Tue, 28 January, 2025
The PowerPath project aims to demonstrate a novel, technological approach for building smart, rural and green microgrids from the bottom-up, through the progressive interconnection of smaller, smart, green power infrastructures, namely solar nanogrids. A new generation of nanogrids will emerge, via the development and field testing of different solutions, that differs drastically from conventional AC distribution grids which have centralised production and storage capacity provided by a single solar plant. Instead, the nanogrid interconnection modules will enable multiple solar plants to be built, providing flexible DC balancing grids with highly decentralised production and greater storage capacity. The aim of the nanogrid is to achieve a 3% share of the solar market.
Those who will most immediately benefit from the solar energy are local, rural villagers who will not only enjoy electricity for basic needs, such as cooling and water pumping, but also for running agricultural machinery.
The biggest legacy of the PowerPath project is that it develops technologies and a business model that leave no-one behind, reflecting the core objective of the lateral electrification model which has already proven its high inclusivity rate.
Conventional, AC, rural microgrids in Madagascar systematically fail to connect more than 30% of the population in the rare localities they have been deployed in and the national penetration rate of solar-home-systems is below 20%. However, partner Nanoé's solar nanogrids have already provided an alternative means of power to over 70% of the population in many rural villages of North Madagascar. Contributing to this are affordability, and a better value proposition that is more adapted to local communities’ needs and constraints. More specifically, over 400 rural households, home to circa 2K people, in the Diana region of Madagascar have directly benefited from the pilot deployment and there are plans to extend this access over a 5-year horizon.