Bridging the information gap: A webGIS tool for rural electrification in data-scarce regions

摘要

Rural electrification in developing countries is often hampered by major information gaps between local communities and urban centers, where technical expertise and funding are concentrated. The tool presented in this paper addresses these gaps to support the implementation of off-grid micro hydropower infrastructure. Specifically, we present a method to site, size and evaluate the potential for micro hydropower based on remote sensing data. The method improves on previous approaches by (i) incorporating the effect of hillslope topography on the optimal layout of the infrastructure, and (ii) accounting for the constraints imposed by streamfiow variability and local electricity demand on the optimal size of the plants.