Prioritization of Renewable Energy for Sustainable Electricity Generation and an Assessment of Floating Photovoltaic Potential in Lao PDR

Yevang Nhiavue, Han Soo Lee (), Sylvester William Chisale and Jonathan Salar Cabrera
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Yevang Nhiavue: Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering Program, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan
Han Soo Lee: Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering Program, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan
Sylvester William Chisale: Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering Program, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan
Jonathan Salar Cabrera: Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering Program, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 21, 1-20

Abstract: Lao PDR faces seasonal power supply problems due to its heavy reliance on hydropower. Thus, the aim of this paper was to prioritize renewable energy (RE) resources for sustainable electricity generation in Lao PDR using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method, and to further estimate the energy available for the prioritized RE to enhance the seasonal power supply. Four RE alternatives were assessed considering technological, economic, environmental, and social criteria with twelve overall sub-criteria. The results indicated that hydropower was the most highly prioritized alternative, followed by solar. The resulting weights of the RE prioritization were in agreement with the Lao energy policy and plan. In order to address the seasonal power supply problem, setting-up floating photovoltaic (FPV) units in the existing hydropower reservoirs was proposed. The FPV potential was estimated, and the results revealed that the predicted power demand by 2030, as calculated in the latest Lao national power development strategy, could be fully covered by integrating the FPV output from 10% coverage of the water surface in four existing hydropower reservoirs with the existing power supply in 2020. The proposed FPV technology would provide a solution to enhance the seasonal power supply and reduce the power import.

Keywords: electricity generation; renewable energy (RE); analytic hierarchy process (AHP); floating photovoltaic (FPV); Lao PDR (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 (1)

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