ICT4D Rural Electrical Power Solutions
In many developing regions, the electrical power supply is erratic. Power swings, dips, blackouts, and brownouts can disrupt the operation of ICT devices, limiting their usefulness. In addition, many rural and under-served areas do not have access to any type of gird electricity.
Here are off-grid rural electrical power solutions used in ICT4D projects to support computer hardware infrastructure. These solutions play a crucial role in enabling the deployment of ICT4D initiatives in areas with limited access to traditional electricity grids.
1. Batteries
12 Volt Batteries are a popular off-grid power solution. These batteries are rechargeable and can be used to store energy from solar panels or other renewable sources. Deep cycle and lithium batteries are the most common solutions.
2. Renewable Energy Sources
In the context of ICT4D projects, various renewable energy sources such as solar panels, wind turbines, and hydroelectric power are utilized as off-grid solutions for rural communities to supply electrical power for information and communication technologies in remote areas.
3. Microgrid Systems
Microgrid systems are another off-grid power solution used in ICT4D projects. These systems are interconnected collections of loads and distributed energy sources, including wind, solar, diesel generators, and energy storage.
More ICT4D Power Examples
6 Educational Technology Trends in African Secondary Education Policy
We often think of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) as the place where educational technology goes to die. It is certainly true that many education technology initiatives...
Apply Now: $1 Million Grant Funding for Your African eWaste Solutions
The off-grid solar technology industry is nascent but growing quickly. In 2017, the off-grid solar power sector provided energy access for 73 million households...
Which Mobile Phones Work Best for Disaster Responders and Humanitarian Aid Field Teams?
During my time working with a well-known Mobile Industry Development group, one request which would turn up on a regular basis in my in-box was for recommendations...
Technology Innovation Across Africa – Your Weekend Long Reads
We’re experimenting with a roundup of the best links for your long-form reading pleasure over the weekend. Please let us know what you think about this idea...
Check Out Inveneo’s New Solar Powered Digital Library Kit
Imagine if your young child attended a school that did not have books, electricity, or the Internet. What educational opportunities would he or she be denied?
Throughout...
Top 5 Hardware Challenges in Information Technology for Development
When work began on Inveneo’s Hardware Challenges White Paper last year, all of the parties involved—including the organizations that commissioned and funded...
Solar Lighting PAYG Systems Are Illuminating Southern Africa Opportunities
The need for light is high across the African continent, where approximately 70% of households are off-grid and 64% of its imported oil is destined for 19th century...
4 Reasons Why Global Satellite Internet Is A Fantasy
World famous entrepreneurs Elon Musk, founder of PayPal, SpaceX, and Tesla, and Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, have both recently announced separate...
Apply Now for $5 Million in GSMA mWASH Grants
Currently 10% of the world’s population does not have access to ‘improved’ water resources, nearly 20% are without access to energy, and almost 35% lack access...
4 Challenges to Reaching 3.8 Billion Mobile Internet Users by 2020
According to new data released by GSMA Intelligence, 3.8 billion people or half of the world’s population will be using mobile devices to access the Internet...
About Us
ICTworks™ is the premier resource for international development professionals committed to utilizing new and emerging technologies to magnify the intent of communities to accelerate their social and economic development.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Enter your e-mail to get ICTworks 3x a week!:
Become an ICTworks Writer
Our team gladly accepts outside contributors for ICTworks articles. If you would like to publish an article on our website, please see our Guest Post Guidelines
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.