There is growing interest in research and development activities on biomass gasification technologies as an alternative to fossil fuels technologies. However not much has been done in terms of technology transfer, particularly in under-developed and developing countries such as South Africa. This is mainly because of the lack of resources such as funding. Most parts of the under-developed and developing countries fall within rural areas and semi-urban centers, which are endowed with biomass resources. South Africa has a number of sawmill operators who generate tons of biomass waste during processing of timber; the large proportion of this is burned in furnaces as a means for waste management while a very small proportion is collected and used by people in rural areas for cooking their food. The majority of people in rural areas of South Africa are either unemployed or cannot afford the current energy services. The main aim of this research was to establish the viability of electricity generation for community economic development through biomass gasification, specifically using the locally designed System Johansson Biomass Gasifier™ (SJBG), and to establish the efficiency of the gasifier and associated components with a view of developing strategies to enhance it. The study established the technical and economic feasibility of using the SJBG to generate low-cost electricity for community empowerment. The study also developed strategies to improve the particle collection efficiency of the cyclone. In addition to this, a low-cost gas and temperature monitoring system capable of monitoring gas and temperature at various points of the gasifier was developed. The system was built from three Non- Dispersive Infrared gas sensors, one Palladium/Nickel gas sensor and four type K thermocouples. The study also investigated the impact of fuel compartment condensates on gasifier conversion efficiency. This is an area that has not yet been well researched since much has been done on energy recovery using combined heat and power applications that do not utilize the energy in condensates because these are produced in the gasifier and drained with chemical energy stored in them. The study established that the condensates do not have a significant impact on efficiency.

In a energy scenario moving fast towards the deployment of renewable energy technologies and the need of reducing CO2 emissions, hybrid energy systems for rural electrification are a feasible alternative solution to the utilization of conventional Diesel generators. The project focuses on the design and optimization of an off-grid hybrid energy system for a village of around 250 inhabitants in Gujarat, India. The energy system is part of a bigger project, “G.I.V.E. Center of Excellence”, which has an innovative concept on a more sustainable rural lifestyle. The system, which has to depend mainly on locally available resources, intends to serve three main services: electrical demand, water purification and thermal energy for cooking. Two system configurations were designed and optimized to supply the estimated demand. The main outcome is a techno-economic analysis of the different system performances, which leads to a conclusion: dealing with the services individually has lower costs of implementation, less than half if compared to the implementation of a conventional Diesel generator. Furthermore, CO2 emissions are drastically reduced. A sensitivity analysis was performed to address the different uncertainties such as the cost of the fuel. The result shows that if enough biomass resource would be available, a system based only on renewable energy technologies is economically profitable. / G.I.V.E. Scandinavia

The energy demand is increasing very rapidly all over the world. Solar energy is one renewable solution to cover the energy demand. Solar power is a universal green energy source, and we receive from the sun more than ten thousand times energy than it has needed on the earth. This report investigates the electricity generation by using solar PV panels for the given village as well as the transmission systems. The main priority of this report is to calculate the demand electricity of the village, plant design also considering the power losses. Three different scenarios to transmit the generated power to the consumers end were considered and studied. The three different cases and cases are, • Grid connection. • Micro-grid power supply system with full battery storage. • Micro-grid power supply system with partial battery storage. All three system were analyzed based on the technical specifications, power losses during transmission. The all calculation was completed by the help of different software, such as PVGIS, MS excel, different empirical formulas and previous research papers. To complete the calculation this, report also consider a few assumptions. After completing all analysis and calculations, the research outcome was showing that the microgrid power supply system with whole battery backup storage will be the better solution both technically and economically. Photovoltaic (PV) solar cell-based microgrid systems can be one of the most feasible solutions to provide electricity in rural areas. Therefore, this system can play a vital role in Bangladesh to provide electricity in rural areas. In Bangladesh, there are several positive aspects to promote the use of photovoltaics (PV), such as many solar irradiations, low technology and labour cost, and a few subsidies from the government.

El trabajo de investigación busca desarrollar una propuesta de mejora de control de costos por la implementación de gestión del valor ganado, como herramienta para la toma de decisiones en la planificación y control durante la etapa de ejecución en obras de electrificación rural. En este trabajo se evidencia, la importancia de iniciar la implementación del EVM utilizando los 10 pasos fundamentales sugeridos por Fleming y Koppelman, porque es apropiado para todos los proyectos y hace referencia a un criterio específico del Estándar ANSI / EIA-748. Este trabajo pretende mostrar cómo la gestión de proyectos en obras de electrificación rural se aplica mediante este nuevo enfoque, identificando los requisitos mínimos para implementar la gestión de valor ganado de forma simple en los proyectos y generando un precedente para el desarrollo de futuras obras de este tipo. La gestión de valor ganado (EVM) es una importante herramienta de gestión de proyectos que integra el alcance, costo y cronograma, el cual permite medir el desempeño del proyecto y debería planificarse desde el principio del proyecto. / The research work seeks to develop a proposal for cost control improvement by the implementation of earned value management, as a tool for decision making in planning and control during the execution stage in rural electrification works. This paper shows the importance of starting the implementation of the EVM using the 10 fundamental steps suggested by Fleming and Koppelman, because it is appropriate for all projects and refers to a specific criterion of the ANSI / EIA-748 Standard. This work aims to show how project management in rural electrification works is applied through this new approach, identifying the minimum requirements to implement the management of earned value in a simple way in projects and generating a precedent for the development of future works of this type. Earned Value Management (EVM) is an important project management tool that integrates the scope, cost and time, which allows you to measure the performance of the project and should be planned from the beginning of the project. / Trabajo de investigación

