Decentralised Energy Systems and Associated Policy Mechanisms—A Review of Africa

Abstract

Decentralised energy (DE), also known as distributed energy, refers to power generation and energy storage systems located at or near the point of use; and may also be connected to a local distribution network system or to a high voltage transmission system either directly or through a local distribution network system. It is generated or stored by a variety of small devices commonly referred to as distributed energy resources (DER); the definition also extends to include stand-alone systems completely isolated from the public networks. The contribution made by independent power producers (IPP’s) through deployment of DER in the African energy market is critical to fast-tracking the deployment of renewables, diversification of the energy mix and enhancing access to modern and clean energy. There is need to develop policy mechanisms aimed at enhancing the current positive drive in the energy market; and this has been observed to be a driving factor in countries which have developed appropriate policy strategies. This paper presents the concept of DE in detail and how it could complement efforts to addressing the current energy crises in Southern Africa; it also looks at policy developments in Africa and presents the scenarios in the two southern African countries of South Africa and Botswana. The research is based on an extensive review of literature on the subject matter, consultations with stakeholders as well as feedback from the Learning Network for Sustainable Energy Systems (LeNSes) workshops.