Smart electricity distribution for sustainable development in Southern Africa sub-urban settlements

Abstract

Energy availability is enormous, but the challenge of converting from its existing form to useful form in the form of electricity has to be addressed if power for all is going to be a reality. Majority of people in Africans live in rural areas using traditional biomass for cooking and live below 1 USD. Hydropower, wind power and solar power resources are adequately obtainable. An efficient harnessing technologies needs to be put in place to make electricity for all in Africa obtainable by having mini installations to serve local communities to overcome a number of socio-economic challenges posed by inadequate and or no power supply. Generation of electricity from some RE sources such as wind and sunlight fluctuates as a result of the variability in resource volume available per time. The ability of the existing grid to support high levels of variable renewable generation is uncertain. This makes it difficult to maintain turbine frequency therefore destabilising electricity generation volume. A grid that will overcome the challenges of integrating more RE sources by ensuring reliability, safety, security, profitability and small private enterprises participation is needed. Intermittent nature and partially predictable availability of some renewable sources (wind, sun) pose a great challenge to balance energy production and consumption in real time, as required for grid stability. Smart grid is proposed as a tool to provide insight to policies maker, grid operators and end users for sustainable energy efficiency.