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Efficacy of solar power units for small-scale businesses in a remote rural area, South Africa

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  • Hajat, A.
  • Banks, D.
  • Aiken, R.
  • Shackleton, C.M.

Abstract

Much work has considered the practicalities and affordability of solar systems for domestic energy supplies in remote rural areas. There is less understanding of its utility for small-scale business enterprises in such areas. We examined the patterns of use of two 12V and one 24V systems for small-scale enterprises housed in transportable containers. Monitoring of load shed and top of charge indicated that the 12V systems were inadequate to meet the requirements of the enterprises. The 24V operation performed a lot better. Despite some technical limitations the system offered a number of social, economic and environmental positives; primarily the offering of business products not otherwise available in the area, incomes to the entrepreneurs and greater connectivity with regional centres through office services such as cell-phone charging and faxing. Customers of the small-scale enterprises felt that their presence in the area saved them some money because they no longer had to travel as frequently to regional urban centres.

Suggested Citation

  • Hajat, A. & Banks, D. & Aiken, R. & Shackleton, C.M., 2009. "Efficacy of solar power units for small-scale businesses in a remote rural area, South Africa," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(12), pages 2722-2727.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:34:y:2009:i:12:p:2722-2727
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2009.05.027
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    Cited by:

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    2. Paul Munro & Greg van der Horst & Simon Willans & Preston Kemeny & Ame Christiansen & Nicole Schiavone, 2016. "Social enterprise development and renewable energy dissemination in Africa: The experience of the community charging station model in Sierra Leone," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 16(1), pages 24-38, January.
    3. Ian Rowlands, 2011. "Ancillary impacts of energy-related climate change mitigation options in Africa’s least developed countries," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 16(7), pages 749-773, October.
    4. Elizabeth Baldwin & Jennifer N. Brass & Sanya Carley & Lauren M. MacLean, 2015. "Electrification and rural development: issues of scale in distributed generation," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(2), pages 196-211, March.
    5. Ian H. Rowlands, 2011. "Co-impacts of energy-related climate change mitigation in Africa�s least developed countries: the evidence base and research needs," GRI Working Papers 39, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
    6. Banal-Estañol, Albert & Calzada, Joan & Jordana, Jacint, 2017. "How to achieve full electrification: Lessons from Latin America," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 55-69.
    7. Zhou, Xin & Xu, Haoran & Xiang, Duo & Chen, Jinli & Xiao, Gang, 2022. "Design and modeling of a honeycomb ceramic thermal energy storage for a solar thermal air-Brayton cycle system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PD).
    8. Musango, Josephine K. & Brent, Alan C., 2011. "Assessing the sustainability of energy technological systems in Southern Africa: A review and way forward," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 145-155.

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