WATTS

WATTS from SEES:

MAGEEP partner universities propose to collaborate and develop off-grid systems in globally remote locations. Through the establishment of “WATTS from SEES” or World Access To The Sun from Solar Energy Energy Storage Program, we will competitively review proposals for deploying, monitoring and evaluating off-grid systems in geographically remote locations with a strong emphasis on positively impacting the state of the energy impoverished. WATTS from SEES will involve industry participants to supply system hardware at subsidized cost. MAGEEP Universities will provide technical expertise in science and engineering to develop location specific platforms, finely tuned to requirements and mindful of constraints to the communities impacted. These model systems, while serving remote locations, will function as incubators for transdisciplinary research, inviting a range of MAGEEP faculty to study scientific, engineering, socio-economic and social impact of off-grid systems. Overall, the aim would be to lift one remote off-grid community from a member country out of energy poverty and assess how this impacts their overall health, wellbeing and productivity.

WATTS from SEES Objectives:

1. To develop an integrated system for the provision of clean, reliable energy for off-grid, remote area, energy impoverished communities;
2. To deploy that solution in one community carefully chosen from proposals put forward from the project members and closely linked to the activities of our industry partners;
3. To assess the impact of that deployment in terms of the community’s development – health and wellbeing, productivity, economic prosperity as a case study in lifting energy impoverishment;
4. To deliver a systematic, technically feasible, least cost “blue-print” for small community, remote area, off-grid energy supply that can be rolled out to many communities.
5. To lift the profile and outcomes of the MAGEEP network to real, measurable outcomes in energy impoverished communities and global leadership.

WATTS from SEES Program Activities:

1. Construction of a decision making / assessment framework for selection of a community based on a number of first order interdependent technical, economic, societal relationships and geographic criteria.
2. Solicitation of a maximum of two proposals from each Project member country, and selection of two communities – one primary and a back-up secondary for the detailed design and deployment of a system;
3. Design of suitable capacity, generation technology, storage, control system, back-up, social energy interface and monitoring package to suit the needs of the community;
4. Involvement with selected industry partners, contractors and suppliers to build and test this system (simulations in the laboratory, small-scale testing, design refinement, deployment, testing and commissioning);
5. Development of an ongoing monitoring program to assess the technical, economic and social impact of the system, including maintenance and warrantee arrangements, reliability, supply stability, etc.
6. Development of engagement and teaching materials describing the learnings of the WATTS from SEES Program as valuable training aids for MAGEEP University students and staff.