Energy regulatory office, European statistics office, International energy agency and Czech hydrometeorology institute were used to acquire...