Magda Moner-Girona

European Commission | ec · Joint Research Centre (JRC)

New financing in clean energy technologies plays a progressively important role in increasing energy access in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This research investigates the salient social dimensions of clean electricity access with the view to identify the most suitable SSA countries for funding and implementing decentralised renewable energy systems an...

In this article we present datasets used for the construction of a composite indicator, the Social Clean Energy Access (Social CEA) Index, presented in detail in [1]. This article consists of comprehensive social development data related to electricity access, collected from several sources, and processed according to the methodology described in [...

An inadequate understanding of the energy needs of forcibly displaced populations is one of the main obstacles in providing sustainable and reliable energy to refugees and their host communities. Here, we provide a first-order assessment of the main factors determining the decision to deploy fully renewable mini-grids in almost 300 refugee settleme...

Traditional rural-electrification planning relies on centralised, fossil-fuelled electricity generation and grid extension. High-interest rates on renewable energy-powered electricity-generation projects, coupled with low oil prices, favour traditional models and put renewable energy-powered technologies at a disadvantage. Nonetheless, over the pas...

Access to modern energy is a social and economic priority to rural population and policymakers because of its direct socio-economic and environmental benefits, as well as the indirect benefits of energy as an important input factor to growth and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this sense, the electrification of rural social infrastruct...

A potential response to the COVID-19 pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with long-term benefits is to provide electricity for medical equipment in rural health centers and communities. This study identifies a large gap in the electrification of healthcare facilities in SSA, and it shows that decentralized photovoltaic systems can offer a clean, r...

Access to energy services is a priority for sustainable economic development, especially in rural areas, where small- and medium-sized enterprises have many difficulties in accessing reliable and affordable electricity. Western African countries are highly dependent on biomass resources; therefore, understanding the potential of bioenergy from crop...

There are over 650 million people in Africa who have no access to electricity; this is in sharp contrast to the continent's vast untapped renewable energy potential and due largely to the historical lack of investments in energy infrastructure. New investments in decentralised power generation within Sub-Saharan Africa play a progressively importan...

To meet the needs of a growing population in a manner that is socially equitable, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable, Africa's electricity sector will require a major transformation . It has already undergone some important changes over the past decade. Efforts to expand access to electricity have proceeded at a slightly faster...

Globally about 800 million people live without electricity at home, over two thirds of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. Planning electricity access infrastructure and allocating resources efficiently requires a careful assessment of the diverse energy needs across space, time, and sectors. Because of data scarcity, most country or regional-scale el...

In this data article, we present datasets from the construction of a composite indicator, the Photovoltaic Decentralised Energy Investment (PV-DEI) index, presented in detail in [1]. This article consists of the comprehensive energy-related data collected in practice from several sources, and from the outputs of the methodology described in [1]. Th...

Lack of access to modern forms of energy hampers efforts to reduce poverty. The provision of electricity to off-grid communities is therefore a long-standing developmental goal. Yet, many off-grid electrification projects neglect mid- and long-term operation and maintenance costs. When this is the case, electricity services are unlikely to be affor...

Africa is characterised by a very high solar potential, with a yearly sum of solar irradiation exceeding 2000kWh/m². Many African countries are heavily dependent on hydropower, however, increasingly frequent droughts have been severely affecting hydropower generation in the last few decades. The installation of floating photovoltaics (FPV) in exist...

Access to modern energy is a social and economic priority to rural population and policy-makers because of its direct socio economic and environmental benefits, as well as the indirect benefits of energy as an important input factor to growth and the Sustainable Development Goals. In this sense, renewable technologies offer the option to provide ac...

Globally about 800 million people live without electricity at home, over two thirds of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. Ending energy poverty is a key development priority because energy plays an enabling role for human wellbeing and economic activities. Planning electricity access infrastructure and allocating resources efficiently requires a care...

This paper undertakes a comprehensive spatial mapping of the existing energy infrastructure in Kenya. With the perspective of the current energy status and local resources, the study develops a rural electrification spatial model for Kenya (RE_RU_KE tool) to identify optimal strategies for the different locations. The model considers the potential...

The cover image is based on the Overview Next generation interactive tool as a backbone for universal access to electricity by Magda Moner‐Girona et al., DOI: 10.1002/wene.305. © EU, by Grégoire Dubois. The cover image is based on the Overview Next generation interactive tool as a backbone for universal access to electricity by Magda Moner‐Girona e...

Energy planning in rural areas and in developing countries most often relies on the outputs of specialized analytical tools, of which only a handful have been developed. Over the years these tools have been upgraded, and the newest among them take into consideration, to a greater or lesser extent, all key determinants of energy generation and distr...

