Pushing the Limits: Mini-grids for Equitable Access to Energy in Informal Settlements
Like many emerging economies, the government of South Africa must deliver safe and affordable services to its citizens while managing rapid, unplanned urbanization. Many South Africans reside on land not fit for traditional electrification and resort to dirty and dangerous alternatives such as paraffin and illegal connections. Low voltage, DC mini-grids offer an intriguing potential solution by delivering essential energy services in a safe, clean and affordable way.
Zonke Energy is developing just such a solution for settlements in Cape Town. The company's solar towers offer refrigeration, lights and entertainment on a pre-paid basis. In this talk, we discuss our experience serving clients in the socially and technically complex environment of an informal settlement. We will look at client expectations, how their lives change in the presence of a solar mini-grid, lessons learned, and what remains to be done. We will also outline our current technology and our vision for the next 24 months, including enhanced client communications, mesh connections, and energy trading. We will close with our experience of the current regulatory environment, and what progress can be made to catalyze further participation of the private sector.
Key Learning Points:
- Community participation is critical to the long-term success of any electrification project
- The private sector can play a critical role in reaching under-served populations, but it requires strong government support
- Technology and business models must solve the particular needs of communities and cannot be implemented from elsewhere without consideration for the local context
- Scaling and profitability is possible, but only with patience and the right partners
Alex Densmore
Technical Director
Zonke Energy
Alex Densmore is the Technical Director at Zonke Energy, a South African enterprise delivering clean and affordable energy to informal settlements. He has nearly ten years' experience in off-grid energy: at Simpa Energy India, he led development of their "pay-as-you-go" metering system. Alex has been a consultant and volunteer for universities, DFI's and manufacturers working at the intersection of health, ICT and energy. He holds a degree in power-electronics from the University of Cape Town and mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.
Technical Director
Zonke Energy
Alex Densmore is the Technical Director at Zonke Energy, a South African enterprise delivering clean and affordable energy to informal settlements. He has nearly ten years' experience in off-grid energy: at Simpa Energy India, he led development of their "pay-as-you-go" metering system. Alex has been a consultant and volunteer for universities, DFI's and manufacturers working at the intersection of health, ICT and energy. He holds a degree in power-electronics from the University of Cape Town and mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.