Can we combine solar mini-grids and a fleet of small electric vehicles to improve rural energy access and transport services?
This is the question our pilot seeks to answer.
Mini grids are costly to install, and often have a low electricity demand from domestic customers. This makes it hard to achieve commercial viability without ‘anchor’ loads (larger electricity demand from customers able to pay).
Through an pilot on the Frontier Technology Livestreaming programme, we are exploring the addition of small electric vehicles (2-wheelers and 3-wheelers, as in the picture below) to a solar mini-grid, to improve commercial viability of the mini-grid and hopefully lower the cost of rural transport.
A small ‘fleet’ of electric motorbikes will charge from the mini-grid. This will draw a flexible and substantial load of electricity that can provide an income stream for the mini-grid.
In most developing countries there is a huge rural transport system that could benefit.
Take Kenya, for example: Boda boda motorbike taxis make up a large proportion of rural income, and are used to carry everything. Fuel is a significant cost to boda boda drivers; a cost that we hope the use of electric vehicles can reduce. In another of our pilots based in Rwanda, we are already learning about the potential of electric boda bodas.
Mini grid operators are interested in the potential of this pilot.
I recently visited Kenya and spoke to some mini grid operators. Early conversations confirmed that there is a real need for more productive loads of energy on mini grids, and that there is a good deal of enthusiasm towards engaging with the pilot and learning from its results.
The challenges our pilot faces are both technical and related to combining the two business models: rural transport and renewable mini-grids.
The pilot seeks to work on both of these challenges. Working out how the electricity demand from small electric vehicles can be matched with supply from solar mini-grids is an important first step. In parallel, we need to understand how business models for mini-grids and rural transport services can be configured so the two benefit mutually.
The next stage in our pilot is to identify a suitable mini-grid site. For this we are considering holding a mini grid competition to get the pilot off the ground. We hope to see many applicants, as well as contributions to the pilot throughout its life. Follow this page on Medium for further updates!
