Work

The map behind the roadmap—Introducing a geospatial energy model for utility-scale solar and wind power buildout in Kenya

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: For many African countries, energy models point toward variable renewable energy (VRE), mainly solar photovoltaics and wind power, as the potential backbone of future power systems. However, such models have not typically been able to explicitly include geospatial aspects around future VRE power plant siting with respect to cost optimization. For instance, should one build far from the grid in search of excellent resources or rather stay close to existing infrastructure to keep costs low? Here, we present an open-source energy modeling system (OSeMOSYS)-FlexTool workflow for capacity expansion and dispatch optimization planning for African countries that explicitly includes the geospatial dimension of VRE buildout. Applying the model to Kenya, we identify clear and nontrivial links between site characteristics and siting preferences in the optimization results, which moreover differ markedly for solar and wind power. This highly replicable approach has important implications for power system planning, especially in African countries whose grids will be VRE-heavy in the future.

Source: Cell Reports Sustainability

DOI: 10.1016/j.crsus.2024.100222