Targets and technologies for African electrification

Summary form only given. This paper discusses the issues associated with bringing electricity to the rural population (accessibility), providing an adequate supply of reliable power (availability), and providing power safety, with minimal impact on ecosystems and the environment (acceptability). All three factors must be satisfied if electricity is to have a significant effect on local economy and quality of life. The paper describes the results of an analysis indicating that an electric energy level of 1,000 kWh per person is needed to achieve electric services such as lighting, entertainment, refrigeration, public health, clean water, and basic education. The paper also describes the technologies needed to generate the needed power and transmit the electricity from the point of generation to the end use location. Africa has abundant supplies of indigenous primary energy resources such as coal, especially in South Africa, hydropower, wind, and solar resources. These supplies, along with uranium and imported petroleum and liquefied natural gas round out the energy supply. The analysis indicates that combining central station generation in urban areas with distributed renewable generation will provide a balanced portfolio of generation options that will be robust over a range of country-specific conditions. Finally, the paper discusses grid options, from large, long distance transmission systems to local "minigrids" for village power solutions.