Carnegie Mellon University

EPP's Paulina Jaramillo and Nathan Williams aim to sustainably deploy mini-grids in rural Africa

July 09, 2018

Mini-Grid Innovation for Africa's Future

By Lucas Paul Grasha

Africa’s electrical grid currently reaches millions of people—but it leaves out millions more. Many rural areas still need power, but extending the grid out to these customers typically costs far too much. Fortunately, Engineering and Public Policy (EPP) Professors Paulina Jaramillo and Nathan Williams and the new Mini-Grid Innovation Lab for Africa aim to sustainably deploy electrical mini-grids in rural Africa.

The Lab will iterate innovative solutions for the application of mini-grid technology by analyzing business models, prototyping efficient appliances, and refining solutions for its customers. Jaramillo and Williams will analyze the lab’s data to recommend viable financing and productive use for mini-grid tech. This work supports mini-grid developers and gathers evidence for the mini-grid’s need.

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