Developing a smart solar energy platform for families and fleet operators

非洲无电人口从2018年的近8.6亿下降到2019年的7.7亿（IEA等，2021年）。然而，尽管到2030年普及负担得起、可靠和可持续的电力是一个关键的可持续发展目标（联合国，2015年），但如果没有更持续的努力，预计到2030年仍将有6.5亿人无法获得电力。电网扩张是必要的，但未联网的个人仍然难以接触到，因为他们主要是农村、贫困和边缘化的人。不仅如此，那些通过离网太阳能技术连接的人还面临着系统寿命的问题。在肯尼亚进行的一项研究发现，尽管预计寿命为25年，但近五分之一的太阳能产品在18个月内停止工作，其中大多数产品在家中未固定（Cross和Murray，2018）。因此，提出了当前太阳能家庭系统的维护和寿命问题。太阳能家庭系统是独立的单元，包括光伏板（发电机）、电池和充电控制器（能量存储和分配）以及电器（能量负载），为任务照明和手机充电提供至少“一级”电力接入（ESMAP, 2015）。输出功率为1 - 10瓦的太阳能电池板可用于照明，以取代家庭中的煤油灯。然而，部署的太阳能电池板系统故障率很高（Feron, 2016）；例如，据报道老挝的失败率为65% （IRENA, 2014）。这些高故障率是由于缺乏维护或售后服务，以及恶劣的操作条件（Van Diessen, 2008）。在Innovate UK的资助下，开放能源实验室（英国SME）、Fam工作室（英国创新机构）将开发MVP智能手机应用/硬件，以支持远程/农村用户控制、监控、维护和扩展太阳能家庭系统（SHS）的功能。同时还制定了一项战略，支持高等教育/经济学院学生成为车队企业家，可以维护/修理任何类型/品牌的SHS。从而直接降低卢旺达和撒哈拉以南非洲采用可再生能源技术的障碍；也就是说，降低人们设计、安装、操作、管理和维护家庭系统所需的技能水平。我们将在这个项目中评估这项创新的可行性，目的是开发一个用于进一步测试的alpha原型。

The number of people without access to electricity in Africa dropped from almost 860 million in 2018 to 770 million in 2019 (IEA et al., 2021). However, without more sustained efforts, it is predicted that 650 million people will still live without access to electricity in 2030, despite universal access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity by 2030 being a key Sustainable Development Goal (United Nations, 2015). Grid expansion is necessary, but unconnected individuals remain difficult to reach as they're mainly rural, poor and marginalised. Not only this, but those connected via off-grid solar technology are facing issues with the lifespan of their systems. A study carried out in Kenya found that Nearly one-fifth of solar products stopped working within 18 months despite a 25-year predicted lifespan, with the majority of these products, being kept unfixed in the home (Cross and Murray,2018). Therefore, presenting issues with the maintenance and lifespan of current solar home systems.Solar Home Systems are stand-alone units that include a photovoltaic panel (electricity generator), a battery and charge controller (energy storage and distribution), and electrical appliances (the energy load), providing at a minimum "Tier 1" electricity access for task lighting and phone charging (ESMAP, 2015). Solar panels with 1 -- 10 W output can be used to power lights to replace kerosene lamps in households. However, deployed solar panel systems have high failure rates (Feron, 2016); for example, reported failure rates of 65% in Laos (IRENA, 2014). These high failure rates result from a lack of maintenance or after-sales service, and harsh operating conditions (Van Diessen, 2008).With funding from Innovate UK, Open Energy Labs (UK SME), Fam Studios (UK Innovation agency), will develop a MVP smartphone application/hardware to support remote/rural users to control, monitor, maintain and expand the functionality of a Solar Home System (SHS). Whilst also developing a strategy to support HE/FE students to become fleet entrepreneurs that can maintain/repair any type/brand of SHS. Thereby directly lowering the barrier to the uptake of renewable energy technology in Rwanda and sub-Saharan Africa; namely, lowering the skill level required for people to design, install, operate, manage, and maintain household systems. We will assess the feasibility of this innovation during this project with the aim of developing an alpha prototype to use for further testing.