Peter Dauenhauer

Eternal Light: Ingredients for Sustainable Off-Grid Energy Development

Based on their experience in small-scale, off-grid energy development projects, the authors have concluded that a “sustainability first” mindset is needed at the inception of any project. This article relates firsthand experiences that have inspired this mindset. The intention is to leave the reader with an appreciation for a holistic design approach that takes into consideration the technical, environmental, economic, social, and organizational aspects of sustainability that must be weighed and planned for.

Opportunities and Challenges for Micro Wind Turbines in Developing Communities

It is estimated that over 1.5 billion people do not have adequate access to electrical energy. In many cases, electrification through traditional centralized grid expansion is not a viable option. As such, community-scale micro grids have been developed in numerous locations. These systems often rely on renewable resources as their power source. This paper explores the opportunities and challenges of micro (subkilowatt) wind energy conversion systems for rural electrification in under-resourced communities. A brief overview of micro wind energy conversion system technology is provided. Recent field experiences are documented.

Remote monitoring of off-grid renewable energy Case studies in rural Malawi, Zambia, and Gambia

Increased understanding of off-grid renewable energy technology (RET) performance can assist in improving sustainability of such systems. The technologies for remote monitoring of RET deployments in developing countries are promising with various configurations and usages being tested. Recent applications of remote monitoring technologies in Malawi, Gambia, and Zambia are presented along with their respective strengths and weaknesses. The potential for remote monitoring applications to improve sustainability of off-grid RET is explored along with some theoretical directions of the technologies.

An integrated approach to energy for development: Case study of the Malawi Renewable Energy Acceleration Programme

Advantages and challenges of an integrated approach to energy for development are presented through the Malawi Renewable Energy Acceleration Programme (MREAP) within context of the development of the Malawian energy sector. Initial indications suggest synergies exist between sub-programs of work that would otherwise be less likely to occur in non-integrated programs. Likewise, additional challenges such as coordination and management are required to realize the potential benefits. This paper presents a survey of the Malawian energy sector, an energy for development research framework and a programmatic outcome strategy designed for MREAP.

Small scale rollout of PV systems in Chikwawa District, Malawi: remote monitoring system effectiveness

Off-grid solar photovoltaic systems in Malawi are deployed increasingly as the primary option for rural public infrastructure such as primary schools and health centres. Overall, grid-connected electricity access has remained stagnant at around 9% with only 1% of rural population connected. To improve the technical sustainability of such systems, a novel remote monitoring technology utilising Wireless Sensor Networks was installed and the systems were monitored over roughly one year. This paper has described the technical design, performance, and benefits received from deployment of the technology. Furthermore, it has evaluated the cost implications for a larger scale rollout and potential benefits.

Sustainability analysis off-grid community solar PV projects in Malawi

The sustainability challenges of off-grid community energy projects using solar photovoltaics in Malawi have been widely acknowledged. However, little evidence has been produced regarding the factors that affect the sustainability of these projects. This paper presents the results of a nationwide study of community solar PV project sustainability in Malawi. The concept of sustainability as a holistic measure is defined and captured through field survey at 43 projects. A multi-factor scoring technique provides a relative ranking of the surveyed projects. The majority of projects have serious shortcomings undermining their ability to produce a positive impact as intended. The results provide useful insights to the design of solar PV projects for community energy practitioners and indicate that the underlying challenges are both internal and systematic, from a poor technical design approach to limitations in the skills required to effectively manage such projects.