Co-supplying the National Grid: An Assessment of Private Off-grid Electricity Generation in Juba-South Sudan

Despite the global campaign for energy transition towards renewable sources, South Sudan's electricity generation is exclusively diesel-based with an installed capacity of 12MW in Juba against 154MW demand. Persistent power outages have led to a rise in off-grid electricity self-generation using diesel generators. This study explored the available electricity generation options in Juba, quantified the off-grid electricity, and assessed the electricity market system dynamics through a survey involving 44 companies, 2 government institutions, and 2 solar energy retailers. The study found that the current off-grid installed generation capacity in Juba is higher than the on-grid with a total of 28.93MW from 142 generator-sets. 98% of this amount is diesel-fired and 2% is from solar. Running these generators for a month cost the companies US$ 533,204 on 589,760 liters of diesel, and the combustion of this fuel results in 1553.8 tCO2e emissions. Knowledge of solar energy adoption was low and showed a mixed perception with most companies having no/limited knowledge. Besides, the governance of the electricity market is monopolized by a government utility company without legal frameworks. The study recommends restructuring the electricity market to attract private players by developing legal frameworks and the creation of awareness for the promotion of solar energy.