SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REGULATION AND POLICY-MAKING FOR

AFRICA

Renewable Energy

Module 7:
RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

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SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REGULATION AND POLICY-MAKING FOR
AFRICA
Module overview
• Outline and brief description of renewable energy
technologies
• General overview of technologies and applications
• Information on costs
• Common barriers and issues limiting wide spread
use/dissemination

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SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REGULATION AND POLICY-MAKING FOR
AFRICA
Module aims
• Enable understanding of renewable energy in the broadest
terms
• Present the different technology options, in a developing
country context
• Provide an overview of the technologies and their
applications
• Show the strengths and weaknesses
• Outline the expected costs
• Review the issues affecting effective deployment
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SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REGULATION AND POLICY-MAKING FOR
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Module learning outcomes
• To be able to define the different key technologies
• To have a broad appreciation of potential applications
• To understand the strengths and weaknesses, hence to
have a grasp of the benefits
• To understand the outline costs of different technologies
• To gain an appreciation of issues and barriers

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SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REGULATION AND POLICY-MAKING FOR
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Wind Power Applications
Technology type System Application
Wind power - electrical Grid connected • Supplementing mains supply
Wind power - electrical Stand-alone, battery • Small home systems
charging • Small commercial/community systems
• Water pumping
• Telecommunications
• Navigation aids
Wind power - electrical Stand-alone, • Commercial systems
autonomous diesel • Remote settlements
• Mini-grid systems
Wind power - Water pumping • Drinking water supply
mechanical • Irrigation pumping
• Sea-salt production
• Dewatering
Wind power - Other • Milling grain
mechanical • Driving other, often agricultural, machines
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Wind systems: Strengths &
Weaknesses
Strengths Weaknesses
Technology is relatively simple and robust with Site-specific technology (requires a suitable site)
lifetimes of over 15 years without major new
investment
Automatic operation with low maintenance Variable power produced therefore storage/back-up
requirements required.
No fuel required (no additional costs for fuel nor High capital / initial investment costs can impede
delivery logistics) development (especially in developing countries)
Environmental impact low compared with Potential market needs to be large enough to support
conventional energy sources expertise/equipment required for implementation
Mature, well developed, technology in developed Cranage and transport access problems for
countries installation of larger systems in remote areas
The Technology can be adapted for complete or part
manufacture (e.g. the tower) in developing countries

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Solar Power Applications
Technology type System Application
PV (solar electric) Grid connected • Supplementing mains supply
PV (solar electric) Stand-alone • Small home systems for lighting, radio, TV, etc.
• Small commercial/community systems, including health
care, schools, etc.
• Telecommunications and navigation aids
• Water pumping
• Commercial systems
• Remote settlements
• Mini-grid systems
Solar thermal Connected to existing • Supplementing supply of hot water and/or space heating
water and/or space provided by the electricity grid or gas network
heating system
Solar thermal Stand-alone • Water heating, i.e. for rural clinics
• Drying (often grain or other agricultural products)
• Cooking
• Distillation
• Cooling
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PV systems: Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths Weaknesses
Technology is mature. It has high reliability and long Performance is dependent on sunshine levels and
lifetimes (power output warranties from PV panels local weather conditions
now commonly for 25 years)
Automatic operation with very low maintenance Storage/back-up usually required due to fluctuating
requirements nature of sunshine levels/no power production at night
No fuel required (no additional costs for fuel nor High capital/initial investment costs
delivery logistics)
Modular nature of PV allows for a complete range of Specific training and infrastructure needs
system sizes as application dictates
Environmental impact low compared with Energy intensity of silicon production for PV solar
conventional energy sources cells
The solar system is an easily visible sign of a high Provision for collection of batteries and facilities to
level of responsibility, environmental awareness and recycle batteries are necessary
commitment
The user is less effected by rising prices for other Use of toxic materials is some PV panels
energy sources

