IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v255y2025ics0960148125014806.html

Enhancing industrial load hosting capacity in rural areas of developing countries through distributed energy resource integration

Author

Listed:
  • Onu, Uchenna Godswill
  • Nascimento de Lorenci, Eliane Valenca
  • Zambroni de Souza, A.C.
  • Balestrassi, Pedro Paulo
  • Eicker, Ursula

Abstract

Rural electricity grids are generally not designed for hosting industrial loads for example from agro-industries, although those are important to develop the local economy. This study presents a methodology that evaluates the grid's hosting capacity for industrial loads, and defines a sustainable solution based on the integration of distributed renewable energy resources to adapt the grid to industrial demand. The methodology was applied to a case study in Nigeria using the IEEE 34 bus system. By integrating solar PV and storage at critical buses, the network's load hosting capacity was increased from 1769 kW (residential peak) to 6269 kW (including a 4500-kW industrial load) representing a 254 % capacity enhancement, while maintaining operational limits on transformer, lines loading and voltage limits ensuring grid reliability. Solar PV combined with pumped hydro storage (PHS) was identified as the most cost-effective solution with 99.9 % power supply probability. The results will engender economic sustainability of rural grid investments and empower rural dwellers economically thus fostering social, financial and economic inclusion in rural areas. The assessment also identified three potential pumped hydro sites along the Cross River bank in Afikpo, Nigeria. There was a mismatch in the typical daily rating of the energy devices (PV and storage) and the yearly rating due to seasonal variation of renewable energy resources. An appropriate storage dispatch model that can harness the excess generation in certain periods of the year for a sustainable energy, food and water access is required.

