Partnerships to facilitate electricity access for the remote rural communities of sub-Sahara Africa

Abstract

While much of the world enjoys electricity for conveniences and necessities of daily life, a significant portion of the global population has no access to electricity. The absence of electricity creates barriers for family life as well as educational and economic opportunities. The extremely high cost of grid expansion and a lack of available fuel resources to generate electricity have been hurdles for electrification of regions such as sub-Sahara Africa. Extending the grid to meet electricity needs of a small population, especially in rural areas with low population density, is not always viable. Instead, localized electricity generation in stand-alone or mini-grid applications is a possible option. This paper will give examples of current programs for electrification and discuss barriers to rural electrification. The paper will conclude with suggestions for partnership between the government, academic institutions, industry, and NGOs to accelerate electrification in rural communities, specifically sub-Sahara Africa, while leveraging the available renewable energy technologies.