Study of alternatives and technology transfer for the implementation of renewable energies as part of the electricity supply in Tenerife and Senegal and pilot project for a grid-connected installation (MAC/3/C179).
This project, conceived as a platform for technical cooperation in the field of the integration of renewable energies in electricity grids between the Canary Islands and Senegal, began in October 2010 and ended in June 2013. It was born with the main objective of improving the capacity of public authorities and local technicians to favour the implementation of renewable energies for electricity supply in these regions. The MACSEN-PV project was co-funded by the European Programme MAC 2007-2013 and the partners involved in its implementation were: Instituto Tecnológico y de Energías Renovables (ITER), Agencia Insular de Energía de Tenerife, Fundación Canaria (AIET), Agence Sénégalaise d’Électrification Rurale (ASER) and the Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches sur les Energies Renouvelables (CERER).
During the first phase of the project, a sectorised assessment of the energy situation in both regions was carried out, leading to the preparation of 12 reports analysing the energy sector, which made it possible to identify the availability of resources, the forecasts for growth in energy demand, the existing legislation, the main needs of the electricity market and the existing training deficiencies. Based on the conclusions of these preliminary reports, various materials and tools have been developed for technicians from the competent public institutions and teachers. Specifically, a ‘Guide on Integration of Renewable Energies in the Electricity Supply and Isolated Applications for the Public Manager’, a series of 16 ‘Support materials for Secondary and University teachers’ and a support video for teachers ‘Training itineraries of the ITER installations – MACSEN-PV Project’ have been produced. These materials have been specifically distributed to the beneficiaries of the actions during the celebration of the Technical Seminars of the project, held both in Tenerife and Senegal. However, they are available for download on the project website in Spanish and French (http://macsen-pv.iter.es). On the other hand, an On-Line Advice Office has been set up on the project’s website, where documentation, links and tools of interest related to energy planning, teaching and training and employment opportunities in the sector can be accessed.
The project culminated with the grid connection of a 3 kWp mixed photovoltaic installation at the CERER headquarters in Dakar, which was inaugurated by Senegalese government authorities and the island of Tenerife in December 2012. This photovoltaic installation represents a milestone in the development of renewable energies in Senegal, as it is the first renewable installation to be connected to the conventional Senegalese electricity grid. This system will be used as a starting point for the promotion of the future integration of distributed renewable energy systems into the Senegalese electricity grid, which aims to be the solution to the Senegalese model based on isolated mini-grids. In addition, the installation will serve as a demonstration and training platform for local technicians, through CERER. For this reason, its design has been adapted by ITER specifically taking into account the peculiarities of the Senegalese grid, and in such a way as to maximise its demonstrative and educational use.
It is worth highlighting the great national and international recognition and visibility achieved by the project, as evidenced by its more than 200 appearances in the media of various kinds, its presence in more than 45 external international events, as well as in three articles in scientific publications of an informative nature.
