Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/299116 
Year of Publication: 
2022
Citation: 
[Journal:] Development Engineering [ISSN:] 2352-7285 [Volume:] 7 [Article No.:] 100101 [Year:] 2022 [Pages:] 1-17
Publisher: 
Elsevier, Amsterdam
Abstract: 
We present a case study of successful uptake of a productive use of electricity (PUE) co-located at an off-grid clinic powered by OffGridBox in Rwanda. We develop a techno-economic analysis of the standardized, modular, and redeployable power supply technology, characterizing cost components, revenue considerations, and key challenges. We present a technical characterization of system utilization based on remote monitoring of electricity consumption, power reliability, and power quality at a PUE intervention site, estimating system reliability at 81% over the study period. Lastly, we characterize socio-economic costs and benefits from the productive user's perspective drawing on mixed-method interviews. We find that relatively low amounts of electricity consumption (10-30 kWh per month) command a high revealed willingness to pay (~$3 per kWh) for the solar-powered displacement of diesel-based welding, significantly improving the unit economics of the deployed system. This analysis and data provides a resource model for the standardization of mini-grid hardware, performance and cost frameworks, and metrics to assess off-grid, under-grid and ultimately grid interactive distributed generation systems. These models are urgently needed to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goal SDG 7 commitment to achieve universal energy access by 2030.
Subjects: 
Productive uses of electricity
Community electrification
Case study
Remote monitoring
Energy-health nexus
Cost estimation
Sustainable development
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by-nc-nd Logo
Document Type: 
Article

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