Evaluation And Analytical Modeling Of Influencing Factors And Strategies For Clean Energy Technology Development In Rwanda

The lack of access to electricity and to clean cooking fuels and technologies is the key global challenge and crucial problem for Sub-Saharan Africa(SSA)where a high rate of people without access to modern energy is clustered.The use of traditional and non-clean energy technology for lighting and cooking is linked to several adverse impacts on health,gender,economy and climate change.There is global effort to meet the Sustainable Development Goal(SDG 7),which targets to achieve universal access to affordable,reliable,sustainable and clean energy by 2030,increase the share of renewable energy and improve energy efficiency.The realization of this goal will require the promotion of clean energy technology research and development;infrastructure construction and technology upgrading to provide modern and sustainable energy services for all.Judging from the assessment of the progress towards achieving the SDG 7,there is an urgent need to improve current energy policies and strategies to reach the global energy targets.Rwanda,as a country located in SSA,is also facing the challenges of a shortage of clean energy,despite having abundant energy resources.The country has formulated policies and strategic goals to provide clean,reliable and affordable energy,and targets to become a middle-income country by 2035 and a high-income country by 2050.According to these goals,it is necessary to explore challenges and opportunities for the development of clean energy technology in the country.This dissertation mainly conducts a comprehensive evaluation and modeling of influencing factors and strategies for the development of clean energy technology in Rwanda,with the aim to provide references for energy project developers to make investment decisions and energy related government institutions to formulate appropriate incentive policies for the energy sector.The main research contents and achievements are as follows:(1)Analyze factors influencing the clean energy technology development in Rwanda and formulate strategies.An extensive literature review is comprehensively performed to identify internal and external factors that affect positively and negatively the energy sector in Rwanda.A number of 13 strategies are then proposed for the successful development of clean energy technology in Rwanda.(2)Establish the interpretive structural modeling(ISM)and matrice d’Impacts croises-multipication appliqué à classement(MICMAC)model to evaluate the 13 strategies for the development of clean energy technology in Rwanda.The ISM model is used to illustrate the interrelationship between the strategies and to establish their hierarchical structure based on their influence.MICMAC approach is applied to demonstrate their driving force and dependence power.The strategies that hold the most force to influence the whole energy sector are highlighted.(3)Establish the hierarchical ranking of barriers restricting the development and utilization of biogas in Rwanda.Major constraints hindering the domestic biogas adoption are first identified,which are then categorized into financial,technical,socio-cultural and institutional barriers.Moreover,Analytical Hierarchical Process(AHP)model is adopted to rank the barriers based on their importance,and policy recommendations are suggested towards a successful adoption of biogas energy in Rwanda.(4)Assess the determinants behind the transition from traditional biomass to clean cooking technology in Rwanda.Factors underlying the clean cooking energy transition are investigated.A generalized logical model(GLM)is also adopted to perform a deep analysis of the current status of liquefied petroleum gas(LPG)industry in Rwanda.Furthermore,a questionnaire survey is employed to explore the determinants for the choice of clean cooking fuel based on the public awareness and users’ perception towards the clean cooking technology.(5)Evaluate the techno-economic feasibility of solar energy technology in Rwandan climatic conditions.Two types of concentrating solar power(CSP)technology are modelled at two different locations where solar resources are relatively high.Optimization of solar field size and thermal energy storage(TES)was performed to obtain suitable designs in the most favorable sites of Rwanda.The technical and economic performance of the proposed designs is evaluated,and sensitivity analysis is performed to assess the factors most affecting the feasibility and the competitiveness of CSP implementation in Rwanda.Major barriers hindering the development of CSP are also identified,and policy recommendations are proposed.This dissertation may provide valuable theoretical and practical support for energy policymakers,stakeholders and energy investors in Rwanda,and can be used as a guide for energy development project prioritization,feasibility analysis and sustainable energy planning.