On May 4, 2015, HOMER CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal presented a webinar as part of the Clean Energy Regulators Initiative Webinar Programme on the topic of “Rural Electrification Models and Costs.”
The economics of rural electrification has dramatically changed in the last few years. Fuel prices remain volatile and the technology has improved. In the past, the only economically viable options were grid extension and diesel generators. Now there is a wide range of renewable and hybrid options that are not only technically mature and reliable, but also cost-effective.
This webinar will use results from the HOMER® modeling software to illustrate the conditions under which different electrification models are most appropriate. In addition to diesel generators and grid extension, the webinar will discuss business models distributing individual systems, such as solar home systems and solar lanterns. The main focus will be on hybrid renewable mini-grids that can range from a few kWs to tens of MWs. It will compare the economics of solar and wind and the impact of different penetrations rates.