Developing World Leading a Renewable Energy Boom–And Everyone Benefits
There is no doubt that the ultra-low price of gasoline and diesel has made it tough for electric transportation, and, to a degree, renewable energy. Yet, remarkably, the world is experiencing a considerable boom in the clean energy space.
Most auspiciously, one of the parts of the globe that is leading the way is the developing nations in Africa and Asia. This, as we’ve mentioned, is where it’s needed most; the overall value to our environment of a kWh of renewable energy is far greater in bringing education and other benefits to the third world, as compared to the same kWh that could have been used to displace fossil fuels in places like Europe and the U.S.
This directly affects a great number of the most serious challenges facing our civilization: deforestation, overpopulation, and terrorism. Educated women do not have 15 children, and, as the pic above suggests, educated men do not join terrorist groups.
In Fiji, the Fiji Electrical Authority (FEA) is installing micro hydro systems and PV systems in small remote villages. Before installing micro hydro systems, they make sure that there will always be sufficient water available to provide adequate power. The PV systems use batteries because the principle use of the power is for lighting at night.
These systems do not provide large amounts of power. They do not make it possible for everyone to have refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, electric irons, etc. However, being able to operate a few low power LED lights, lap top computers, and recharge cell phones, is enough to improve greatly the quality of life for the people.
Before micro hydro and PV systems were installed, some villages had small Diesel generators which were automatically started at sunset and shut of late in the evening. If one went out of order, it could be a long time before it was repaired. Hauling Diesel fuel to remote locations was also a problem. So, those small renewable systems have definitely been worthwhile and justifiable.
I don’t have first hand information about how small renewable systems are working in other small countries, but I assume that the situations are similar and that the systems have significantly improved the lives of the people.
However, what is appropriate for remote regions of developing nations is not necessarily appropriate for large nations. Most large nations will need to depend on nuclear power to meet their needs.
Yes Frank, and small scale systems like this are commonplace throughout Polynesia and Oceania, and PNG in particular which is mountainous with predictable water resources, catchments and streams.
As designers and installers of small scale stand-alone generation solutions our first preference for a generation source is always hydro [not Solar PV].
And of the two formats that may be available at a site (running stream or river within 500 metres or elevated site of no less than 30 metres, with geography that suits economical earthworks to create a sized dam of not less than 1.5 ML for pumped head) our first preference is always in favour of the stream or river, as long as it has a reliable historical record of permanence.
If a running stream or river resource is in place, and it has permanence, then we settle on micro-hydro generation plus a sized gasoline generator for “critical services” only emergency backup gen-set design.
As a second choice, if the elevated “dam or catchment” option for pumped head is available rather than a running stream or river close, we settle on micro-hydro generation via pumped head plus solar PV to support a pumped head “closed loop” micro-hydro design. This system also includes a sized gasoline generator for “critical services” only emergency backup gen-set.
Both type of systems work reliably. The running stream design however is much more economical than the pumped head design.
Deploying micro-hybrid small scale generation in running streams is now a very unobtrusive and elegant technology requiring almost no “ground works” at all, and is very acceptable from an environmental assessment point of view.
Lawrence,
Thank you for that post. It was very interesting.
Unfortunately there are people who think that renewable systems are useless. They seem to be unaware that some of the world’s people have had the quality of their lives considerably improved by small renewable systems of various types. It’s clear why micro-hydro systems are the most suitable if conditions are right for them; they don’t require battery or other types of storage.
Of course there is a big difference between supplying small amounts of power to remote areas and huge amounts of power to large countries. The “once size fits all” or “one type fits all” approaches don’t work very well.