Decentralised Energy Systems in Africa: Coordination and Integration of Off-Grid and Grid Power Systems—Review of Planning Tools to Identify Renewable Energy Deployment Options for Rural Electrification in Africa

Abstract

Purpose of Review This article reviews energy planning tools and the extent to which these tools have been utilised to deploy ongrid (especially mini-grids) and off-grid renewable energy (RE) technologies on the African continent. The paper seeks to answer the following questions: what are the planning tools used for renewable energy deployment in Africa, and to what extent have they been used? Recent Findings The most widely used tools for the planning of RE technologies are HOMER and LEAP, though itmust be noted that the two have different applications. Other tools identified were network planner, RETScreen, MESSAGE and MARKAL/ TIMES. Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa are the countries where electricity planning tools have been used most, according to literature identified. A principal challenge in many of the papers reviewed is the general lack and unreliability of electricity planning data. Summary The review shows that there is not a single tool that could be appropriate for all of the different energy planning issues for RE deployment per se. Rather, the aims of each study and the details required, inter alia, influences the type of tool selected for the particular study.