Kenya is at the forefront of a socioeconomic transformation, aiming to turn into an industrialized middle income country by 2030. Kenya Vision 2030 has identified energy as a key foundation and one of the infrastructural “enablers” upon which the economic, social and political pillars of this long-term development strategy will be built. Predicting the future of energy systems however, involves risks due to various uncertainties. Therefore, systematic energy planning at national and sub-national/County level is highly recommended through the adoption of more realistic assumptions on the future evolution and profile of demand and robust pre-feasibility of prospective projects including the integration of renewable energy sources, which the country is endowed with. This thesis provides a comprehensive analysis of the energy sector for Kakamega County in Western Kenya. The current energy demand level was estimated for six selected sectors of the County namely Residential, Industrial, Transportation, Commercial, Public and Agricultural. Additionally, the renewable energy resources potential was assessed at local level using GIS and other available data. LEAP software was used in order to model and project the energy demand and supply based on three 15-year scenarios till 2030, developed to support the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the County. This study intended to create a framework aiming to facilitate sub-national energy planning in developing countries and it is expected that the findings will be complementary to already existing energy planning models but also the base for future research towards energy poverty elimination.

Brazil started the Luz Para Todos (Light for all - LPT) program in 2003 aiming at universalization of electricity access in the country. The program uses three technological solutions to reach this goal: grid extension, decentralized power generation with isolated grids and stand-alone systems. This master thesis analyzes the role of decentralized renewable energy technologies in the Luz Para Todos program in the state of Minas Gerais. The factors that lead to the use of such technologies in the specific case of CEMIG (Energy Company of Minas Gerais) are considered. The study showed that regulatory framework and energy policy mechanisms are the most important determinants of the method of attendance in rural electrification. It is concluded that decentralized renewable energy technologies emerge as a strong alternative when it is not technologically and/or financially feasible to extend the grid.

Energy is a basic need for the overall growth and improvements of people’s living standard.But around 2 to 3 billion people in the world have no access to electric lighting. Like otherdeveloping countries the rural electrification in Ethiopia is very low and government takessome actions to promote the investment in these areas but due to economic constraints andlow level of technological advancement the growth is very low.This study focuses on solar PV based rural electrification, its impact on environment andsocio-economic development in Rema village. Three cases studies: typical households,small scale business center and public services are considered for systematic study.Interviews from villagers, existing energy system, literature data and HOMER software areused to calculate energy demand and cost of electrification. A comparison between theresults is carried out.According to the village survey the existing PV home system has a positive impact on a socioeconomic development of the village of Rema. Solar PV electricity can be used in generatingincomes. It is also used for climate mitigation by curbing CO2 emission and can be used forclimate adaptation by reducing the deforestation and facilitate carbon sequestration. PVbased electrification of health center and schools have played a vital role in improving thequality of services. The presence of refrigerator helped to have vaccines and medicines4preserved for different types of killer diseases. The teaching-learning process of schoolsimproved due the presence of electricity. The solar powered water supply in near areasreduced the time required for fetching water and made girls to focus on their education.Most villagers has positive attitude towards the technology but unsatisfied with the currentsystem size. The high level of technical skills required for maintenance and the small numberof solar technicians’ available in the village is also a problem reported in the village. HOMERsoftware is used to model the existing energy system and the required energy demandbefore PV based rural electrification and after PV based rural electrification. A new model isdeveloped depending on the villagers demand. . Modeling result shows that 3 kWP and 12kWP were found to be enough to fulfill the demand in clinics and schools with an initialinvestment of 18576 and 80704US$, respectively and a PV size of 165 Wp, 250 Wp and 350Wp is required for households with agriculture only, mixed and small scale business income,respectively. This led a requirement of initial capital of US$ 654, 1848 and 2339,respectively. However, these initial investments are unaffordable for most of the villagers.PV systems required for households with agriculture only, has lower investment per Wattthan others, while investment per Watt for small scale business has lower than householdswith mixed type. Therefore, the battery size plays an important role in the investment,operation and maintenance costs.The two main problems associated with solar PV in rural electrification are financial capabilityand technical problems. These problems can be curbed by loan arrangement and trainingthe villagers. But to make sustainable it must be used for income generating activities.

