Role of off Grid subsector on the program of attaining full electrification in Rwanda

Abstract

The energy policy in Rwanda is targeting to provide the sustainable, reliable and affordable electricity access to all the population. To achieve this, different sources of energy have been exploited. The private companies were encouraged to enter in the energy sector. Solar and hydro power are the potential renewable source of energy that are exploited by energy private developers. Off grid electricity supply have been promoted for its quality of cost effectiveness compared to the grid extension. The goal of this research is to evaluate the off-grid sub sector in the national agenda of full electrification by 2024. To examine the access of the off-grid electricity connectivity, to investigate the affordability of the off-grid electricity, to assess the reliability of the off-grid electricity and lastly to assess the sustainability of the off-grid electricity all on Program of full electrification in have been our specific objectives. The methodology used is mainly the document qualitative analysis even though the quantitative calculations have been done from the EICV s and REG data that are available online. The results show us that the solar energy dominates the off-grid sector specially the Solar Home Systems that are distributed mainly in rural areas of the country and that it occupies about one a quarter of the electricity access. Subsidies and loans that the government provide are the big support that address the affordability problem and it is the engine to the growth of the off-grid sub sector. SHS are the one that dominate the off-grid electricity market and are much appreciated by the users for they are clean and modern but the reliability on them is questionable for a big percentage of their users use the other source of lightening beside the SHS. All dimensions of rural electrification sustainability show that our country does a great job even though we can’t ignore that there is still a journey ahead. The study recommends to put more effort in the solar mini grid in order to make the solar energy accurate in the long run and to continue to strengthen the rural and households’ development as a way to increase and sustain the electricity demand.