Quality Assurance Framework for Mini-Grids in Nigeria

TFE were contracted by the African Development Bank to implement a Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) for green mini-grids (GMG) in Nigeria. The QAF was originally conceived at a multidisciplinary, high-level stakeholder meeting on mini-grids at the Fourth Clean Energy Ministerial in New Delhi, India, in 2013. The original driver was to “develop standards to set a level playing field, encourage investment, and drive down prices.” As a result of this recommendation, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) teamed with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop a QAF for isolated GMG power systems. The QAF is a wide-ranging set of standards of power quality, reliability and availability and includes a performance reporting protocol that is based on these standards. This allows the monitoring of GMG performance at both the individual site and portfolio levels.

TFE initially the QAF and performance reporting protocol so that it was applicable to the local context of Nigerian rural GMGs. This was done in close consultation with the Africa Mini-Grid Developers Association (AMDA), NERC, the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) of Nigeria and individual mini-grid developers.

The QAF also includes the reporting of metrics that are required according to the Nigerian Regulator’s Mini-Grid Regulations of 2016. With the use of a web-based platform developed by Odyssey Energy Solutions, the developer can have their own designated dashboard where they will be able to ensure compliance with the regulations and easily monitor the most important performance metrics of their mini-grid operations.

The QAF has now been translated into French for application across West Africa.