The Global Electrification Platform

The scenarios present pathways for achieving universal electricity access, split into an intermediate strategy for 2025 and full electrification by 2030. Users can explore 96 different scenarios to meet access goals. These different combinations and parameters are presented in the form of "levers". Users can overlay additional layers (e.g. wind potential, electricity networks, locations of health facilities) to help illustrate useful contextual information about a selected country. Users can also access the input data and the OnSSET model used to generate the scenarios available on the platform and use it to run their own, customized, scenarios.

The Global Electrification Platform is available at electrifynow.energydata.info/

The GEP has been used to inform many key reports on energy access, including the Tracking SDG 7 reports, Mini-grids for half a billion people - Market Outlook and Handbook for Decision Makers (2022 edition), Data Standards for Integrated Energy Planning etc.

Background

Reliable energy-related data are essential in electrification planning. Information concerning settlements’ size and location, distance from existing and/or planned infrastructure (transmission network, power plants, roads) economic activity, local renewable energy resources etc. can convey useful information and help take the right decision regarding the most effective pathway for electrification. However, it is usually the case that in countries where universal electrification is still to be achieved, such information is scarce and difficult to access. The paucity of such information is one of the reasons hampering energy planning activities and particularly electrification, in currently unserved areas.

This situation is gradually changing with the increasing availability of new data and analytical tools, especially in the field of geospatial analysis. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing techniques are becoming openly available and can now provide a range of location-specific information that has not been previously accessible. These, in combination with new open-source modelling tools have set up new ground in the field of electrification planning, accelerating progress against the achievement of SDG 7.  

In response to the call of interest for the development of a Least-Cost Global Electrification Platform, KTH established a consortium of leading institutes and organizations that together combine high-level expertise in the fields of energy access, geospatial analysis, web services and education.

Aim and objectives

The overall objective of the GEP is to help mainstream the use of least-cost geospatial electrification planning, particularly in countries with low access rates, towards accelerating progress for SDG 7’s target of universal access to electricity by 2030. Specifically, the objectives of this assignment are threefold:

1. Develop a set of industry compatible data standards for electrification models’ data inputs and modelling outputs, primarily to facilitate data inputs’ reuse and comparability of outputs across models and countries
2. Develop a scenario-based global model of least-cost electrification planning for universal access for all countries with electrification rate below 90% (as per World Bank Global Tracking Framework 2017)
3. Develop a web mapping application that demonstrates the global model’s results and allows users to adjust certain parameters that affect least cost electrification planning, such technology costs, electrification level targeted and timeline considered for universal access.

The resulting model, data standards, and web mapping application will all be made public through GitHub, energydata.info, or other established platforms. As such, all resultant models, schemas, websites and code will become open source

Project partners

Project partners: World Resources Institute, Development Seed

Funding is provided by the World Bank/ESMAP

Timeframe: 2018 - 2021

For further information about this project, please contact Andreas Sahlberg asahl@kth.se

Researchers

Publications

1. Korkovelos, A., Khavari, B., Sahlberg, A., Howells, M.; Arderne, C. The Role of Open Access Data in Geospatial Electrification Planning and the Achievement of SDG7. An OnSSET-Based Case Study for Malawi. Energies 2019, 12, 1395. doi.org/10.3390/en12071395 .
2. Khavari, B., Sahlberg, A., Usher, W., Korkovelos, A., Fuso Nerini, F., The effects of population aggregation in geospatial electrification planning, Energy Strategy Reviews, Volume 38, 2021, 100752, ISSN 2211-467X, doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2021.100752 .
3. Sahlberg, A., Khavari, B., Korkovelos, K., Fuso Nerini, F., Howells, M., A scenario discovery approach to least-cost electrification modelling in Burkina Faso, Energy Strategy Reviews, Volume 38, 2021, 100714, ISSN 2211-467X, doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2021.100714 .
4. Khavari, B., Korkovelos, A., Sahlberg, A., Howells, M., Fuso Nerini, F., Population cluster data to assess the urban-rural split and electrification in Sub-Saharan Africa. Scientific Data 8, 117 (2021). doi.org/10.1038/s41597-021-00897-9 .