Rural Microgrid Load Profile Benefit Assessment

In order to achieve the objective of universal electricity access by 2030, new microgrids need to serve 630 million people globally. To achieve this goal, new finance models need to be developed and implemented. Load profiles of rural consumers are crucial for off-grid systems capacity planning and control. The combination of detailed load profiles with benefit assessment of rural electricity can provide important insights into the social dynamics of communities ready to adopt microgrid technologies and an important incentive to guide demand side management. We propose a Load Profile - Benefit Assessment (LPBA) methodology that integrates microgrid data, analyzed through mean shift clustering clustering technique, with mixed method instrumentation to adequately assess the impact electricity use has on consumers. Enabled by wellbeing assessment methodology, LPBA could change the perceived investment risk by taking a deeper look at the reasons why a rural electrification business succeeds or fails. Preliminary data from a case study of a rural secondary school in Tanzania is used here to illustrate the methodology. While microgrids connected to a reliable grid seek to reduce cost or maximize the hours of power output when the price per kWh is higher, the LPBA provides a general guideline for microgrid users to manage power consumption with the goal of maximizing wellbeing benefits. Initial results indicate that in order to scale up methodologies such as LPBA, innovation is needed in affordable smart meters, near-real time signal processing tools, and transactive energy appropriate technology.