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SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REGULATION AND POLICY-MAKING FOR
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Bioenergy Applications
Fuel state Application
Biogas • Supplementing mains supply (grid-connected)

Biogas • Cooking and lighting (household-scale digesters)

Liquid biofuel • Transport fuel and mechanical power, particularly for

Solid biomass • Cooking and lighting (direct combustion)

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Bioenergy: Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths Weaknesses
Conversion technologies available in a wide range Production can create land use competition
of power levels at different levels of technological
complexity
Fuel production and conversion technology Often large areas of land are required (usually low
indigenous in developing countries energy density)
Production can produce more jobs that other Production can have high fertiliser and water
renewable energy systems of a comparable size requirements

Conversion can be to gaseous, liquid or solid fuel May require complex management system to ensure
constant supply of resource, which is often bulky
adding complexity to handling, transport and storage
Environmental impact low (overall no increase in Resource production may be variable depending on
carbon dioxide) compared with conventional energy local climatic/weather effects, i.e. drought.
sources
Likely to be uneven resource production throughout
the year

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Hydropower
• Hydropower is reliable and cost-effective
• Large hydropower schemes hundreds of MWs
• Small hydropower (SHP), rated at less than 10 MW
• Micro and pico hydro from 500 kW to 50W
• Lifetime of 30+ years
• Characteristics:
– Reliable
– flexible operation, fast start-up and shut-down

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Hydropower: Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths Weaknesses
Technology is relatively simple and robust with Very site-specific technology (requires a suitable site
lifetimes of over 30 years without major new relatively close to the location where the power is
investment needed)
Overall costs can, in many case, undercut all other For SHP systems using small streams the maximum
alternatives power is limited and cannot expand if the need grows
Automatic operation with low maintenance Droughts and changes in local water and land use
requirements can affect power output
No fuel required (no additional costs for fuel nor Although power output is generally more predictable
delivery logistics) it may fall to very low levels or even zero during the
dry season
Environmental impact low compared with High capital/initial investment costs
conventional energy sources
Power is available at a fairly constant rate and at all Engineering skills required may be
times, subject to water resource availability unavailable/expensive to obtain locally
The technology can be adapted for manufacture/use
in developing countries

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Geothermal
• Energy available as heat from the earth
• Usually hot water or steam
• High temperature resources (150°C+) for electricity
generation
• Low temperature resources (50-150°C) for direct heating:
district heating, industrial processing
• No problems of intermittency

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RE Applications: Summary
RE Technology Energy Service/Application
Wind – grid‑connected & stand- Supplementing mains supply. Power for low-to medium electric power
alone turbines, wind pumps needs. Occasionally mechanical power for agriculture purposes.
PV (solar electric) – grid- Supplementing mains supply. Power for low electric power needs. Water
-connected, stand‑alone, pumps pumping.
Solar thermal – grid‑connected, Supplementing mains supply. Heating water. Cooking. Drying crops.
water heater, cookers, dryers,
cooling
Bio energy Supplementing mains supply. Cooking and lighting, motive power for
small industry and electric needs. Transport fuel and mechanical power.
Micro and pico hydro Low-to-medium electric power needs. Process motive power for small
industry.
Geothermal Grid electricity and large-scale heating.
Village-scale Mini-grids usually hybrid systems (solar-wind, solar-diesel, wind-diesel,
etc.). Small-scale residential and commercial electric power needs.

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Barriers and Issues
• Technical issues
– Design and installation skills
– Quality control and warranties
– Maintenance and after-sales service
– Training
– Local technical infrastructure development
• Non-technical issues
– Awareness
– Policy/regulatory issues
– Institution capacity building for micro-finance
– Community involvement
– Women in development

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CONCLUSIONS
• Renewables can be used for both electricity and heat
generation. There is a wide range of renewable energy
technologies suitable for implementation in developing
countries for a whole variety of different applications.
• Renewable energy can contribute to grid-connected
generation but also has a large scope for off-grid
applications and can be very suitable for remote and rural
applications in developing countries.

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