The Importance of Mini Power Grid System
In Africa, where about 640 million people are without access to electricity [African Development Bank, 2024], it is necessary to adopt the use of micro-grid and mini-grid power systems or configurations to fill up the electricity access shortfall.
Mini-grids and microgrids (or nano grids) that are powered by solar PV are emerging as the new frontiers of energy access across many remote regions of Africa, more so where the national transmission grid does not reach.
These configurations do not only provide reliable and high-quality electricity to rural, underserved or unserved areas but they also help limit the firing of fossil-fueled generators, which contributes to global warming, as well as boasts productivity in remote communities.
Many countries like Kenya, Senegal, Cameroon, etc in Africa are presently leveraging this power approach to meet their electricity demands and Nigeria should not be left out.
We are aware and proud of the successes recorded by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in Nigeria in this regard. The Agency has installed 103 solar mini-grids – amounting to a total of 5.8 MW PV capacity – in different parts of Nigeria. However, we are asking for more as there are still many unserved households.
Footnotes:
Micro grids can also be called nano grids. Mini-grids range from a few kW up to 10MW. Green mini-grids are those which generate a significant amount of their energy from renewable sources, while a hybrid mini-grid uses a mix of sources either renewable or nonrenewable.
If you need any further information regarding the Green Mini-grid set-up in Nigeria, you should contact our Front Desk.
(Bavijas)
