Summary:
There is a huge need for investment for the electrification of rural areas in developing countries. Any effective approach to this enormous task requires strategic planning that combines diverse electrification modes: grid extension, mini-grids, and stand-alone systems. Advanced computer tools are necessary to support planners. This paper reviews the existing techniques, software tools, and approaches that can contribute to this job. We propose a comprehensive but compact mathematical formulation of rural electrification planning as an optimization problem. This general formulation establishes a common ground for a critical review of the different tools and solution methods and allows the identification of the primary research needs in this field.
Spanish layman's summary:
Este artículo es una introducción al problema de la electrificación rural que cubre no sólo el problema en sí mismo sino que también proporciona una formulación matemática homogeneizadora y revisa las principales herramientas disponibles, señalando los retos que se deben acometer en el futuro.
English layman's summary:
This article is an introduction to the problem of rural electrification that covers not only the problem itself but also provides a homogenizing mathematical formulation and reviews the main tools available, pointing out the challenges that must be tackled in the future.
Keywords: Electricity access; Rural electrification; Electrification methodology; Energy technology; Planning model; Software tool
JCR Impact Factor and WoS quartile: 14,982 - Q1 (2020); 15,900 - Q1 (2022)
DOI reference:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2019.109624
Published on paper: March 2020.
Published on-line: December 2019.
Citation:
P. Ciller, S. Lumbreras, Electricity for all: The contribution of large-scale planning tools to the energy-access problem. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews. Vol. 120, pp. 109624-1 - 109624-16, March 2020. [Online: December 2019]
