Moving Up the Electrification Ladder in Off-Grid Settlements with Rooftop Solar Microgrids

Isabelo Rabuya,Melissa Libres,Evelyn Taboada,Michael Lochinvar Abundo

doi:10.3390/en14123467

Isabelo Rabuya, Melissa Libres + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/en14123467

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Abstract

The multi-tier framework (MTF) of electricity access defines a continuum of electrification from tier 0, where access is inexistent or very limited, to tier 5 where access is of grid quality. Transitioning households from lower to higher tiers unlocks the potential in meeting more of their energy needs. This study investigates the transition towards higher tier electricity access on Gilutongan Island, an off-grid island of Cebu, Philippines, which is also an informal settlement community with no open land available for a centralized solar PV system. The solar PV potential of suitable rooftops on the island was determined using satellite imagery, ground measurements, and computation. The electricity demand of a cluster of 11 households was examined in detail; these households, situated near two suitable rooftops, were connected to an installed 7.92 kWp solar PV-based microgrid. Results show that the households moved up from lower to higher tier levels in all MTF attributes except for affordability. Nevertheless, the cost of a standard electricity consumption package of 1 kWh/day dropped from 18% of the average household income to 6%. Moving up on the electrification ladder to higher tier electricity access in off-grid areas is attainable with households clustered as a microgrid using rooftop solar PV. Affordability remains to be the biggest challenge that needs to be addressed.

Highlights

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 seeks to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030 [1]
Survey results in April 2018 showed that 95.9% (i.e., 328 out of 342) of the households on Gilutongan Island were connected to the diesel generator that was operated by the village’s local government
Households in off-grid informal settlements where there are limitations in land availability for centralized renewable energy systems can still climb up the electrification ladder, as demonstrated in the case of the Gilutongan Island rooftop solar microgrid

Summary

Introduction

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 seeks to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030 [1]. According to the World Bank in its 2018 annual report, 40 countries achieved universal electrification since 2010 [2]. Archipelagic countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines face unique challenges in achieving universal electrification because of their islandic geography. The electrification rates of rural areas in Indonesia and the Philippines in 2018 were 97% and 93%, respectively [3], but despite improvements year on year, segments of the rural population are still without electricity access. In the Philippines, Bertheau and Blechinger [5] presented a techno-economic optimized electrification strategy for small islands with diesel systems to support the attainment of SDG 7. The proposed strategy is based on the hybridization—through the addition of renewable energy (RE)

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