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Published in Philip A. Laplante, Comprehensive Dictionary of Electrical Engineering, 2018
firing angle time in electrical degrees from the instant the valve voltage is positive to the application of firing pulse to the valve (start of conduction). Also called delay angle. firm power an amount of electric power intended to be available at all times to a commercial customer, regardless of system conditions. firm real-time See firm real-time system.
Technical and economic feasibility assessment for a solar PV mini-grid for Matekenya village
Published in Cogent Engineering, 2022
Peter Maliro, Bakary Diarra, Ravi Samikannu
Mini-grids were introduced in Malawi in 2006(GoM, 2018). Most of them were used for pilot studies and their failure has helped the country to get useful experience in terms of management and operation model (GoM, 2018). In Malawi mini-grid concept is supported by policies, strategies, and standards. Examples of policies and standards that support mini-grids include; the National energy policy 2018, Malawi Renewable Energy Strategy, Regulatory framework for mini-grids, and feed-in tariff policy. The main objective of the National Energy Policy for Malawi is to increase access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, efficient, and modern energy for people in the country (GoM, 2018). In one of the policy statements, the government shows commitment to supporting small-scale renewable energy initiatives by communities or entrepreneurs. This is done by developing appropriate regulations and reviewing feed-in tariffs to accommodate mini-grids (GoM, 2018). Malawi Renewable Energy strategy sets the target of a minimum of 50 operational Mini-grids sites by 2025(The Government of Malawi, 2017). These mini-grids will include those for self-consumption and those selling excess power to the communities and the grid (The Government of Malawi, 2017). A regulatory framework for mini-grids was developed to provide guidelines for mini-grid development and operation in Malawi (Malawi Energy Regulatoty Authority, 2019). It helps in the mini-grid development solicitation process and provides requirements for approval of the mini-grid project (Malawi Energy Regulatoty Authority, 2019). The feed-in tariff policy aims to facilitate resource mobilization by providing security to investments and market stability to investors in the energy sector (MERA, 2012). According to the feed-in tariff policy, solar-generated electricity supplied in bulk to the grid operator at the connection point has a fixed tariff not exceeding $0.20/kWh (MERA, 2012). These tariffs apply to the first 100 MW of power generated using solar resources and it applies for 20 years from the date of commissioning (MERA, 2012). The non-firm power fixed tariff for solar-generated electricity supplied in bulk to the grid operator is $0.10/kWh (MERA, 2012). This tariff shall apply to the first 50 MW of solar-based non-firm power plants developed in the country (MERA, 2012).