The Tanzanian official power system expansion plan shows a dominant dependence on fossil fuel-fired power plants till 2040. Hence identifying and analysing the underlying barriers for the deployment of large-scale renewables are essential. This study investigates the barriers to large-scale solar power in Tanzania. Key institutional, financial, and...

Energy planning in rural areas and in developing countries most often relies on the outputs of specialized analytical tools, of which only a handful have been developed. Over the years these tools have been upgraded, and the newest among them take into consideration, to a greater or lesser extent, all key determinants of energy generation and distr...

The absence of publicly available up-to-date costs breakdown data on photovoltaic (PV)/hybrid mini-grids in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a barrier that needs to be resolved in order to overcome challenges in rural electrification planning, regulation, life-cycle operation, financing, and funding. The primary aim of this research is to provide better...

Targeted improvements in the way energy is transformed, distributed and used can accelerate progress toward achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Compared to a situation in which no indicators are defined and monitored, tracking progress through indicators would make it easier to reap the full developmental benefits as...

Mitigating the big challenges of access to clean water, energy and poverty in Africa requires integrated solutions. The analysis of issues related to the water, energy, food and the ecosystem through a nexus approach, has attracted the interest of scientists, policy-makers and the private sector. The present Technical Report examines the potential...

Energy access rates in sub-Saharan Africa are the lowest worldwide. In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa and provide modern electricity services, significant power capacities need to be installed. The proposed article presents an alternative approach, where existing water infrastructure is utilized to host renewable energ...

People, planet, prosperity and peace are four priorities shared by Africa and Europe, and areas where opportunities for beneficial cooperation abound. Over the past three decades, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) has worked with many organisations and institutions across Africa. This report and its accompanying interactive onli...

This report describes the current status and limitations of the power sector in Burkina Faso and develops a new methodology that through spatial analysis processes aims to provide a possible pathway for universal electricity access through a sustainable energy mix. Two percent of the rural population in Burkina Faso has access to electricity and su...

Local urban planning has become concerned over clean energy technologies development on greenfield land that may lead to competition in land use. Solar photovoltaic systems on agriculture land is an indicative example of this disputed strategy. At the same time closed landfills and their post-closure management pose environmental, economic and land...

We present a geographic information system (GIS)-based tool for estimating the performance of photovoltaic (PV) mini-grid system over large geographical areas. The methodology consists of geospatial analysis and mapping of the energy output and reliability of PV mini-grid system. The algorithm uses a combination of hourly solar radiation data from...

Pioneering approaches are needed to accelerate universal access to electricity while simultaneously transitioning to reliable, sustainable and affordable energy systems. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the challenges lie in attracting the private sector to complement public investments. Here, we present an integrated ‘low-hanging-fruit’ approach aimed...

This paper describes the status quo of the power sector in Burkina Faso, its limitations, and develops a new methodology that through spatial analysis processes with the aim to provide a possible pathway for universal electricity access. Following the SE4All initiative approach, it recommends the more extensive use of distributed renewable energy s...

Electricity production in Mediterranean islands currently depends heavily on imported fossil fuels. This strategy has several disadvantages and has been accused of hindering the islands' sustainable development. In the present research an integrated approach to increase solar photovoltaic (PV) systems' (SPVS) share in the energy mix of Mediterranea...

Access to modern energy is a social and economic priority to rural population and policy-makers because of its direct socio economic and environmental benefits, as well as the indirect benefits of energy as an important input factor to growth and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this sense, renewable technologies offer the option to pro...

Following the successful Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs) system worldwide, few countries have implemented FiTs explicitly tailored for off-grid or mini-grid systems. This study takes an integrated approach to examine the feasibility of an off-grid Feed-in Tariff (off-FiT) for existing and new remote mini-grids in Tanzania, using a combination of geographica...

The study presents a cost effective electricity generation portfolio for six island states for a 20-year period (2015–2035). The underlying concept investigates whether adding sizeable power capacities of renewable energy sources (RES) options could decrease the overall costs and contribute to a more sustainable, indigenous electricity generation a...

The present paper introduces the results of a spatial-economic analysis that identifies the least cost rural electrification options that can bring the persistent energy poverty to an end in Sub Saharan Africa. The rationale behind the analysis is that the applicable energy technologies have gone through fundamental changes and these have profound...

The European commission Joint Research Centre has recently published a report (EUR 25980 EN ) providing a first quantitative estimation of climatic effects on renewable energy resources availability for Africa. Key climate parameters: solar radiation, wind speed, precipitation, surface temperature and surface runoff are provided by climate models...

