Assessment of feasible DC microgrid network topologies for rural electrification in Rwanda: studying the Kagoma Village

Abstract

This paper investigates the network topology for distributing electricity in the remote village using solar PV with DC microgrid. The expansion of the national grid electricity into rural villages remains a challenge due to the increased costs of distribution and transmission systems. The optimum selection of the network topology is important, relative to the density of the population, village size, and the group arrangement of a particular village. The modified Newton–Raphson’s algorithm (N-R) has been programmed in MATLAB to evaluate the voltage drop and system efficiency, obtained with different types of the distribution system and the nominal voltages to be used. In this paper, the methodology to decide the best distribution topology, nominal operating voltage level, and the conductor size (based on voltage drop and total cost) was addressed for a specific remote village in Rwanda.