Energy evaluation and smart microgrid for rural Sarawak

Abstract

The rural communities in Sarawak which consist of approximately 22% of the state's population are still relying on expensive and noisy diesel generator sets for a couple of hours every night simply because they are located in remote areas where people have limited access to electrical grid. If electricity is generated by means of potential Renewable Energy (RE) resources which are incorporated with smart microgrid for rural Sarawakians, there are many advantages that could be insightful for the society and the environment. In this paper, the availability of RE resources in Sarawak and their potentials to supply power to rural areas in Sarawak is first discussed. A smart microgrid concept for rural electrification in the state is also discussed to provide an overview on its characteristics and challenges.