Future Renewable Energy availability under the foreseen climate evolution for the next decades in the African continent is assessed. The evolution pattern of the natural resources (solar radiation, wind, biomass and running water) providing the raw "material" for Renewable Energy is analysed following some key climate scenarios developed and analys...

ccess to modern energy is a social and economic priority to rural population and policy-makers because of its direct socioeconomic and environmental benefits, as well as the indirect benefits of energy as an important input factor for growth and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In this sense, renewable technologies offer the option of provi...

This report summarizes current knowledge at the Joint Research Centre regarding Renewable Energy in Africa. It assesses current energy consumption and the share of renewables in African states, and attempts to estimate the technical potential of available resources of solar, wind, biomass and hydropower which could be economically used to provide e...

Three rural electrification options are analysed showing the cost optimal conditions for a sustainable energy development applying renewable energy sources in Africa. A spatial electricity cost model has been designed to point out whether diesel generators, photovoltaic systems or extension of the grid are the least-cost option in off-grid areas. T...

This report documents crucial information to support deployment of renewable energies in three key emerging markets – Brazil, China and South Africa – and provides information for policy-making aimed at supporting renewable energy markets in these countries. Specifically this study collates information on solar and wind resources and resource infor...

The interest and actions towards introducing renewables for off-grid regions has increased due to their ostensible cost-effectiveness, eco-friendliness and quality services provided. Nevertheless, in many isolated areas diesel generators appear as a common option, confirming that there is a need for financial support mechanisms that aid the introdu...

Historically the promotion of renewable energy technologies in isolated areas has involved international donors or governments subsidising the initial capital investment. This paper proposes an alternative support mechanism for remote villages based on the generation of renewable electricity. This communication presents an evaluation of the Renewab...

Photovoltaic Electricity in the Mediterranean region is already very attractive, notably in peak load times. High PV potential still untapped in the East and South Mediterranean region. A solar electricity grid interlinking the Mediterranean region and the rest of Europe is possible. Power transition losses would be less than 15%. However, the n...

The main aim of this policy-support document is to attract policy-makers attention in renewable energies deployment, offering to energy and development stakeholders an alternative subsidy-scheme to support electrification in a village-scale mini-grid based on the good performance of the renewable electricity generation. Market support mechanisms ar...

The European Union is implementing challenging commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8% in accord with the Kyoto protocol, and has established ambitious targets for renewable energies and energy end-use efficiency in its White Paper: Energy for the Future: Renewable Sources of Energy. In the past decade, renewable energy technologies ha...

The status of solar photo-voltaic (PV) home system SHS installation for rural electrification and opportunities for cost reductions through local manufacturing in Africa are discussed. The use of solar electricity is playing an important role in increasing interconnections between rural Africans and people, institutions and ideas in national and in...

Our low-T, supercritical fluid-assisted, sol–gel deposition method allows “one-pot” (single reactor vessel) processing; a metal alkoxide precursor is dissolved in a supercritical solvent, sol–gel hydrolysis and polymerisation reactions proceed on a wet substrate yielding a gel film deposit, which is then dried under supercritical conditions.

A simple and versatile method to obtain silica aerogel particles based on the hydrolysis and subsequent condensation of silicon alkoxides in supercritical fluids is proposed. This microparticle production route reduces the number of steps of traditional microparticle sol-gel processing. A case example is explained in more detail. Spherical and fibe...

In this letter, the possibility to use a technique based on the analysis of thickness resonances of air-surrounded aerogel plates at ultrasonic frequencies to obtain viscoelastic properties is investigated. These resonances were excited and sensed by airborne ultrasonic waves. Toward this purpose, specially designed air-coupled, high-sensitivity, a...

Materials’ endurance to mechanical stress is desirable from a technological point of view. In particular, in the case of silica aerogels, an improvement of the material elasticity is needed for some applications. Carbon–silica aerogel composites have been obtained and their mechanical properties, Young’s modulus, elastic parameter and hardness, hav...

The response to deformation of several types of silica aerogels is addressed. Samples were produced by sol–gel and hypercritical extraction of the solvent. The influence of the silicon alkoxide concentration, the solvent, the drying procedure and the addition of carbon on the sample's mechanical behavior are studied. Continuous loads and displaceme...

For efficient operation of air-coupled piezoelectric transducers (frequency >0.5 MHz) new materials to produce quarter-wavelength matching layers are required. Low acoustic impedance, low attenuation coefficients and the possibility to produce thin membranes attachable to the transducer surface are the main requirements. Two candidate-materials wer...

Iron oxide nanoparticles have been grown inside silica gel pores. The hybrid material was supercritically dried obtaining magnetic aerogels. The composite material could be produced as a monolith of any shape and with a range of magnetic dilutions. Samples were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, TEM microscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy and...