Suggested Citation

  • Onu, Uchenna Godswill & Nascimento de Lorenci, Eliane Valenca & Zambroni de Souza, A.C. & Balestrassi, Pedro Paulo & Eicker, Ursula, 2025. "Enhancing industrial load hosting capacity in rural areas of developing countries through distributed energy resource integration," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:255:y:2025:i:c:s0960148125014806
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.123816
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148125014806
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2025.123816?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bharadwaj, Bishal & Subedi, Mukti Nath & Malakar, Yuwan & Ashworth, Peta, 2023. "Low-capacity decentralized electricity systems limit the adoption of electronic appliances in rural Nepal," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    2. Amuakwa-Mensah, Salome & Surry, Yves, 2022. "Association between rural electrification and agricultural output: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 25(C).
    3. Ongo Nkoa, Bruno Emmanuel & Fonguen-Kong-Ngoh, Arnaud Barnabé, 2024. "Industrialisation in Africa: The role of energy transition," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    4. Chaurey, Akanksha & Ranganathan, Malini & Mohanty, Parimita, 2004. "Electricity access for geographically disadvantaged rural communities--technology and policy insights," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(15), pages 1693-1705, October.
    5. Somoye, Oluwatoyin Abidemi, 2023. "Energy crisis and renewable energy potentials in Nigeria: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    6. Zhang, Tong & Shi, Xunpeng & Zhang, Dayong & Xiao, Junji, 2019. "Socio-economic development and electricity access in developing economies: A long-run model averaging approach," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 223-231.
    7. Ma, Tao & Yang, Hongxing & Lu, Lin & Peng, Jinqing, 2015. "Pumped storage-based standalone photovoltaic power generation system: Modeling and techno-economic optimization," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 649-659.
    8. Onu, Uchenna Godswill & Silva, Giuseppe Scabello & Zambroni de Souza, Antonio Carlos & Bonatto, Benedito Donizeti & Ferreira da Costa, Vinicius Braga, 2022. "Integrated design of photovoltaic power generation plant with pumped hydro storage system and irrigation facility at the Uhuelem-Amoncha African community," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 1021-1031.
    9. Mutanga, Shingirirai S. & Quitzow, Rainer & Steckel, Jan Christoph, 2018. "Tackling energy, climate and development challenges in Africa," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy, vol. 12, pages 1-14.
    10. Onu, Uchenna Godswill & de Doile, Gabriel Nasser Doyle & Zambroni de Souza, Antonio Carlos & Balestrassi, Pedro Paulo, 2024. "Economic sustainability and social inclusion in rural electrical grid design," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    11. Djeunankan, Ronald & Tadadjeu, Sosson & Kamguia, Brice, 2024. "Linking energy poverty and industrialization: Empirical evidence from African countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Deepa, & Ahuja, Suman & Soti, Nupur & Kumar, Ashish & Phore, Jancy & Gupta, Sanjeev, 2026. "How can green finance and economic policies unlock new pathways to clean energy access in Sub-Saharan African nations?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    2. Mahfoud, Rabea Jamil & Alkayem, Nizar Faisal & Zhang, Yuquan & Zheng, Yuan & Sun, Yonghui & Alhelou, Hassan Haes, 2023. "Optimal operation of pumped hydro storage-based energy systems: A compendium of current challenges and future perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    3. Saha, Sanjoy Kumar, 2025. "Empowering rural South Asia: Off-grid solar PV, electricity accessibility, and sustainable agriculture," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 377(PC).
    4. Kamguia, Brice & Tadadjeu, Sosson & Ndoya, Hermann & Djeunankan, Ronald, 2025. "Assessing the nexus between industrialization and inclusive green growth in Africa. The critical role of energy efficiency," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    5. João S. T. Coelho & Afonso B. Alves & Jorge G. Morillo & Oscar E. Coronado-Hernández & Modesto Perez-Sanchez & Helena M. Ramos, 2024. "Hybrid Energy Solution to Improve Irrigation Systems: HY4RES vs. HOMER Optimization Models," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-37, August.
    6. Ateş, Ali Murat, 2022. "Unlocking the floating photovoltaic potential of Türkiye's hydroelectric power plants," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 1495-1509.
    7. Makhdoomi, Sina & Askarzadeh, Alireza, 2020. "Daily performance optimization of a grid-connected hybrid system composed of photovoltaic and pumped hydro storage (PV/PHS)," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 272-285.
    8. Domenech, B. & Ferrer-Martí, L. & Pastor, R., 2015. "Including management and security of supply constraints for designing stand-alone electrification systems in developing countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 359-369.
    9. Olukunle O. Owolabi & Kathryn Lawson & Sanhita Sengupta & Yingsi Huang & Lan Wang & Chaopeng Shen & Mila Getmansky Sherman & Deborah A. Sunter, 2022. "A Robust Statistical Analysis of the Role of Hydropower on the System Electricity Price and Price Volatility," Papers 2203.02089, arXiv.org.
    10. Brahma, Antara & Saikia, Kangkana & Hiloidhari, Moonmoon & Baruah, D.C., 2016. "GIS based planning of a biomethanation power plant in Assam, India," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 596-608.
    11. Vivar, M. & H, Sharon & Fuentes, M., 2024. "Photovoltaic system adoption in water related technologies – A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PB).
    12. Chen, Feifei & Qiu, Huanguang & Yang, Sansi, 2025. "Energy transition of the poor: Quasi-experimental evidence from poverty alleviation relocation program in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    13. Mousavi, Navid & Kothapalli, Ganesh & Habibi, Daryoush & Das, Choton K. & Baniasadi, Ali, 2020. "A novel photovoltaic-pumped hydro storage microgrid applicable to rural areas," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    14. Anilkumar, T.T. & Simon, Sishaj P. & Padhy, Narayana Prasad, 2017. "Residential electricity cost minimization model through open well-pico turbine pumped storage system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 23-35.
    15. Javed, Muhammad Shahzad & Ma, Tao & Jurasz, Jakub & Canales, Fausto A. & Lin, Shaoquan & Ahmed, Salman & Zhang, Yijie, 2021. "Economic analysis and optimization of a renewable energy based power supply system with different energy storages for a remote island," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1376-1394.
    16. Bayode, Israel A. & Ba-Alawi, Abdulrahman H. & Nguyen, Hai-Tra & Woo, Taeyong & Yoo, ChangKyoo, 2025. "Long-term policy guidance for sustainable energy transition in Nigeria: A deep learning-based peak load forecasting with econo-environmental scenario analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    17. Domenech, B. & Ferrer-Martí, L. & Pastor, R., 2015. "Hierarchical methodology to optimize the design of stand-alone electrification systems for rural communities considering technical and social criteria," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 182-196.
    18. Ruben Zieba Falama & Wojciech Skarka & Serge Yamigno Doka, 2022. "Optimal Design and Comparative Analysis of a PV/Mini-Hydropower and a PV/Battery Used for Electricity and Water Supply," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-22, December.
    19. Sakthivel, V.P. & Thirumal, K. & Sathya, P.D., 2022. "Short term scheduling of hydrothermal power systems with photovoltaic and pumped storage plants using quasi-oppositional turbulent water flow optimization," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 459-492.
    20. Mazur, Christoph & Hoegerle, Yannick & Brucoli, Maria & van Dam, Koen & Guo, Miao & Markides, Christos N. & Shah, Nilay, 2019. "A holistic resilience framework development for rural power systems in emerging economies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C), pages 219-232.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:255:y:2025:i:c:s0960148125014806. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.