Matching Renewable Energy Systems to Village-Level Energy Needs

Technical Report · Sun Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5190103· OSTI ID:5190103

Ashworth, John H.; Neuendorffer, Jean W.

This report provides a five step process for matching alternative renewable energy technologies with energy needs in rural villages of developing countries. Analytic tools are given for each of the five steps as well as information that can be expected. Twelve characterization criteria are developed to assist in the matching process. Three of these criteria, called discrimination criteria, are used for preliminary screening of technology possibilities for each need. The other criteria address site-specific temporal, climatic, social, cultural, and environmental characteristics of the energy need, technology, and cost considerations. To illustrate the matching process, seven basic human needs for energy are matched with seven potential renewable energy technologies. The final portion of the paper discusses the advantages of such a matching process and the resources required to initiate such an effort within a development project. Specific recommendations are given for field-testing this process and actions that could be taken immediately in basic research and development, applied research and technology modification, demonstrations, and commercialization to assist in the future diffusion of renewable energy technologies to rural areas of developing countries.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 5190103
• Report Number(s): SERI/TR-744-514
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
299000* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY
COMMUNITIES
DEMAND
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ENERGY DEMAND
ENERGY SOURCES
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RURAL AREAS
SCREENING
appropriate technology
communities
developing countries
energy demand
energy planning
renewable energy sources
rural areas