Providing power to rural communities, which are far from the grid and suffer from lack of energy access in Africa, especially in Benin, in a sustainable manner requires the adoption of appropriate technology.
Is solar power a viable option for rural electrification in Benin?
Besides, current projects on off-grid rural electrification in Benin, specifically Solar Energy Promotion Project (PROVES) and Renewable Energy Development Program (PRODERE), are based on stand-alone solar PV/battery only. Such a combination makes the overall cost high due to a big battery storage required to ensure reliable power supply.
The rural communities cannot wait any longer for grid extension projects that are costly and take longer time for implementation. Therefore, isolated mini-grid (cheaper and quick to install) would be a suitable technology to supply power to rural communities in Benin.
Can a hybrid PV/DG/battery system power remote areas in Benin?
In summary, as solar radiation is an abundant resource across the country, this hybrid PV/DG/battery system can be a suitable model to power remote areas in Benin, and we recommend it for future electrification projects in the country in place of the current widely deployed PV/battery system. 1. Introduction
How much does a 5 kW inverter cost in Benin?
Inverters of 0, 5, 10, 25, 50, 60, 65 and 75 kW sizes are considered in search space in HOMER tab. A 5 kW inverter of Victron Brand costs 2,500,000 FCFA (equivalent to $940/kW) in the market in Benin. It is rounded to $1000/kW to consider the installation costs.
Which Benin division has the highest monthly energy expenses?
Out of the 12 divisions of Benin, the Alibori division's households have the highest monthly energy expenses for DG and this division has the lowest electrification rate (7.5%) of all divisions (Fig. 2). Fig. 2.
Can Benin achieve universal energy access?
Regarding the country's energy sector, more effort is needed to reach the universal energy access goal . Benin Republic currently has one of the lowest national electrification rate in SSA (only about 30.4%), with a strong disparity in favour of urban areas closer to the main grid [17, 18].