Minigrids and Energy Hubs as Pathways to Universal Electricity Access for Rural Communities in Africa
Access to energy, especially for rural communities, represents a central pillar for development and is firmly recognised as a major challenge to our global society. Such a challenge in underpinned within the UN Sustainable Development Goals represented by Goal 7 which is geared "to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all". In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), currently there around 600 million people with no access to electricity and this likely to be case by 2030 if no appropriate innovation both technically and financially are developed quickly. This talk provides a discourse of such a need. It builds on the successful multi-million pounds Energy for Development programme, (www.energy.soton.ac.uk/energy-acces) encompassing mini grids and energy hubs as enablers for access. The talk will discuss and highlight the following:
- Experience from the planning, deployment and operation of 6 solar photovoltaic mini grids in SSA
- Implementation of joint UK / Africa solutions to connect minigrids to national grids
- Approaches to productive use of energy including milk chilling centres coupled with energy hubs
- Electricity tariffs and growth
- Socio-economic implication to electricity access
Prof AbuBakr S. Bahaj
Energy & Climate Change Division / Sustainable Energy Research Group
University of Southampton
Professor AbuBakr S Bahaj, (FICE, FIET, FRSA, MInstP, CPhys) leads the 55-strong Energy & Climate Change Division and the Sustainable Energy Research Group (ECCD)at the University of Southampton, where he completed his PhD, progressing from a researcher to a Personal Chair in Sustainable Energy. For more than 30 years, Professor Bahaj has pioneered sustainable energy research and established the energy theme within the University. His major research programmes include Renewable Energy, Energy Access, Cities & Infrastructure, Buildings & Communities, and Behaviour & Modelling -- details are within the ECCD research portfolio. Professor Bahaj's work has resulted in over 350 articles, published in academic refereed journals and conference series of international standing. In 2013, he founded the International Journal of Marine Energy (IJOME) followed in 2018 by the International Marine Energy Journal (IMEJ) for which he was/is the Editor-in-Chief. Prof Bahaj also holds visiting professorships at the Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology (XAUAT), Xi'an, China, (2017 -- ), the Ångström Laboratory and Engineering University of Uppsala, Sweden (2011-15) and holds King Salaman bin Abdulaziz Visiting Chair for Energy Research, at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (2014 -- ). He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE), Institution of Engineering Technologies (FIET) and the Royal Academy of Arts (FRSA). In 2012, Prof Bahaj was appointed Chief Scientific Advisor to Southampton City Council -- believed to be the first such appointment in the UK. In 2014, he was named by the UK's Science Council as one of the UK's 100 leading practising scientists.
Energy & Climate Change Division / Sustainable Energy Research Group
University of Southampton
Professor AbuBakr S Bahaj, (FICE, FIET, FRSA, MInstP, CPhys) leads the 55-strong Energy & Climate Change Division and the Sustainable Energy Research Group (ECCD)at the University of Southampton, where he completed his PhD, progressing from a researcher to a Personal Chair in Sustainable Energy. For more than 30 years, Professor Bahaj has pioneered sustainable energy research and established the energy theme within the University. His major research programmes include Renewable Energy, Energy Access, Cities & Infrastructure, Buildings & Communities, and Behaviour & Modelling -- details are within the ECCD research portfolio. Professor Bahaj's work has resulted in over 350 articles, published in academic refereed journals and conference series of international standing. In 2013, he founded the International Journal of Marine Energy (IJOME) followed in 2018 by the International Marine Energy Journal (IMEJ) for which he was/is the Editor-in-Chief. Prof Bahaj also holds visiting professorships at the Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology (XAUAT), Xi'an, China, (2017 -- ), the Ångström Laboratory and Engineering University of Uppsala, Sweden (2011-15) and holds King Salaman bin Abdulaziz Visiting Chair for Energy Research, at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (2014 -- ). He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE), Institution of Engineering Technologies (FIET) and the Royal Academy of Arts (FRSA). In 2012, Prof Bahaj was appointed Chief Scientific Advisor to Southampton City Council -- believed to be the first such appointment in the UK. In 2014, he was named by the UK's Science Council as one of the UK's 100 leading practising scientists.