Reiner Lemoine Institut GmbH – The potential for hybrid PV systems (Africa)

This case study describes a methodology developed by the Reiner Lemoine Institut gGmbH (RLI) to evaluate the economic potential of hybrid photovoltaic (PV) systems in Africa, specifically for substituting or supplementing diesel-based off-grid power generation.

• The African energy sector is characterized by high and unpredictable power-generation costs due to a heavy reliance on oil-based generation, such as diesel generators, and fluctuating fuel prices. This leads many African countries to use significant portions of their GDP to subsidize electricity prices, yet over 590 million people, primarily in rural areas, still lack electricity access.
• The Reiner Lemoine Institut gGmbH (RLI) developed a methodology that uses GIS-based data analysis and a simulation model to identify the most attractive areas for rural electrification and diesel substitution. The model utilizes site-specific parameters—including load demand, fuel transportation costs, and PV potential—alongside general cost parameters and diesel fuel base prices to evaluate the economic attractiveness of hybrid systems.
• Analysis indicates that hybridizing diesel-based off-grid systems with PV and storage can significantly reduce power-generation costs. Based on current world market diesel prices, renewable-based hybrid systems outperform diesel-only systems across nearly the entire African continent. In most hybrid systems, the renewable share (PV and battery) ranges from 35% to 40%, though this percentage increases in very remote areas where fuel transportation costs are high.

APA

Alliance for Renewable Electrification (2016). Reiner Lemoine Institut GmbH – The potential for hybrid PV systems (Africa). https://renewelec.org/case-study/reiner-lemoine-institut-gmbh-potential-hybrid-pv-systems-africa/

Chicago

Alliance for Renewable Electrification. Reiner Lemoine Institut GmbH – The potential for hybrid PV systems (Africa). 2016. https://renewelec.org/case-study/reiner-lemoine-institut-gmbh-potential-hybrid-pv-systems-africa/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Alliance for Renewable Electrification |title=Reiner Lemoine Institut GmbH – The potential for hybrid PV systems (Africa) |date=2 April 2016 |url=https://renewelec.org/case-study/reiner-lemoine-institut-gmbh-potential-hybrid-pv-systems-africa/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{allianceforrenewableelectrification2016reiner, author = {{Alliance for Renewable Electrification}}, title = {{Reiner Lemoine Institut GmbH – The potential for hybrid PV systems (Africa)}}, institution = {Alliance for Renewable Electrification}, year = {2016}, month = apr, url = {https://renewelec.org/case-study/reiner-lemoine-institut-gmbh-potential-hybrid-pv-systems-africa/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }