互联小电网：从飞行员到发电站

How grid-interactive minigrids boost electrification and utilities’ finances November 2025 Folawiyo Aminu, Alberto Rodríguez AUTHORS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Authors: Folawiyo AminuAlberto RodríguezAuthors listed in alphabetical order. All authors from RMI unless otherwise noted. Acknowledgements: The authors would like to express their sincere appreciation to the following individualsand organizations for sharing details of their projects and providing valuable insights andperspectives that informed this work:Aaron Cheng (PowerGenRenewable Energy),Laurene Desclaux (UNDP),Sam Duby (TFE), Stephen Kansuk (UNDP), Kumbirai Makanza(Next Century Power), Jeannot Mavoko (Nuru),Luis-Carlos Miro (GIZ), Christelle Odongo(UNDP), Fauzia Okediji (GEAPP), James Sherwood (RMI), Olatunde Okeowo (RMI),Santos All images used are from RMI unless otherwise noted. Contacts: faminu@rmi.org Definitions of key terms used Distributedenergyresources(DERs)are demand-and supply-side resources that can be deployed at the Minigridsare self-contained electricity generation and distribution systems that provide power at thecommunity level. Isolated minigrids are typically developed in rural areas where there is no national gridinfrastructure. Theyusually consist of a combinationofthe following DERs: solar photovoltaics (PV), battery Interconnectedminigrids(IMGs)are minigrids that exchange power with a largergrid, either importing orexporting as needed.AnIMGintegratesDERslocated close to where electricity is consumed,combiningthemwith powerfrom a larger gridtoimprovereliability, flexibility,and efficiency. Table of Contents DEFINITIONS OF KEY TERMS USED................................................................................................................................2LIST OFACRONYMS...................................................................................................................................................3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................................5 IMGS IN ACTION:LESSONS FROM ACROSSAFRICA..........................................................................................................5THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SCALINGIMGS INAFRICA..........................................................................................................5 1.1.WHY INTERCONNECTED MINIGRIDS?......................................................................................................................71.2.AFRICAMINIGRIDSPROGRAM...............................................................................................................................91.3.REPORT STRUCTURE.........................................................................................................................................10 2.1.HOWIMGS WORK............................................................................................................................................112.2.NIGERIA—TOTO,ZAWACIKI,ROBINYAN ANDWUSEIMGS.....................................................................................142.3.DEMOCRATICREPUBLIC OFCONGO—GOMAIMG................................................................................................172.4.ZIMBABWE—HUNYANIIMG..............................................................................................................................19 3. FRAMEWORK FOR SCALING IMGS: IDENTIFYING HIGH-POTENTIAL MARKETS ACROSS AFRICA......................................................................................................................................21 4. HIGH-LEVEL COUNTRY ASSESSMENT ON IMG POTENTIAL................................................24 4.1.ZAMBIA—HIGH POTENTIAL FORIMGS................................................................................................................244.2.ETHIOPIA—LOW POTENTIAL FORIMGS..............................................................................................................264.3.MADAGASCAR—HIGH POTENTIAL FORIMGS.......................................................................................................284.4.COMOROS—MODERATE POTENTIAL FORIMGS....................................................................................................29 5. RECOMMENDED PATHWAY FOR IMG DEPLOYMENTS........................................................31 APPENDIX—SUMMARY OF IMPLEMENTATION STEPS FOR IMGS IN NIGERIA.........................34 ENDNOTES......................................................................................................................37 Executive Summary Africa’s energychallenge remains immense.Nearly1.4billion people—almost90% ofthe continent’s entirepopulation—areeither in the dark(600 million)orsufferfrom unreliable poweronadaily basis (800million).1This is largely becauseincumbentAfrican utilitiesstruggle withlimitedgenerationcapacity,aging Interconnectedminigrids (IMGs) present a transform