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How to increase Africa’s energy supply

Cape Town - Microgrids are essential for increasing Africa’s energy supply and providing electricity to remote areas on the continent, said Leon Viljoen, managing director of power technology company ABB South Africa.

Addressing delegates at the African Utility Week at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, Viljoen said microgrids – a small-scale power grid that can operate independently or in conjunction with an area’s main electrical grid – are here to stay, as they can extend energy generating services in a cost-efficient and clean way.

Sub-Saharan Africa has more people living without access to electricity than any other place in the world. More than 620 million people are without electricity, while nearly 80% live in rural areas.

The introduction of more renewable energy makes an electricity grid more complex and microgrids can therefore help stabilise the system as they disconnect from the traditional grid to operate autonomously.

Electricity supply is intermittent in many African countries, and microgrids can play a significant role in mitigating central grid disturbances because they are able to continue operating while the main grid is down.

In addition, microgrids can house different forms of energy generation, be it hydro, diesel, batteries or renewable, said Viljoen.

There needs to be one single business model for Africa, Viljoen pointed out, and African countries should get their energy regulators on board when they are being established.

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