Photovoltaics for rural electrification in the Dominican Republic

Technical Report · Fri Aug 21 00:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:5163707

Hansen, R D; Martin, J G

Enersol Associates, Inc., has begun to structure a program for the introduction of photovoltaics in rural areas, and started to refer to this as the SOBASEC (SOlar-BASed Rural Electrification Concept) program. Throughout the report we have used the acronym SOBASEC to refer to the specific approach to electrification in rural areas with photovoltaics, as developed by Enersol Associates, Inc. This report documents the efforts to date and describes SOBASEC so that a variety of readers may benefit. This report provides an overall background on the Dominican Republic and a history of the project developed by Enersol in the Puerto Plata region. It describes the electric grid system that is owned and operated by the Dominican Government, and which serves urban dwellers and approximately 30% of the rural population. This paper is dedicated to describing the technical and institutional details of SOBASEC as developed by experience in implementing the program and installing the first 100 PV systems. Also discussed is the logical expansion that can take place with adequate financing and institutional support. This is done by describing a reasonable investment scenario. A key catalytic role of this financing is placed in the hands of the organizations that aim toward economic and social development in less developed countries. Recommendations and concluding comments on where this all may lead in the years to come is finally discussed. 61 refs., 59 figs.

• Research Organization: Enersol Associates, Inc., Somerville, MA (USA); Lowell Univ., MA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FG04-86AL38869
• OSTI ID: 5163707
• Report Number(s): DOE/AL/38869-T2; ON: DE88007915
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ENERGY STORAGE
FINANCING
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
GREATER ANTILLES
HISPANIOLA
ISLANDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
POWER PLANTS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
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140600* - Solar Energy- Photovoltaic Power Systems