Bissau Household solar System

How can a solar home system be a viable source of electricity?

Need to develop stronger regulatory frameworks for SHSs and improved quality assurance through cross-sectoral partnerships. Solar home systems (SHSs) have seen rapid growth and have proven to be a viable source of electricity for households due to their capability to reach remote users that do not have access to grid systems.

What should a system designer consider when designing a solar system?

Hence, system designers must consider household's behaviour and needs, including non-optimal energy usage, as well as external conditions, such as solar irradiance, when devising SHSs. Companies should also diversify their offering to include a wider range of SHS capacities.

Can decentralised solar systems be scaled up in SSA?

The International Energy Agency, (2017) notes that decentralised systems, such as solar photovoltaics (PV) are a low cost solution, which could be scaled up in SSA. The cost-effective nature of decentralised systems, such as micro-grids, SHSs and pico-solar, has enabled improved access to electricity for rural populations ( IEA, 2017 ).

Which appliances are most common in a non-solar home?

Gustavsson (2007b) highlights that televisions are commonly acquired after purchasing the SHS, whilst appliances, such as radio cassette players are often present in both non-solar and solar households. Green and Erskine (1999) also found that customers' highest priority appliances for the future were televisions and stoves.