RENEWABLES FOR SUSTAINABLE VILLAGE POWER

摘要

In 1994, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) formed a Village Power Group dedicated to matching renewable energy (RE) technologies with rural energy needs in the international market. While classic rural electrification consisted of extending the national grid and/or providing diesel gensets to remote, concentrated communities, it became clear that RE solutions had both economic and environmental advantages over conventional electricity in many remote communities. The key elements of NREL's Renewables for Sustainable Village Power (RSVP) program were a multidisciplinary team, an application- and village-need-driven focus, a technology-neutral approach, a broad set of in-country activities, the development of complimentary partnerships, and the evolution of an integrated approach. The essential activities of the RSVP team included developing applications, testing systems, mapping resources, analyzing options, initiating pilot projects, and conducting outreach, training, and information activities. This paper describes these activities, updates the lessons learned, and proposes an integrated approach as a model for rural electrification with renewables.