Solar and wind generation to power medical facilities in Haiti

2018 North American Power Symposium (NAPS), 2018

Haiti is a Caribbean country located next to the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola. Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti suffers from a lack of energy infrastructure leaving over 7.4 million people without power. The electrification rates are the worst in the rural, mountainous regions of Haiti where in 2013 only 15% of residents had access to electricity. The Georgia Institute of Technology's Haiti RELAY team was created in 2015 to help spark the growth of electrification rates in these regions through the development of a simple, cost-effective, and portable solar home system called the "Haiti RELAY". This fully-integrated solar charge controller device was designed through a data-driven approach to provide a consistent means for house lighting and phone charging. In May 2018, the Haiti RELAY team travelled to enact the Haiti RELAY pilot program in the mountains of Thoman, Haiti. As a part of this program, 25 families acquired a RELAY and agreed to provide feedback to help the team understand the efficacy of the design and the necessary improvements for moving the product towards full-scale production. This paper details the energy situation in Haiti, construction and functionality of the Haiti RELAY, and the results of the 2018 mission to Thoman.

Zhongguo Shiyou Daxue Xuebao (Ziran Kexue Ban)/Journal of China University of Petroleum (Edition of Natural Science, 2023

Solar photovoltaic is one of the commonly renewable energy sources using in Ethiopia according to its geographical conditions and availability of ample solar insolation. Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems have been shown to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and environmental devastation caused by the use of nonrenewable energy sources. Nigist Eleni Mohammed Memorial Referral Hospital, which was used as a case study in this study, is also dealing with these issues of disparity and undependable electrical power supply. As a result, the purpose of this research paper was to carefully analyze how a hybrid combination of solar photovoltaic (PV) and other energy sources can be used to increase the reliability of the existing power supply in Hadiya Zone health centers. This study takes an exploratory case study approach by using a qualitative data collection and analysis method. The data collection methods include measurement, participatory observation, interviews, and documentation. The empirical findings were analyzed and used to calculate the required solar PV components that can be integrated into the existing power system. The results reveal that solar PV with a backup system connected to the power grid and a diesel generator is viable, and it gives solutions to Nigest Eleni Mohammed Memorial Referral Hospital's (NEMMRH) energy security issues. Across all sites studied, the PV/diesel/battery system is the most economically feasible, with a net present cost of $50,748 and a renewable percentage (RF) of 60%. The HOMER software was used for optimization and cost-effective analysis.

Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 2018

The lack of modern electricity supply has been a major impediment to proper functioning of the healthcare centers in the rural areas, contributing to high maternal and child mortality rates in a country. Therefore, this study focuses on how to address the identified problem so that the healthcare centers or clinics in the remote areas can provide timely delivery of medical services for the concerned people. This paper, then, presents the analysis of stand-alone hybrid renewable energy systems for basic healthcare services in the rural areas, where there is no grid energy supply or the supply from the existing grid is erratic and unreliable. One major factor that informs the selection of the hybrid energy system in this study is that it promises high reliability compared to a single energy system. The research presents a statistical analysis of the potential of wind and solar energies for a selected rural locations in Nigeria based on the available long-term hourly and daily meteorological data. It employs an optimal technical and economic design and sizing of hybrid electrical power systems' components such as the wind, PV, battery and inverter systems, using the hybrid optimisation software (HOMER). Results show that Sokoto and Jos sites exist in the high wind potential regions, while the remaining sites are only suitable for small wind applications. Values obtained for global radiation show that all the sites enjoy considerable solar energy potential suitable for varying degree of solar energy applications. PV/wind/diesel/battery hybrid system configuration is considered optimum for rural health center at Iseyin, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Jos and Enugu, while hybrid systems involving PV/diesel/battery is considered ideal for Port-Harcourt, due to the quality of renewable energy potential. Hence, it was concluded that, the abundance of wind and solar resources in the country create an ideal environment for inclusion of renewable energy systems in the design and implementation of standalone power supply systems to improve rural healthcare delivery.

In this technologically advanced era, energy is the most talked topics all around the world. There exist a wide gap between demand and supply of energy. The conventional energy sources are fixed and are lessening very quickly. In this critical situation, renewable energy is the only hope to mitigate this. Diversify utilization of renewable energy is the trend of today's era. Making the energy accessible to the poor through solar-based equipment can contribute in developing the socioeconomic condition of the rural areas. In the developing countries, the health sector of the rural area draws much attention. The transportation system of these rural areas is one of the main problems of health sector. This paper will propose a solar-based rickshaw ambulance to improve the rural health sector of the developing countries. In the proposed model, solar energy will be used as a fuel to run the rickshaw ambulance. This type of solar-based rickshaw ambulance is also environmental friendly as well as speedy than other conventional van for the transportation of patients. The output power from the solar panel has been analyzed at MATLAB (simulink) and compare our proposed model with other existing mode of transport system in rural area regarding health treatment.

