Energy Access

Globally, approximately 1 billion people have no access to electricity, and it is estimated that a further 1 billion people have a chronically unreliable and inadequate energy supply. Ensuring access to affordable, reliable and modern energy is one of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (#7) – and is intrinsically linked to other SDGs, such as eliminating poverty (#1), good health and wellbeing (#4) and improving education (#5), to name a few. Providing clean, affordable and sustainable electricity to all is also a crucial step in tackling climate change. This electricity must be low-carbon to limit future greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers at the Grantham Institute are working with numerous external collaborators to further innovation in providing low-carbon energy access around the world.

This briefing considers how clean energy solutions can be used by humanitarian organisations to both reduce the cost and environmental footprint of their operations, and promote the resilience and independence of displaced communities.
icons showing different types of batteries

This infographic shows a range of deployed, growing and desired storage technologies in off-grid applications.
Poor village seen from above with solar panels in the foreground

A new project is investigating how solar home systems, mini-grids and a national electricity grid can support each other in an integrated system.

Supporting rural electrification in developing countries

These papers consider how technologies like minigrids can overcome local challenges to rural electrification in two developing countries, Rwanda and Nepal, and what further research will be required to maximise their potential. [PDFs]

View all the papers here.

 

African woman in a shop in Rwanda clicking a power switch

Project Overview

This project supports the transfer of technologies and solutions to rural electrification in two countries, Rwanda in Sub-Saharan Africa and Nepal.
corrugated iron roof with solar panels on top

Nepal & Rwanda

Countries around the world face similar issues in using minigrids for rural electrification. Here we present a country profile for Nepal and Rwanda.
Close up of a dam with lots of water pouring through

Utilising Hydropower in Nepal

Hydropower is by far the most common generation choice for minigrids for rural electrification in Nepal. Find out more in this case study.
Small solar panel on the ground next to a hut

Solar minigrids in Rwanda‌

Current minigrids in Rwanda rely almost entirely on solar power as their main generation source. Find out more in this case study.

CLOVER Modelling Minigrids ‌

The Grantham Institute has developed a minigrid simulation and optimisation tool called CLOVER. Find out more about how it is used.

Grantham Institute blog

posts on Energy Access

Insights from staff and students across Imperial working in climate and environment related areas.

Researchers working on energy access

Dr Oytan Babacan

Headshot of Dr Oytan Babacan

Dr Oytan Babacan
Imperial College Research Fellow

Hamish Beath

Headshot of Hamish Beath

Hamish Beath
Research Postgraduate

Dr Sheridan Few

Headshot of Dr Sheridan Few

Dr Sheridan Few
Research Associate, Mitigation Technology

Dr Ajay Gambhir

Headshot of Dr Ajay Gambhir

Dr Ajay Gambhir
Senior Climate Change Mitigation Policy Research Fellow

Professor Jenny Nelson

Headshot of Professor Jenny Nelson

Professor Jenny Nelson
Professor of Physics

Paloma Ortega Arriaga

Headshot of Paloma Ortega Arriaga

Paloma Ortega Arriaga
Research Postgraduate

Dr Philip Sandwell

Headshot of Dr Philip Sandwell

Dr Philip Sandwell
Research Associate (Knowledge Transfer Secondment)

CLOVER

Grantham Institute researchers have developed a simulation and optimisation tool called CLOVER (Continuous Lifetime Optimisation of Variable Electricity Resources), designed to help inform governments, businesses, NGOs and researchers about electrification solutions. Find out more about the tool. 

Academic papers

Energy access through electricity storage: Insights from technology providers and market enablers
Energy for Sustainable Development, Vol: 48, Pages: 1-10, ISSN: 0973-0826
Few S, Schmidt O, Gambhir A, 2019

Off-grid solar photovoltaic systems for rural electrification and emissions mitigation in India;
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol:156, ISSN:0927-0248, Pages:147-156
Sandwell P, Chan NLA, Foster S, et al., 2016,

In-situ, long-term operational stability of organic photovoltaics for off-grid applications in Africa
 Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol:149, ISSN:0927-0248, Pages:284-293
Emmott CJM, Moia D, Sandwell P, et al., 2016

Analysis of energy access and impact of modern energy sources in unelectrified villages in Uttar Pradesh
 Energy for Sustainable Development, Vol:35, Pages 67-79, ISSN: 0973-0826
Sandwell P, Chambon C, Saraogi A, Chabenat A, Mazur M, Ekins-Daukes N, Nelson J, 2016