Potential of Photovoltaics and Energy Storage to Address Lack of Electricity Access

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that photovoltaics combined with energy storage can potentially provide reliable, dispatchable electricity access to nearly all of the 1.1 billion people currently lacking it, at affordable costs.

Contribution

It presents a global geospatial analysis showing the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of using PV and storage to address electricity access gaps worldwide.

Findings

Nearly all unserved population could achieve Tier 5 access with PV and storage.

Around 90% could be served at a lifetime cost of ≤$0.20/kWh.

Most cost scenarios show high feasibility for universal access.

Abstract

Lack of electricity access is widespread in the developing world and associated with increased mortality, reduced educational levels, and economic and social disadvantages, especially among women. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has emphasized securing access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for all. For climatological and health reasons, particular attention has been focused on expanding the use of renewables for electricity production. In particular, photovoltaics, coupled to energy storage, is an attractive option for dispatchable electricity production, but the degree to which they can be used to address global lack of electricity access, and associated costs, merits more attention. This study presents a global geospatial analysis to identify areas suitable for production of dispatchable electricity using photovoltaics and energy storage. Analysis considers land use restrictions, 25 years of historical hourly solar irradiance, seasonal demand curves, population, and visible nighttime light (as a measure of electrification). We show that nearly all the population identified without electricity access (approx. 1.1 billion people) could get access to Tier 5 level electricity in the Sustainable Energy for All initiative framework using photovoltaics and battery storage coupled systems. Under most cost scenarios analyzed, around 90 percent of this population could be served for a lifetime cost of electricity (LCOE) of 0.20 dollars per kWhe or less at current system costs.