This paper presents a techno-economical study for the optimal sizing of a hybrid renewable energy system dedicated for the electrification of a health care clinic, installed in the region of Tamanrasset, in the extreme south of Algeria. The proposed hybrid system is constituted of PV arrays, wind turbine, storage batteries, inverters, regulators and a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) genset as a backup system. The analysis of our hybrid system and its optimal sizing will be performed by means of HOMER software which has been developed for designing and analyzing hybrid power systems incorporating various type of energy sources.

Erratic public electric power supply has been a perennial problem in Nigeria since its creation by the British in 1914. It affects all sectors of the economy including the health sector with important dependence on fossil fuel driven generators as alternative or back up, with adverse consequences including emission of toxic gases, noise and high costs. Clean and renewable power sources have been recommended as viable and better alternatives. In a Community Cottage Hospital in southern Nigeria, jointly run by Shell Petroleum Development Company and the Rivers State of Nigeria, solar power introduced in 2010 as alternative electricity supply system. From an average of sixteen hours of power supply a day, a twenty-four electricity power supply a day was achieved since then with a continuing reduction in dependence in fossil fuel. Cost of power was also reduced from 300-1500 to 180-500 a month. Patronage of the facility by the public has also increased since the installations. Solar energy systems are easy to install, operate and maintain by small and medium size institutions. With abundant sunlight all year round, this model is recommended for supply of electric power and solar pumps for hospitals, households and similar institutions in Nigeria and the environments.

Proceedings IX Simpósio Brasileiro de Sistemas Elétricos

As we approach 2030, Haiti is among the countries where access to electricity is difficult, with less than 45.4% electrical coverage (2019); According to a report by "The Spectator Index" published in January 2018 regarding the least electrified countries in the world. A present, Haiti is the third among the worst in the world (in 2017), after Nigeria (2nd) and Yemen (1st). The problem of lack of access to electrical energy is a major obstacle to the economic and social growth of the country. Diagnostics on the Haitian electrical system prove that the production costs of electrical energy are very high and the commercial losses are enormous, even deficit. This article reviews the literature and proposes the use of an off-grid microgrid based on solar energy to supply 271 households in the village of Abricots, a community clearly isolated from the rest of the country, in order to facilitate sustainable access to electricity for this marginalized population of Haiti. This study allows us to understand the feasibility aspects of the project, to size the components of the microgrid, in order to coordinate the supply and demand of energy, while optimizing the operational cost.

International Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering Research, 2022

With electricity being the well-used form of energy and as a part of our daily necessities, problems due power interruptions and not having access to electricity became a concern. But with the advent of technology, we can use ways to generate clean energy to use on a minor scale. The researcher aims to show how many things around you can be used to create clean energy and how this act can help increase your curiosity to science. Using recyclable materials and common items in making a small-scale wind powered electricity generator is a good source of electricity for emergencies and to those who do not have access to electricity. Using a turbine to receive wind, a small dynamo to generate electricity, and a power bank to measure how strong electricity generation is, the device was created that could generate sufficient current at a minimum speed of 30 mph. By testing at different speeds at equal distances, the device was successful at creating the necessary current to start charging the power bank. With the results observed from the device, it was able to serve its purpose to give a sustainable and practical source of electricity.

Open Journal of Applied Sciences

This work is a contribution to the study of hybrid systems for converting solar and wind energy into electricity in Burkina Faso. The approach consists of evaluating and analyzing the production of a wind turbine and a solar field in order to optimize the production of all the technologies. The results obtained made it possible to evaluate the operating performance of the installation and to show the complementarity between the two energy sources with regard to temporary and seasonal variations in resources. During nighttime periods or periods of low sunlight, the wind turbine is a good alternative to energy storage by batteries, the output of the wind turbine can be up to 853.76 W. It was also a question of proposing solutions for optimizing the hybrid system through the automation of the hybrid charge regulator. A minimum height of 30 m above the ground has been chosen as the optimum height for the wind turbine.

