IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i15p9458-d878218.html

Drinking Water Supply in Rural Africa Based on a Mini-Grid Energy System—A Socio-Economic Case Study for Rural Development

Author

Listed:
  • Joern Falk

    (Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, Einsteinufer 37, 10587 Berlin, Germany)

  • Björn Globisch

    (Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, Einsteinufer 37, 10587 Berlin, Germany
    Faculty II-Mathematics and Natural Sciences, The Technical University of Berlin, Straße des 17, Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany)

  • Martin Angelmahr

    (Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, Einsteinufer 37, 10587 Berlin, Germany)

  • Wolfgang Schade

    (Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, Einsteinufer 37, 10587 Berlin, Germany
    IEPT, Clausthal University of Technology, Am Stollen 19A, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany)

  • Heike Schenk-Mathes

    (Management and Environmental Economics, Clausthal University of Technology, Julius-Albert-Straße 2, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany)

Abstract

Water is an essential resource required for various human activities such as drinking, cooking, growing food, and personal hygiene. As a key infrastructure of public services, access to clean and safe drinking water is an essential factor for local socio-economic development. Despite various national and international efforts, water supply is often not guaranteed, especially in rural areas of Africa. Although many water resources are theoretically available in these areas, bodies of water are often contaminated with dangerous pathogens and pollutants. As a result, people, often women and children, have to travel long distances to collect water from taps and are exposed to dangers such as physical violence and accidents on their way. In this article, we present a socio-economic case study for rural development. We describe a drinking water treatment plant with an annual capacity of 10,950 m 3 on Kibumba Island in Lake Victoria (Tanzania). The plant is operated by a photovoltaic mini-grid system with second-life lithium-ion battery storage. We describe the planning, the installation, and the start of operation of the water treatment system. In addition, we estimate the water prices achievable with the proposed system and compare it to existing sources of drinking water on Kibumba Island. Assuming a useful life of 15 years, the installed drinking water system is cost-neutral for the community at a cost price of 0.70 EUR/m 3 , 22% less than any other source of clean water on Kibumba Island. Access to safe and clean drinking water is a major step forward for the local population. We investigate the socio-economic added value using social and economic key indicators like health, education, and income. Hence, this approach may serve as a role model for community-owned drinking water systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Joern Falk & Björn Globisch & Martin Angelmahr & Wolfgang Schade & Heike Schenk-Mathes, 2022. "Drinking Water Supply in Rural Africa Based on a Mini-Grid Energy System—A Socio-Economic Case Study for Rural Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:15:p:9458-:d:878218
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/15/9458/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/15/9458/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mark A. Shannon & Paul W. Bohn & Menachem Elimelech & John G. Georgiadis & Benito J. Mariñas & Anne M. Mayes, 2008. "Science and technology for water purification in the coming decades," Nature, Nature, vol. 452(7185), pages 301-310, March.
    2. Zhe Huang & Esther Laurentine Nya & Viet Cao & Willis Gwenzi & Mohammad Azizur Rahman & Chicgoua Noubactep, 2021. "Universal Access to Safe Drinking Water: Escaping the Traps of Non-Frugal Technologies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-15, August.
    3. Thandi Kapwata & Angela Mathee & Wouter Jacobus Le Roux & Caradee Yael Wright, 2018. "Diarrhoeal Disease in Relation to Possible Household Risk Factors in South African Villages," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-12, August.
    4. Mahmoud, Marwan M. & Ibrik, Imad H., 2006. "Techno-economic feasibility of energy supply of remote villages in Palestine by PV-systems, diesel generators and electric grid," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 128-138, April.
    5. Barrie, Jack & Cruickshank, Heather J., 2017. "Shedding light on the last mile: A study on the diffusion of Pay As You Go Solar Home Systems in Central East Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 425-436.
    6. Orubu, Christopher O. & Omotor, Douglason G., 2011. "Environmental quality and economic growth: Searching for environmental Kuznets curves for air and water pollutants in Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 4178-4188, July.
    7. Lukas Salecker & Anar K. Ahmadov & Leyla Karimli, 2020. "Contrasting Monetary and Multidimensional Poverty Measures in a Low-Income Sub-Saharan African Country," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 151(2), pages 547-574, September.
    8. Sievert, Maximiliane & Steinbuks, Jevgenijs, 2020. "Willingness to pay for electricity access in extreme poverty: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    9. Abioye O. Fayiga & Mabel O. Ipinmoroti & Tait Chirenje, 2018. "Environmental pollution in Africa," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 41-73, February.
    10. Martinez-Laserna, E. & Gandiaga, I. & Sarasketa-Zabala, E. & Badeda, J. & Stroe, D.-I. & Swierczynski, M. & Goikoetxea, A., 2018. "Battery second life: Hype, hope or reality? A critical review of the state of the art," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 701-718.
    11. Vanessa Simen Tchamyou, 2020. "Education, lifelong learning, inequality and financial access: evidence from African countries," Contemporary Social Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 7-25, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mingting Shi & Shenao Ma & Sheng Zhong, 2025. "Temporal and Spatial Evolution Characteristics and Obstacle Factor Analysis of Rural Modernization Development Level in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-23, March.
    2. Kalemis, Marios Angelos & Upham, Paul, 2026. "How do microgrid PV systems help communities respond to energy supply disruption? A review of the socio-economic interrelationships in West Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).

