A Retrospective Analysis of the Role of Isolated and Mini Grids in Power System Development
This report provides the first historic overview of power system development focused on its evolution from distributed systems to centralized grid systems. It tracks the early development of power systems in several (now) middle- and high-income e...
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| Format: | Technical Paper |
| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2017
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/858181512391678478/A-reprospective-analysis-of-the-role-of-isolated-and-mini-grids-in-power-system-development http://hdl.handle.net/10986/29023 |
| Summary: | This report provides the first historic
overview of power system development focused on its
evolution from distributed systems to centralized grid
systems. It tracks the early development of power systems
in several (now) middle- and high-income economies to inform
the current drive to deploy new systems and achieve
universal access to electricity services. We find that
history can provide certain insights to a set of questions
faced by today’s energy policy makers. Our review is
non-comprehensive, but will hopefully provide fodder for
future, more detailed historical research, and shed some
light on the complex and fascinating role of mini- or
isolated grids in power system development globally. The
development of power systems began in several regions of the
world in the second half of the 19th century, marking the
start of a new era, characterized by disruptive innovation,
rapid development and opportunity. Today, electric power
systems constitute a fundamental pillar of modern societies
and electricity is increasingly recognized as a crucial
prerequisite for the achievement of socio-economic
prosperity. The development of power systems was affected by
multiple factors, some systemically endogenous, such as
technical advancements, innovation, entrepreneurial drive
and decisions, and some exogenous, such as economic
principles, legislative constraints and support,
institutional structures, historical contingencies and
geographical aspects (Hughes 1983). While numerous paths
have been followed over the years there was a common
igniting point; small isolated power systems and mini-grids.
As technologies improved, demand increased and the policy
and regulatory regimes stabilized, larger generators could
be built (taking advantage of economies of scale) and
electricity could be transmitted over longer distances.
These factors resulted in the emergence of centralized
utilities (either privately or publicly owned). Typically,
mini-grids either became integrated with one another forming
the nucleus of a larger centralized system or were absorbed
by a larger grid system as it expanded. |
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