Review on issues related to electric energy demand in distribution system for developing countries

Electricity consumers in developing countries are in demand for both reliable and high quality electric services to help the economy and support the increase in population. Poor quality of electricity is a major concern for these consumers because of the load shedding problem. This paper focuses on reviewing the current situation of energy demand and the expected load growth in developing countries. Then it will present the main loads contributing to a customer´s electricity bill in these countries compared to his monthly income. It will also discuss other factors contributing to the increase in energy demand in developing countries. It will show the effect of increasing energy demand on power supply reflected into power cuts in these countries focusing on introducing the load shedding problem, main power outages, load shedding status in developing countries and the approaches followed in literature to minimize the severity of the problem. Then, the paper will provide the reader with a knowledge based review on distribution generation and renewable energy sources focusing on reviewing the energy demand compared to the available resources and the role of renewable energy sources in facilitating the expansion of electricity supply in developing countries.