    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. Khan, Meer A.M. & Rehman, S. & Al-Sulaiman, Fahad A., 2018. "A hybrid renewable energy system as a potential energy source for water desalination using reverse osmosis: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 456-477.
    2. Jean C. Kouam & Simplice Asongu, 2022. "The non-linear effects of fixed broadband on economic growth in Africa," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 50(5), pages 881-895, August.
    3. Asongu, Simplice A. & Odhiambo, Nicholas M., 2021. "Inequality, finance and renewable energy consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(P1), pages 678-688.
    4. Simplice A. Asongu & Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo‐Obasi, 2020. "Drivers and Persistence of Death in Conflicts: Global Evidence," World Affairs, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 183(4), pages 389-429, December.
    5. Simplice A. Asongu & Mushfiqur Rahman & Mohammad Alghababsheh, 2022. "Information Technology, Business Sustainability and Female Economic Participation in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers 22/057, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    6. Shinice Jackson & Derek Yu, 2023. "Re-examining the Multidimensional Poverty Index of South Africa," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 1-25, February.
    7. Bensch, Gunther & Grimm, Michael, 2024. "Behavioural constraints in energy technology uptake: Evidence from real-purchase offers in rural Rwanda and Senegal," Ruhr Economic Papers 1081, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    8. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2018. "Information asymmetry, financialization, and financial access," International Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 297-315, December.
    9. Yu Chen & Sisi Zhong & Xinlan Liang & Yanru Li & Jing Cheng & Ying Cao, 2024. "The Relationship between Urbanization and the Water Environment in the Chengdu-Chongqing Urban Agglomeration," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-24, July.
    10. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2023. "Female unemployment, mobile money innovations and doing business by females," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-26, December.
    11. Asongu, Simplice A. & Folarin, Oludele E. & Biekpe, Nicholas, 2019. "The long run stability of money demand in the proposed West African monetary union," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 483-495.
    12. Uchenna Efobi & Simplice Asongu & Ibukun Beecroft, 2018. "Aid, Terrorism, and Foreign Direct Investment: Empirical Insight Conditioned on Corruption Control," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 610-630, October.
    13. Mashhadikhan, Samaneh & Ahmadi, Reyhane & Ebadi Amooghin, Abtin & Sanaeepur, Hamidreza & Aminabhavi, Tejraj M. & Rezakazemi, Mashallah, 2024. "Breaking temperature barrier: Highly thermally heat resistant polymeric membranes for sustainable water and wastewater treatment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PA).
    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. Olimpia Neagu, 2019. "The Link between Economic Complexity and Carbon Emissions in the European Union Countries: A Model Based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-27, August.
    16. Simplice A Asongu & Sara Le Roux, 2019. "Understanding Sub-Saharan Africa’s Extreme Poverty Tragedy," International Journal of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(6), pages 457-467, April.
    17. repec:afa:wpaper:aesriwp11 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Juaidi, Adel & Montoya, Francisco G. & Ibrik, Imad H. & Manzano-Agugliaro, Francisco, 2016. "An overview of renewable energy potential in Palestine," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 943-960.
    19. Asongu, Simplice A. & Nnanna, Joseph & Acha-Anyi, Paul N., 2020. "Finance, inequality and inclusive education in Sub-Saharan Africa," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 162-177.
    20. Pinaki Das & Bibek Paria & Shama Firdaush, 2021. "Juxtaposing Consumption Poverty and Multidimensional Poverty: A Study in Indian Context," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 153(2), pages 469-501, January.
    21. Amit Kumer Podder & Anik Kumar Das & Eklas Hossain & Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar & Naruttam Kumar Roy & Hassan Haes Alhelou & Alagar Karthick & Amer Al-Hinai, 2021. "Integrated modeling and feasibility analysis of a rooftop photovoltaic systems for an academic building in Bangladesh [Techno-economic impacts analysis of a hybrid grid connected energy system applied for a cattle farm]," International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies, Oxford University Press, vol. 16(4), pages 1317-1327.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:15:p:9458-:d:878218. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.