Characterization of Technological Innovations in Photovoltaic Rural Electrification, Based on the Experiences of Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina: Third Generation Solar Home Systems
Sustainability
; 13(6):3032, 2021.
Article
in English
| ProQuest Central | ID: covidwho-1792545
ABSTRACT
The electrification of isolated homes in rural areas without access to the electric grid has been achieved in part using solar energy transformed into electricity through Photovoltaic (PV) equipment known as Solar Home Systems (SHSs), which has been widely disseminated throughout the world. The use of SHSs in rural electrification projects has been studied from 1980 to date, they have been incorporating advances and technological innovations successively. Through the review of documents on PV projects, articles, and technical reports, it has been possible to identify the changes in the main components of the SHS and the typical configurations, systematizing them in a discrete timeline. Thereby, this article characterizes three generations of SHSs and highlights their differences. The first generation is fully valid between 1980–1995, the second generation in 1995–2010, and the third generation from 2005 to date, which overlaps the beginning. In any case, the time limits in each period are only referential. The later generation, Third Generation Solar Home Systems (3G-SHSs), is highly efficient, uses LED lamps, lithium batteries, microelectronic control, and plug and play connections. Indeed, this equipment can be self-managed by the user and reflects the technology’s high reliability by a minimum maintenance service in situ. Furthermore, their lower costs make access to electricity more affordable for the last mile population. The present research offers a detailed technological and operational characterization of the 3G-SHSs to show the most relevant aspects of support to project developers, planners, and decision-makers to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7.
Environmental Studies; universal access to energy; off-grid electrification; third generation solar home systems; rural electrification; Population; Technological change; Electricity distribution; Innovations; Rural areas; Plug and play; Lithium; Lithium batteries; Electric power grids; Decision making; Electricity; Electrification; Photovoltaic cells; Batteries; COVID-19; Quality of life; Photovoltaics; Energy industry; Energy costs; Solar energy; Pandemics; Sustainable development; Alternative energy sources; Renewable resources; Rural housing; Control equipment; Bangladesh; Argentina; Asia; Africa; Brazil; Bolivia; Peru; Latin America; India
Full text:
Available
Collection:
Databases of international organizations
Database:
ProQuest Central
Type of study:
Qualitative research
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Argentina
/
Bolivia
/
Peru
Language:
English
Journal:
Sustainability
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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