Robust Extra Low Cost Nano-grids (RELCON)

RELCON的目标是实现可持续发展目标7——确保所有人都能获得负担得起的、可靠的、可持续的现代能源。据世界银行估计，目前约有13亿人用不上电。这一目标被视为改善千年发展指数所确定的人民困境的推动因素。人均电能消耗、能源获取与人类发展指数之间存在明显的相关性。官方发展援助名单上的国家是这项研究的前沿和中心目标。该提案满足了为家庭提供良好的三级电力供应和为社区生产性服务提供四级电力供应的挑战，并且在商业上可行，每户每月4美元的成本（煤油的典型低端支出）。此外，还对其进行了网格化设计。这一雄心勃勃的挑战是通过实现配电基础设施成本的逐步下降来实现的，因为人们认识到光伏发电正变得越来越便宜，而且广泛的分散存储能够显著降低配电电缆成本。该系统由一个纳米中心组成，为15到25个住宅提供服务，每个住宅都有单独的触控安全超低电压线路。通过在线路两端安装智能、低成本的电力电子转换器，可以减轻电压下降的许多问题。此外，本地存储在峰值时间提供额外的功率，使最终用户能够访问超过线路额定功率的功率。电池还允许降低线路上的峰值功率，从而减少净损失，并为系统提供额外的弹性。纳米集线器还可以接受电网连接，从而大大降低了向已经连接的最终用户输送电力的成本。RELCON有五个工作流程：1)了解社区需求，2)系统设计和操作，3)低成本，强大的电源转换器，4)保护系统，5)现场原型试验。该项目将开发基础技术、分析工具和数据集，以实现这种适合提供离网社区电力需求的新型网络架构的稳健设计和运行。它汇集了来自牛津大学、卡迪夫大学和肯尼亚合作大学三所大学的卓越专业知识，以及三家免费合作公司：肯尼亚电力公司（主要的配电和面向客户的公用事业公司）、非洲电力存储公司（一家总部位于英国的初创公司，开发纳米中心）和热带电力公司（一家有着无可挑剔记录的实施合作伙伴）。这些合作伙伴公司已经开始为实现重大影响提供明确的途径。

RELCON is targeting Sustainable Development Goal 7- to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. At present the World Bank estimates there to be about 1.3 billion people without access to electricity. This goal is seen as an enabler to improving the plight of people as determined by the Millennium Development Indices. There is a clear correlation between per capita electrical energy consumption, energy access and the Human Development Index. ODA list countries are the front and centre target of this research. This proposal meets the challenge to provide good Tier 3 electricity provision for homes and Tier 4 levels of electricity for community productive services and will be commercially viable at a cost of $4 per month per household (typical low end spend for kerosene). Furthermore, it has been designed so as to be grid ready. This ambitious challenge is met by delivering a downwards step-change in the costs of distribution infrastructure by recognising that PV is becoming much cheaper and that widespread decentralised storage enables a significant decrease in distribution cabling costs. The system comprises of a nano-hub, serving 15 to 25 dwellings, each with a separate touch-safe ultra low voltage line. By having smart, low cost power electronic converters at each end of the line, mitigates many of the issues of volt drop. Furthermore, the local storage provides additional power at peak time, enabling the end user to have access to power in excess of the line rating. The batteries also allow for reduced peak powers on the lines that reduce the net losses, as well as providing additional resiliency to the system. The nano-hub can also accept a grid connection, thus greatly reducing the costs of delivering power to the already connected end users. RELCON has five work streams: 1) Understanding the needs of the community, 2) System design and operation, 3) Low cost, robust power converters 4) Protection systems and 5) In field prototype trial.This project will develop the underlying technology, analysis tools and datasets to enable the robust design and operation of this novel network architecture that is fit for providing for the electricity needs of off-grid communities. It brings together exceptional expertise from three Universities, Oxford, Cardiff and the Co-operative University of Kenya, as well as three complimentary partner companies: Kenya Power (the main distribution and customer facing utility), African Power Storage (a UK based startup developing nano-hub) and Tropical Power (an implementation partner with an impeccable record). These partner companies already start to provide clear pathways to enabling significant impact.