Drinking Water Supply in Rural Africa Based on a Mini-Grid Energy System—A Socio-Economic Case Study for Rural Development

Joern Falk, Björn Globisch, Martin Angelmahr, Wolfgang Schade and Heike Schenk-Mathes
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Joern Falk: Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, Einsteinufer 37, 10587 Berlin, Germany
Björn Globisch: Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, Einsteinufer 37, 10587 Berlin, Germany
Martin Angelmahr: Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, Einsteinufer 37, 10587 Berlin, Germany
Wolfgang Schade: Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, Einsteinufer 37, 10587 Berlin, Germany
Heike Schenk-Mathes: Management and Environmental Economics, Clausthal University of Technology, Julius-Albert-Straße 2, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-19

Abstract: Water is an essential resource required for various human activities such as drinking, cooking, growing food, and personal hygiene. As a key infrastructure of public services, access to clean and safe drinking water is an essential factor for local socio-economic development. Despite various national and international efforts, water supply is often not guaranteed, especially in rural areas of Africa. Although many water resources are theoretically available in these areas, bodies of water are often contaminated with dangerous pathogens and pollutants. As a result, people, often women and children, have to travel long distances to collect water from taps and are exposed to dangers such as physical violence and accidents on their way. In this article, we present a socio-economic case study for rural development. We describe a drinking water treatment plant with an annual capacity of 10,950 m 3 on Kibumba Island in Lake Victoria (Tanzania). The plant is operated by a photovoltaic mini-grid system with second-life lithium-ion battery storage. We describe the planning, the installation, and the start of operation of the water treatment system. In addition, we estimate the water prices achievable with the proposed system and compare it to existing sources of drinking water on Kibumba Island. Assuming a useful life of 15 years, the installed drinking water system is cost-neutral for the community at a cost price of 0.70 EUR/m 3 , 22% less than any other source of clean water on Kibumba Island. Access to safe and clean drinking water is a major step forward for the local population. We investigate the socio-economic added value using social and economic key indicators like health, education, and income. Hence, this approach may serve as a role model for community-owned drinking water systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

Keywords: circular economy; drinking water; renewable energy; second-life battery storage; socio-economic development; sub-Saharan Africa (SSA); water safety in rural areas (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (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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