This study has been conducted as a Minor Field Study (MFS) and focuses on the electrification process of Rayal, a remote village in the Far Western Development Region of Nepal. The purpose of the study was to investigate the possibilities of providing electricity based on renewable energy resources to Rayal, both from a technical and a socio-economical point of view. Preliminary research in Sweden was complemented by a field study in Rayal between February and April 2013. Wind power, solar power and micro hydro power were investigated as potential sources of energy. Wind power was considered as unsuitable, due to the low wind speeds in the village as well as poor infrastructure in the country. Solar power and micro hydro power were both calculated based on three different demand scenarios. The results indicate that, depending on the demand and paymentability of the villagers, both solar and micro hydro power could be considered as good options. Solar power is, however, only economically feasible for covering the basic needs of lighting. At higher loads micro hydro power is more economically viable. Excess electricity could be utilized by community facilities, to improve education and health. Alternatively, it could be used to power electrical agricultural equipment which could improve productivity and hence stimulate economic growth in the village. / Denna studie har utförts i form av en Minor Field Study (MFS) och fokuserar på hur en elektrifiering skulle kunna ske av Rayal, en avlägsen by i Far Western Development Region i Nepal. Syftet med studien är att undersöka vilka möjligheter som finns för att elektrifiera Rayal med hjälp av förnyelsebara energikällor, både ur ett tekniskt och från ett socio-ekonomiskt perspektiv. De tre olika teknikerna som har undersökts är vindkraft, solkraft samt småskalig vattenkraft. Vindkraft har uteslutits som lämpligt alternativ, på grund av för låga vindhastigheter i byn, samt bristande infrastruktur i Nepal. Solkraft och vattenkraft har undersökts utifrån tre olika behovs-scenarion. Resultaten visar att, beroende på efterfrågan och betalningsförmågan hos byborna, kan både sol och småskalig vattenkraft betraktas som lämpliga alternativ. Solkraft är dock endast ekonomiskt försvarbart vid mindre projekt, som täcker det grundläggande behovet av belysning. Vid ett större behov är småskalig vattenkraft en mer ekonomisk lösning. Detta ökade behov skulle till exempel kunna vara samhällsförbättrande anläggningar, för att höja utbildnings- och hälsonivån. Ett annat ökat behov skulle kunna vara elektriskt drivna jordbruksmaskiner för att förbättra produktiviteten och därigenom stimulera den ekonomiska tillväxten i byn.

Access to clean and affordable energy is a prerequisite for human development. In order to achieve access to sustainable energy for all innovation in rural electrification is needed. Decentralized renewable energy technologies in form of Solar Home Systems and Mini-grids possess the potential of electrifying a large number of rural households which cannot be connected to the national grid with local available energy sources. However, the deployment of Mini-grids is facing barriers such as a lack of private investments. By building on already existing SHSs swarm grids can enable households to trade electricity and use their excess electricity to supply additional loads. Swarm grids as an evolutionary bottom-up approach to electrification can overcome some of the obstacles regular Mini-grids face and play a vital role in improving electricity access. As part of this thesis a model has been developed which allows for simulating the electricity flow including line losses in swarm grids of any size on an hourly basis. The model facilitates the gaining of a better understanding for the impact global parameters (e.g. distance between households) have on the feasibility of swarm grids. A field trip to Bangladesh has been undertaken in order to obtain input data for simulating different cases in the model created. The simulations performed indicate that in a swarm grid the generated excess energy of SHSs which so far is wasted can supply the demand of households without SHS as well as commercial loads such as irrigation pumps. Overall the results point towards swarm grids being an innovation with the potential of improving rural electricity access by building on existing infrastructure.

In rural areas, access to electricity is required for better living standard, enhance income options and reduce population migration. In last decades, steady progress has been made but the status of electrification significantly varies across countries. In developing countries, about 1.6 billion people live without electricity and another 2 billion have access but to an unreliable extent. Large population also live in remote areas where extension of grid is not feasible, where people continuing to live under distress conditions. International projections reveal that number of un-electrified people will remain same by the year 2030 if similar pace of electrification is continued in future.From this perspective, the study describes what bigger countries such as India, China and Brazil are doing and where rural electrification stands in priority in a poor country like Ethiopia. Is off-grid technologies show an option for such remote locations" The two case studies of Vietnam and South Africa reveal that work carried out through external support in the absence of national policies. As a result, people have experienced the benefits of technologies but unable to retain them in long term. Electricity has given various advantages but poor affordability of the people hinders the acceptance of technologies in rural areas.The study shows the need of a framework to achieve the long-term support for rural electrification. A framework that could direct the national priorities, understands social, economic and environmental aspects of off-grid technologies, identify key areas to be strengthen, allocates the roles and responsibilities at different working levels, maintains a consistent flow of adequate finance, pursue regular monitoring process and incorporate the monitoring results, or, critical success factors into the national policies to make them more effective. Both macro- as well as micro- level approaches have been suggested in this study.