Planning electrical grids in developing countries: An initial approach using Agent Based Modeling

Summary form only given: Electrification in third world countries is a step that can highly affect other development factors for their population. In general the availability of electricity frees man power for other income generating activities, reduces time spent by women gathering resources and performing domestic tasks allowing them to pursue other activities, makes health resources available that require power bettering communities´ overall health and lengthens the time that students can spend on their education through artificial light. Third world countries with little or no infrastructure such as Haiti, Liberia and other sub-Saharan African countries face the challenge of planning an electric grid with limited resources. They also face the dilemma of protecting their environment and minimizing their carbon footprints while providing their populations with proper access to resources. The infrastructure required for electrification carries high environmental impacts. Further, the fuel mixture used to power the grid will have a considerable amount of emissions that the country must deal with and adds to the environmental concerns of the system.