3RD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ENERGY AND POWER, ICEP2021

A micro-grid solar hybrid photovoltaic (PV) system has been designed for powering the remote healthcare center located at Charbhadrashan Upazila, Faridpur district in Bangladesh. Geographically, Bangladesh is a promising country for PV technologies, having an average of 4.5 kWh/m 2 /d solar insolation. The selected location for the work is an island into the mighty Padma River where the electric connection is not reliable for 24 hours service of a hospital. The considered roof-top PV system is comprised of 350 W solar panels, bi-directional inverter, generator, connecting wires, mounting system, and related accessories. In this assessment, state-of-the-art PV design software, HOMER Powering Health Tool has been utilized for estimating the load requirements, techno-economic and environmental evaluation of the micro-grid system. The load analysis revealed that a 29-kW grid-connected solar PV system is required for the hospital and the estimated net present cost (NPC) is US$29,846, with a Levelized cost of energy is $0.045. Renewable electricity contributed 98% of this system's power requirement and the grid contributed only 2%. The annual production of this 25year PV system is 43,642 kWh/year and per unit, the electricity production cost is $0.058 which is significantly lower than today's average per-unit cost of $0.082 in Bangladesh. Besides, the system reduces 34.9 tons of CO2 emissions per year. Thus, this analysis suggested that the grid-connected PV system is a better configuration among other power sources for providing electricity to the health clinics in the absence of no electricity.

Non-renewable sources of electricity are currently running low, so alternative energy sources are needed, such as renewable energy that is environmentally friendly, relatively inexpensive, carbon neutral, for example, hybrid wind power plants with solar energy. This study aims to make a prototype of a hybrid wind power plant with solar energy as an alternative energy source. The implementation method is done by making prototypes of wind power plants and solar power plants. Furthermore, the two plants are combined and are commonly called hybrid systems. This research was conducted at the Electrical Engineering Laboratory, Paulus Indonesia Christian University, Makassar. The results of the study were obtained for each 120W power plant (PLTB), 100W Solar Power Plant (PLTS). Thus the maximum power produced by the hybrid system is ± 220 W.

International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET), 2023

Wind turbines are the most ancient known means of extracting energy from natural sources (wind in this case). It is not possible to create high consistent power from a wind turbine due to changeable weather and wind speed, but a small-scale wind turbine can be used to power tiny appliances at home and in moving vehicles. This research investigates the design features of an innovative small-scale wind turbine intended to supply power. The paper covers design, improvement, power management, and production procedures.

2021 IEEE International Humanitarian Technology Conference (IHTC), 2021

For the estimated 80 million refugees, energy access is a significant challenge owing to difficulties in infrastructure development in camps. Energy is needed for lighting, communication and in particular cooking. Cooking requires fuels and it tends to fall on women and children to collect firewood. Therefore, this research is about developing an energy system that can meet the basic energy requirements for a family in rural off-grid or humanitarian contexts. A literature review was undertaken to assess the range of interventions already taking place for example, solar home systems. This led to a systemic development process for designing the device. Subsequently, a portable photovoltaic power station has been developed to meet the energy needs of a family in refugee or other contexts. This consists of a 360W PV module, 25.6V 75Ah lithium-iron-phosphate battery rated at 20A (500W), MPPT charge controller, breakers, connectors, and an enclosure, as well as USB lights and two cooking appliances. The system has been laboratory tested to ensure it delivers the power requirements for cooking and other services. Furthermore, typical meals have been cooked with different food loads. The next steps are a field trial in which 60 pilot systems will be during 2022.

MRS Energy & Sustainability, 2022

Renewable energy offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy supply. The hybridization of the energy sources provides a better supply compared to individual sources and needs to be explored further. A great number of populations of the world, primarily in developing countries, are living in rural areas and are commonly isolated from the grid connection. Unstable power supply and increasing energy prices have significant effects on developing countries, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. Renewable energy sources can provide sustainable and efficient electricity supply. Murzuq is a rural community situated in the southern part of Libya and endowed with renewable energy resources. While there is high electricity consumption during the lockdown, health clinics also experienced higher energy consumption of longer operating hours and an increased number of electrical appliances. This study investigates the techno-economic assessment of three different hybrid energy systems for health clinics in Murzuq. HOMER (Hybrid optimization model for electric renewables) software tool was used to evaluate the feasibility of employing renewable energy, to provide sustainable energy supply to the clinic. The current unsteady energy supply comes from the national grid and the current energy supply is not sufficient for the clinic's operating hours and requires a sustainable and steady supply. Measured data collected from the health clinic and HOMER software were used to analyze and optimize the change in overall electricity demand for the health clinic before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that the photovoltaic/ battery hybrid energy system has a lower net present cost, compared to the Photovoltaic/Generator set/ battery hybrid energy system, but higher than the standalone generator set. However, the highest amount of carbon emission associated with the standalone generator set compared to the other two hybrid energy systems disqualifies it from being a suitable contender for the source of electricity for the health clinic. The photovoltaic/battery was deemed to be most economically beneficial in terms of emission reduction and energy price. The outcomes of this investigation will help stakeholders and designers to optimize hybrid energy systems that economically meet the health clinic energy demands, especially during this pandemic. • Among considered hybrid energy systems, renewable energybased systems provide sustainable and stable energy supply. • There has been an increase in energy demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.