An autonomous operation microgrid for rural electrification

Energy is one of the most critical economic, environmental, and developmental issues in the world. Developing countries in particular need access to a reliable, affordable, clean, and efficient energy service to elevate standards of living and to reduce poverty. As the largest and most populous continent after Asia, Africa has only 2% of the world´s industrial capacity. Its per capita income is only 15% of the world average and only consumes 3% of world energy. Approximately one-third of the estimated 1.5 billion people without access to electricity worldwide live in Africa. It is therefore urgent for these African countries, especially in rural areas, to find an accessible, reliable, efficient, and economically feasible way for electrification. This paper puts forward an intelligent microgrid as a solution for African rural electrification. Simulation verification and lab implementation are also presented in this paper.