Development of a DC Microgrid with Decentralized Production and Storage: From the Lab to Field Deployment in Rural Africa

Lucas Richard (), Cédric Boudinet, Sanda A. Ranaivoson, Jean Origio Rabarivao, Archille Elia Befeno, David Frey, Marie-Cécile Alvarez-Hérault, Bertrand Raison and Nicolas Saincy
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Lucas Richard: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, G2Elab, 38000 Grenoble, France
Cédric Boudinet: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, G2Elab, 38000 Grenoble, France
Sanda A. Ranaivoson: Nanoé, Ambanja 203, Madagascar
Jean Origio Rabarivao: Nanoé, Ambanja 203, Madagascar
Archille Elia Befeno: Nanoé, Ambanja 203, Madagascar
David Frey: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, G2Elab, 38000 Grenoble, France
Marie-Cécile Alvarez-Hérault: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, G2Elab, 38000 Grenoble, France
Bertrand Raison: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, G2Elab, 38000 Grenoble, France
Nicolas Saincy: Nanoé, Ambanja 203, Madagascar

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 18, 1-27

Abstract: The rural electrification of Sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia is crucial to end the energy poverty in which around 1 billion people are trapped. Swarm electrification, i.e., the progressive building of decentralized and decarbonized electric infrastructure in a bottom-up manner, tackles rural electrification challenges by quickly providing modern and reliable electricity services to unelectrified communities while fostering local socio-economic development. This paper follows the technological approach of this electrification model and presents the development of a DC microgrid with decentralized production and storage suitable for rural electrification. This DC microgrid aims at interconnecting nanogrids, small collective autonomous power units composed of a solar panel and a lead–acid battery for 4 to 6 households, to increase the electrical services brought to the community and enhance the economic sustainability of this rural electrification model. The design of the proposed microgrid as well as its control algorithm are thoroughly addressed and tested from software simulations and experimental testing to field deployment in Madagascar. Extensive software, experimental and field-tests results are illustrated, and the microgrid design feedback is given. This paper overall validates the proper operation of the proposed microgrid, confirming the technical feasibility of the swarm electrification approach.

Keywords: rural electrification; swarm electrification; microgrid; field deployment; decentralized control; communication-free control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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