Page - 34 - in Clean Water Using Solar and Wind - Outside the Power Grid

34 Clean Water Using Solar and Wind: Outside the Power Grid off-grid solar is becoming more attractive. In countries and regions like Australia and California, and even parts of India, off-grid solar PV is becoming cheaper than purchasing the electric power from the power grid (WEC, 2016, Chapter 8). Naturally, being connected to the grid means a guarantee of electric power even if the off-grid systems break down. 67 35 10 48 1 7 7 0 20 40 60 80 India Nigeria Ethiopia Bangladesh Dem Rep Congo Tanzania Kenya Figure 3.4 Rural electrification rates (%) in some developing countries. Data from IEA (2013). It ought to be emphasised that increased electrification and rising electric energy use from renewable sources will not increase global warming. The production of CO2 from fossil fuels must be decreased. So, any replacement of diesel generators and wood burning will make a positive contribution to the climate. 3.3 SCALABILITY OF RENEWABLE ENERGY The scalability of renewables is remarkable, in particular for solar PV. The systems can be highly modular and can provide options for both off-grid and on-grid solutions. The scale can vary from very small lighting systems in remote areas to residential and commercial rooftop systems at utility scale. The size can vary from the kW range to hundreds of MW. In remote areas renewables can negate reliance on fossil fuels, like kerosene and diesel, which has not only an economic impact but also an effect on health. Downloaded from https://iwaponline.com/ebooks/book-pdf/520710/wio9781780409443.pdf by IWA Publishing user