Mini-Grids

The Kenyan Electrification Strategy Roadmap has identified off-grid networks (commonly known as "mini-grids") as economically viable, and often the only available electrification solution for remote rural areas.

However, existing mini-grids in Kenya are almost exclusively PV-based. While solar electricity is valuable, the multiplicity of energy needs of remote communities include energy-intensive heating, cooling and transport, for which the direct use of electricity while being clean and efficient requires substantial investment and adaptation.

Also, it can be difficult to match the scale of production that makes economic sense for the Mini-Grid developers with the low direct demand for electricity of households in poor rural communities.

"Multi-Vector" Mini-Grids

These challenges suggest the combined use of different forms of low carbon energy for different needs, and the inclusion of large users of energy such as businesses or community-scale operations.

Different forms of energy are what we call "energy vectors". Examples here of low-carbon energy vectors include electricity, biogas from the anaerobic digestion of organic waste, heat, wood and char for example. To some extent, they can be converted from one into another, for example biogas can be burnt for heat, or converted to power in an engine.

Multi-Vector Mini-Grids can support an integrated approach to Mini-Grid deployment, where business development creates a demand for productive use of energy that fosters wealth creation within these communities. Again, this is facilitated if different forms of energy are available and can be converted from one to another (for example, biogas to heating or cooling or electricity; electricity to heating or cooling or transport; etc.)

Process heat in particular would provide the required scale of demand since it is favoured for small rural businesses where food products and other plant and animal-derived produces are valuable traded commodities. These businesses also are often run by women and could be helpful to improve their livelihoods and that of other disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.