U.S. Support for Village Power Research for renewable energy technologies Resource assessment Development of technologies System implementation and projects Renewable energy applications: productive uses, telecom, micro-enterprise Hybrid systems (PV/wind/diesel)

Village Power Support Activities R&D Resource assessment Deployment Training System design Outreach

Research and Development Research to develop technologies: technology is necessary, but not sufficient - PV - wind - hybrid - battery - biomass

Resource Assessment Resource assessment and GIS analysis tools to develop projects: knowledge of renewable energy resources is critical to project success -solar -wind -hydro -biomass http://rredc.nrel.gov/

System Analysis Computer modeling and system analysis: performance, resource availability, loads, and cost effectiveness can aid project design HOMER (Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables) - model that helps design electric power systems Hybrid2 - tool to conduct long-term performance and economic analysis on hybrid power systems ViPOR (Village Power Optimization Model for Renewables) - optimization model for designing village electrification systems http://www.nrel.gov/villagepower/model.html

Sustainability Issues Village power sustainability issues: RE provides a service to users and has potential to improve quality of life - O&M - productive uses - health clinics - schools - micro-enterprise (access to markets) - community centers - telecom, access to information

Outreach Outreach: networking and training opportunities support village power projects Village Power conferences (1994, 1997, 1998 2000) Village Power database and newsletter http://www.nrel.gov/villagepower WEATS GVEP

Domestic Applications Tribal Energy Program Financial and technical assistance for feasibility studies Shares cost of implementing sustainable energy installations on tribal lands. www.eren.doe.gov/tribalenergy Wales, Alaska - high penetration wind-diesel hybrid demonstration project in rural Alaska. 130 kW wind/365 kW diesel. Prototype to validate the technical feasibility and economic viability of wind-diesel hybrid electric generation systems for widespread applicability to rural villages

International Applications Asia Africa South America www.nrel.gov/international

Example: Integrated Strategies to Support VP in China Analyses Inner Mongolia case studies - technical and economic performance of household and village power systems Rural household energy surveys in Xinjiang, Qinghai and Inner Mongolia and analysis of least-cost systems options Resource Assessment - Biomass assessments and resource database, conversion technologies, technical and economic assessment, and market strategies and policies Training – at NREL, in China SDPC Brightness Program/Township program - SDPC grant for 17 MW PV and wind village power systems - Training certification program, hybrids systems training, productive uses and micro-enterprise training