Guinea, a country in West Africa, has been grappling with challenges related to access to electricity for its population. With only about 30% of its population having access to electricity, Guinea has been exploring various renewable energy solutions to improve its energy access and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. One of the promising solutions that have been gaining traction in Guinea is the installation of PV (photovoltaic) minigrids.
Aptech Africa recently designed, supplied, installed and commissioned two (2) of 103.4kwp and 21.45kwp with a battery bank storage of 192kwh and 33.6kwh respectively in Guinea. In Bolodou, a centralized solar PV power plant with remote monitoring system was installed to collect the information from the system (energy measurements, consumption data and alarms….) and hybridized with an existing Hydroelectrical Plant. Interconnection of the PV generation plant to the existing grid of the micro hydroelectrical power plan was also put in place. A Centralized off-grid solar PV power plants with remote monitoring system to collect the information from the system (energy measurements, consumption data and alarms….) was installed in Thianguel Bori as well as an Electricity distribution network; and Interconnection of a sample of 10 users. Both Victron and Fronius Inverter SYMO-20 and Victron quattro Inverters were used during the installation.
Besides the systems benefiting the communities in Bolodou and some users in Thianguel Bori, the expected positive socio-economic impact from the systems includes strengthening the energy consumed by the population and providing energy to certain local authority offices and schools at the sites.
