Sustainably Powering Off-Grid Schools in Fiji
Abstract
Energy poverty is very common in rural areas of developing countries and it is even more pronounced in small island developing states (SIDS). This paper attempts to study the energy requirement of off-grid schools in Fiji and make recommendations on some clean energy supply options to replace heavy dependence on diesel generators for electricity. Of the 173 surveyed schools in Fiji, 17 schools were off-grid schools with an annual average energy consumption of 6,443 kWh (812 L) from diesel fuel, 4,600 kWh from premix fuel (607 L) and 621 kWh (60 L) from kerosene. We have carried out a techno-economic study for these schools and recommend the use of hybrid solar photovoltaics with battery storage where diesel generators will be used only as a backup. This system will replace diesel generators so that schools are supplied with 24/7 electricity and not 3-4 hours every evening as is the case currently. To make these systems resilient to extreme weather conditions such as tropical cyclones, it is suggested that building and installation standards be used and capacity building of community members on ensuring the safety of PV systems during cyclones should be mandatory.
Keywords
Off-grid schools, Energy consumption, Solar photovoltaics, Hybrid system, Cyclones