Solar Energy for Rural Communities

Gil Yaron; Tani Forbes Irving; Sven Jansson

doi:10.3362/9781780445960

Solar Energy for Rural Communities

The case of Namibia

Gil Yaron, Tani Forbes Irving, Sven Jansson

In Namibia, as in many developing countries, a high proportion of rural communities lack access to the national electricity grid. A major reason for this is the fundamental problem of providing a service, which cannot recover its costs, to areas of low population density. Little use has been made of solar energy to meet the needs of rural communities. This book investigates the potential for photovoltaic and, to a lesser extent, other solar energy technologies to meet these energy needs.

Published: 1994
Pages: 160

eBook: 9781780445960

Paperback: 9781853392429


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER 2 NAMIBIA: AN OVERVIEW 4
2.1 History 4
2.2 Geography and demography 4
2.3 Climate 5
2.4 Economy 6
CHAPTER 3 ELECTRICITY, DEVELOPMENT AND SOLAR POWER 11
3.1 Electricity, household needs and development 11
3.2 Meeting rural communities' electricity needs-a role for solar? . . . . 15
Grid extension versus stand-alone systems for rural
electrification 16
Cost considerations beyond unit costs 26
CHAPTER 4 WHAT KIND OF SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM ? 30
4.1 Photovoltaic energy-an overview 30
4.2 Centralized PV power stations 32
4.3 Rechargeable battery systems 33
4.4 Solar Home Systems (SHS) 36
CHAPTER 5 SOLAR ELECTRICITY FOR RURAL HOUSEHOLDS 39
5.1 Introduction 39
5.2 Rural household energy use in Namibia 39
Survey methodology 39
Modelling willingness to pay 41
Survey results 42
Consumer willingness to pay for electricity 48
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 6 WATER PUMPING FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES 56
6.1 Introduction 56
6.2 Water use and needs 56
6.3 Borehole water pumping technology used in Namibia 57
6.4 The economics of alternative water-pumping technologies 60
6.5 Some relevant experiences from various developing countries . . . . 66
6.6 Results of case studies from Namibia 69
6.7 Solar water heating 73
6.8 Desalination 74
CHAPTER 7 PV POWER FOR RURAL CLINICS, SCHOOLS AND SMALL
BUSINESSES 77
7.1 Introduction 77
7.2 Opportunities for PV use-an overview 77
7.3 Lighting and communications-options and costs 80
7.4 PV lighting and communications-evidence from the developing
world 81
7.5 PV lighting and communications-results of case studies in
Namibia 83
CHAPTER 8 WOODFUEL SCARCITY AND THE SOLAR OPTION 88
8.1 Woodfuel scarcity 88
8.2 Socioeconomic impacts of a diminishing fuelwood supply 88
8.3 Environmental impacts of woodfuel use 89
8.5 An overview of solar cooker technology 91
8.6 Practical application of solar cooking technology in rural
communities 92
8.7 The scope for solar cooking in Namibia 93
8.8 Some areas for further research 100
CHAPTER 9 MAKING SOLAR ENERGY WORK FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES
IN NAMIBIA 101
9.1 Introduction 101
9.2 What makes a rural PV installation a success? 101
9.3 Policy implications for rural PV programmes 103
APPENDIX 1 MODELLING THE COSTS OF RURAL ELECTRIFICATION 111
APPENDIX 2 RESULTS OF EQUATIONS ESTIMATED FOR
INCOME GROUPS 118
APPENDIX 3 CASE STUDIES OF SOLAR POWER IN NAMIBIA 119
CONTENTS
APPENDIX 4 AN OVERVIEW OF SOLAR COOKING TECHNOLOGY . . . 130
REFERENCES 133
INDEX 141