In this section
@article{Beath:2024:10.1038/s41467-024-48450-7,
author = {Beath, H and Mittal, S and Few, S and Winchester, B and Sandwell, P and Markides, C and Nelson, J and Gambhir, A},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-024-48450-7},
journal = {Nature Communications},
title = {Carbon pricing and system reliability impacts on pathways to universal electricity access in Africa},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48450-7},
volume = {15},
year = {2024}
}
TY - JOUR
AB - Off-grid photovoltaic systems have been proposed as a panacea for economies with poor electricity access, offering a lower-cost “leapfrog” over grid infrastructure used in higher-income economies. Previous research examining pathways to electricity access may understate the role of off-grid photovoltaics as it has not considered reliability and carbon pricing impacts. We perform high-resolution geospatial analysis on universal household electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa that includes these aspects via least-cost pathways at different electricity demand levels. Under our “Tier 3" demand reference scenario, 24% of our study’s 470 million people obtaining electricity access by 2030 do so via off-grid photovoltaics. Including a unit cost for unmet demand of 0.50 US dollars ($)/kWh, to penalise poor system reliability increases this share to 41%. Applying a carbon price (around $80/tonne CO2-eq) increases it to 38%. Our results indicate considerable diversity in the level of policy intervention needed between countries and suggest several regions where lower levels of policy intervention may be effective.
AU - Beath,H
AU - Mittal,S
AU - Few,S
AU - Winchester,B
AU - Sandwell,P
AU - Markides,C
AU - Nelson,J
AU - Gambhir,A
DO - 10.1038/s41467-024-48450-7
PY - 2024///
SN - 2041-1723
TI - Carbon pricing and system reliability impacts on pathways to universal electricity access in Africa
T2 - Nature Communications
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48450-7
UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48450-7
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/111579
VL - 15
ER -
Jenny Nelson
Professor of Physics
1007, Huxley Building
South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