Assessing the socio-economic viability of solar commercialization and electrification in south Asian countries
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Assessing the socio‑economic viability of solar commercialization and electrification in south Asian countries Huaping Sun1 · Rehmat Ullah Awan2 · Muhammad Atif Nawaz3 · Muhammad Mohsin4 · Abdul Khaliq Rasheed5 · Nadeem Iqbal6 Received: 11 June 2019 / Accepted: 6 October 2020 © Springer Nature B.V. 2020
Abstract Solar power is a promising alternative energy source for a sustainable environment for developing countries in the Asian continent. The assessment of its sustainability particularly in the South Asian countries necessitates a complete and rigorous statistical investigation. In the current study, we investigate solar energy profile and potential in Pakistan’s Sindh province as a case study. Although the electrification of Sindh Province using offgrid solar PV systems is relatively easy and also most convenient, the challenge is to measure the province’s capacity of solar power and its economic viability. Results show that the rural areas of Pakistan have sufficient solar irradiance in order to produce power. The suitable inclination angles of solar power modules contain the significant capacity of solar power for electricity production. Finding regarding economic viability shows that an offgrid solar photovoltaic system ensures the electricity at price of PKR 6.87/kWh while this is cheap source of energy as compared to traditional energy source (about 20.79 PKR / kWh). Furthermore, the system of off-grid solar photovoltaic could reduce, 119,000 metric tons of C O2 per year simultaneously it ensure the all remote rural areas implement the off-grid solar energy system. The study provides a useful renewable roadmap for energy in South Asian countries and those presently captivating distant and off-grid regions. Keywords Remote rural areas · Electrification · Off-grid solar system · Economic viability · CO2 reduction · Sindh
1 Introduction The World will face great energy shortage due to growing population and higher energy consumption. Simultaneously, the world community is facing the greater depletion of fossil fuel. Energy is the major element of economic growth and social wellbeing of any society. Approximately, 1.1 billion individuals are living a life without availability of clean and cheap electricity, while most individuals are from the pastoral regions of Sub-Saharan * Huaping Sun [email protected] Extended author information available on the last page of the article
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Africa and South Asia (Sánchez-Lozano et al. 2016; U.S. Energy Information Administration 2017). Similarly, Pakistan as many other South Asian economies has been fronting a severe power shortage from previous decades. Continuously increasing residents of Pakistan surviving in pastoral regions do not have access to sufficient energy. Pakistan is an emerging country having social and economic growth difficulties necessitating continuous energy stream. Presently, the overall energy importunity is concluded by 25,000 MW which is predicted to grow up to 40,000 MW through 2030 (Jun et al. 2014). H
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