The CILSS-Project: A large-scale application of photovoltaics in Africa
- Siemens Solar GmbH, Muenchen (Germany)
Photovoltaic power generation has by now become a well-proven technology with hundreds of thousands usually low-power systems installed worldwide. While in Europe, Japan and the USA mostly grid connected systems have attracted major interest, for developing countries small autonomous PV-systems providing electricity off the grid are emerging as the most promising power source for sustainable development. In fact, in rural areas such small systems ranging in power from maybe 50 Wp to a few kWp are already today the most economical way of driving electric appliances such as lights, refrigerators, TV, radio, telephone or water pumping systems. Today one hundred million people live far away from the electric grid in small villages with only a very small change to get access to centralized power within the next 20--30 years. With a high cost of about 130,000 DM/km for a 66 kVA power line in sparsely populated areas inside Niger, it becomes apparent that under these circumstances conventional power generation with an extensive grid is not affordable and uneconomical. To bring electricity into these areas requires high reliability of systems, no or little maintenance, a high degree of acceptance on the customer`s side and a local service structure, requirements that are met by PV-systems installed by Siemens Solar within the CILSS-Project described in this paper. Although the total power installed in the project is only about 1.2 MWp, PV provides essential services such as water, light, etc. to nearly one million people showing again that the importance of solar electricity is not measured by megawatts alone.
- OSTI ID:
- 191238
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-941203-; ISBN 0-7803-1459-X; TRN: IM9610%%239
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1. world conference on photovoltaic energy conversion, Waikoloa, HI (United States), 5-9 Dec 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of 1994 IEEE first world conference on photovoltaic energy conversion: Conference record of the twenty-fourth IEEE photovoltaic specialists conference -- 1994. Volume 2; PB: 1268 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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