Software

LAPER: Help for rural electrification planification

LAPER calculates the most economic master plan for village electrification in rural areas. First, LAPER determines for which villages a connection to the MV network is the most economic solution and which villages shall rather use local power sources such as diesel, micro-hydro or solar panels. Then, in order to progressivly reach this target solution, LAPER determines the master plan (yearly electrification schedule) considering available yearly budgets as well as some user-defined priority criteria (political, financial, development, ...) which may impact on the villages electrification schedule.

For a guided tour of the software, we suggest you an animated presentation of LAPER

Problem Data

GIS interface

The study uses a digitized map of the region that has to be electrified. All villages that have to be electrified will be located and the right-of-ways of the MV network connecting all the villages will also be drawn on this map

Villages Data

Each village shown on the map shall be described by its socio-economic data. The main data are related to the expected power and energy consumption as well as nontechnical information (political priorities, ...) impacting on the villages electrification schedule.

Network data

The user draws on the map the "reference" network: i.e. the hypothetical complete network connecting all villages if centralized electrification would be the only considered solution, ignoring the possibly excessive costs of such solution. The objective of LAPER will be to determine the "target" network by eliminating from this "reference" network those branches supplying villages for which local generation (Diesel, Micro-Hydro, Solar) is found to be more economical. In the "target" network will be retained only those MV network branches supplying villages for which central electrification (by network) is the most economical solution.

Calculations

The calculation method consists in comparing for each village several modes of electrification. LAPER determines which villages needs to be electrified through MV network extensions for economical reason, and which villages should have a local power source. This is called the "target" solution, forming the "target" network.

When the ultimate target network is known, LAPER determines the master plan - i.e. the year by year electrification schedule - considering the available yearly budgets as well as several user defined priority criteria which will impact on the sequence of electrification of the villages.

Modes of electrification

The various modes of village electrification considered in LAPER are:

• Centralised electrification: by connecting the village to the MV network as drawn up by the user on the digital map. Investment- and operating costs of the MV network will be shared by all connected villages. Within the village, a MV/LV substation will inject the power in a LV distribution network.
• Diesel plant injecting power in a LV distribution network.
• Wind turbines combined with a Diesel plant, which enable to save Diesel fuel as long as wind conditions are good.
• Micro-hydro plant installed on a possibly nearby river, also injecting power in a LV distribution network. An MV line with associated transformers linking the hydro plant and the village is considered if the distance requires so.
• Solar Home Systems. SHS is the only electrification mode that is considered is considered for clients who are situated in the outskirts. Clients in the center of villages will ses SHS only if this is the best economical solution.

Results

The results of LAPER are:

• The most economic electrification mode for each village
• The master plan, i.e. the yearly investment schedule taking into account the yearly budgets as well as user defined priorities
• Detailed technical and economic results for each village and at the overall study level.

These results are available in various formats as demonstrated in the figures here below.

Overall study results	Electrification program for a particular year of the study
Electrification details for a particular village	Results exported to Excel: Yearly results per electrification mode (Micro-hydro, MV network, ...)
GIS interface. MV network configuration and electrified villages as of year 7 of the study.

---