Research Article
Analysis of the Energy Supply and Demand of Solar PV Plants Installed in Rural Areas of the Far North Region of Cameroon
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 3, September 2025
Pages:
134-146
Received:
15 May 2025
Accepted:
30 June 2025
Published:
4 July 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijsge.20251403.11
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Abstract: In Sub-Saharan Africa, electricity access is severely limited in rural areas, despite the abundance of sunlight. This poses a significant challenge to rural electrification initiatives, which are crucial for sustainable development. In light of this, the government of Cameroon has initiated the deployment of several solar power plants in rural regions. However, there is sometimes an imbalance between energy supply and demand, depending on the power plant's installed capacity and the size of the population. A life-cycle study is therefore being carried out in rural areas of Cameroon's Far North region with solar power plants. The study involves analyzing the balance between electricity supply and four modes of electricity consumption. These modes depend on the percentage of households that subscribe to a subscription: 100%, 50%, or 30%. The final scenario considers the International Energy Agency's (IEA) projections, wherein each Cameroonian is expected to consume 280 kWh/person/year. The findings suggest that the solar power plants installed are oversized for low-voltage domestic use, even in scenarios where 100% of households subscribe. It is only possible to achieve a balance between supply and demand from the 23rd year of operation in densely populated localities, and only if all households subscribe. If all households hold a combined domestic and non-domestic subscription, it is anticipated that demand will exceed supply between the first and seventh years of operation. The validity of this forecast is contingent upon two key variables: installed capacity and population density. Should 50% of households subscribe, it is estimated that solar power plants will encounter difficulties within the 8 to 13-year timeframe. Consequently, solar power plants will be capable of supplying less than 30% of households until the conclusion of the project.
Abstract: In Sub-Saharan Africa, electricity access is severely limited in rural areas, despite the abundance of sunlight. This poses a significant challenge to rural electrification initiatives, which are crucial for sustainable development. In light of this, the government of Cameroon has initiated the deployment of several solar power plants in rural regi...
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Research Article
Modelling and Optimization of the Production Process of Ethylene from Bio-ethanol Using Aspen Plus
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 3, September 2025
Pages:
149-159
Received:
26 May 2025
Accepted:
18 June 2025
Published:
10 July 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijsge.20251403.12
Downloads:
Views:
Abstract: Ethylene is the most important chemical produced by the petrochemical industry; it accounts for over 70% of the products made in the sector. Its global market value exceeds 200 billion US dollars and is steadily growing. Despite this importance, the current means of producing ethylene are not environmentally friendly: The production of ethylene by hydro-cracking contributes the largest amount of greenhouse gas emissions from the petrochemical industry. For this reason, several research efforts have been directed to finding alternatives to hydrocarbons as a sustainable source of ethylene. In the recent past, much attention has been given to the dehydration of ethanol as it is the most promising alternative. This route is, however, limited by its high energy requirement in order to match the conventional method. To lower this energy requirement, researchers have focused on developing more effective catalysts. Little to no work, however, has been done to determine the contribution of process configuration to this energy requirement. This study investigates the energy usage of different process models for the catalytic dehydration of bioethanol to ethylene using Aspen Plus V11. Three models were developed, optimized, and compared. The first model was the base case on which other models were compared, the second model included a recycle stream, and the last model involved the compression of liquid-phase ethanol rather than gaseous-phase ethylene. Due to lack of generalized kinetic data, the RGibbs reactor was used for the simulation. Sensitivity analyses were used to optimize the models. The base case operated at 162°C and 1 atm, the model with a recycle stream at 125°C and 1 atm, and the liquid-phase ethanol compression model at 330°C and 55 atm. Results show that the model with the recycle stream achieved the lowest energy consumption (1910 kW) but also yielded the least amount of ethylene (5230 kg/hr). The base case gave the highest ethylene yield (5649 kg/hr). While innovative, the liquid compression model consumed the highest amount of energy (2456.25 kW) due to high operating conditions. The findings in this work shed light on the importance of process modeling and optimization in enhancing the sustainability and economic viability of bioethanol to ethylene production.
Abstract: Ethylene is the most important chemical produced by the petrochemical industry; it accounts for over 70% of the products made in the sector. Its global market value exceeds 200 billion US dollars and is steadily growing. Despite this importance, the current means of producing ethylene are not environmentally friendly: The production of ethylene by ...
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,
Gustave Assoualaye
