Abstract
The inefficient use of traditional biomass energy sources for cooking and scarce electricity are challenges in the least developed countries. This chapter presents the comprehensive characterisation approach for renewable energy (RE) related resources and sources, which support the measures to address the challenges. The approach's effectiveness is demonstrated in rural semi-arid areas. The demonstration involved sampling and laboratory analysis of cow dung (CD), data collection and analysis of solar irradiance, wind speed (WS), and ambient temperature (AT). In addition, weather data were collected using the novel onsite weather station. Results show that the area has quality CD (C/N ratio of 19), annual average solar insolation and WS of 4.5 kWh/m2/day and 4.7 m/s, respectively. Also, AT varies by 4oC within a day. The results show that the development of RE systems is feasible in the areas. Therefore, the approach is recommended to researchers and RE systems project developers.
TopPoor access to beneficial energies and their low utilisation hinder the sustainable development of any community (Oyedepo, 2014; Mohammed et al., 2013a). Such hindrances may be related to energy resources availability and energy infrastructure to harness and distribute it to a community. Also, they may be based on lack of awareness of available energy technology to support access and utilisation of energy to a community. The hindrances are handled differently between developed and developing countries (Vandaele and Porter, 2015). This study considered handling these deterrents in developing countries.
Most rural communities lack reliable access to energy for their domestic uses (Mohammed et al., 2013a; Mohammed et al., 2013b). Besides, in households of these communities, a large portion of energy consumption is taken by cooking activities. In contrast, the other portion is taken by lighting and powering of electrical and electronic gadgets. Moreover, the primary energy source in these communities is traditional biomass, including fuelwood, charcoal and agricultural wastes. Therefore, the communities utilize the sources in addition to fossil fuel, solar energy (mainly PVs), and rarely grid connection (Suberu et al., 2013; REN21, 2017). Also, the use of traditional biomass is augmented by the low financial capability of the community in question.
Heavy dependency on traditional biomass as the source of energy and rapid population growth have increased pressure on the dwindling forest stocks in the rural semi-arid areas, especially in most agro-pastoral communities. As a result, deforestation and land degradation are noted in these areas, such as central Tanzania (Felix & Gheewala, 2011; Wawa, 2012).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Insolation: A term describing a phenomenon, where a unit area of surface receives solar radiation intensity in a period of time; it may be expressed in the SI Units of kWh/m 2 /day.
Pearl Millet Canopy: A uppermost leaves and flowers, which form a continuous foliage of the pearl millet plant.
Rural Semi-Arid Areas: In the least developed countries of sub Saharan Africa context, a land of marginal crops production potential, quick maturing cereals, and carrying natural vegetation of Acacia-Themeda association but including dry Brachystegia woodland. It is potentially productive grazing area, limited by bush encroachment, leached soils, and inadequate water.
Weibull cumulative distribution function: A cumulative distribution function that provide the percent of time that the wind speed is greater than or equal the stated wind speed value.
Solar Irradiance: A instantaneous solar radiation intensity striking normal plane surface of a given unit area; it may be expressed in the SI Units of kW/m 2 .
Characterisation Approach: A systematic procedure of finding the information about something with aim of getting better understanding of that something behaviour in a given condition.
Wind Roses: A web like representation figure, which shows the event frequencies of wind direction at a given area.