Development of Renewable Energy System Planning for Rural Electrification, Case Study Rwanda

Abstract

Rwanda is currently experiencing daily load energy crisis. The Rwandan utility supply is not ever handling the increase of energy demand. Bugesera district is one of the district which are facing energy issue to improve the development. This master thesis is basically to choose a suitable electrification energy system planning for rural area in order to improve their welfare. Off grid Solar photovoltaic (PV) system is considered as an effective option to increase the energy yield production for rural areas community. It presents mainly the available energy resources, system requirements and investments of all major components of sustainable implementation of the solar PV power system as well as benefits. A suitable energy system capable of supplying energy of 65.18 MWh/year was designed and components sizing was carried out. Major system components such as the photovoltaic modules, the inverter are specified assuming insolation levels of four minimum sun hours per day. The use of solar PV off grid system is very beneficial and competitive with utility grid, as it decreases both operating costs and pollutant emissions. In addition, some further suggestions are discussed to improve the system.