A Review of Smart Grids Deployment Issues in Developing Countries

• Main Authors: A. O. Otuoze, A. M. Usman, O. O. Mohammed, A. A. Jimoh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Maiduguri 2017-12-01
• Series: Arid Zone Journal of Engineering, Technology and Environment
• Online Access: http://azojete.com.ng/index.php/azojete/article/view/300

Smart Grids (SGs) have taken a centre stage in achieving a smarter, more reliable, robust, secured, economically efficient and more environmentally friendly mode of power generation and utilisation. Massive deployment is being recorded in developed worlds. While most of these countries are investing heavily in the development of SGs, well-articulated areas of research and development are key aspects with special emphasis on its security since it involves complex interconnection of units and systems which are expensive to install and maintain. In developing nations, especially those of Africa, realisation of adequate power supply to meeting the ever-growing demand has been a mirage with demand on geometric increase and with every increase largely meaning a drift away from the supply. Hence, attention is focused on capacity expansion in most developing nations rather than SGs deployments especially considering the various challenges militating against the development despite the huge advantages. Although, some of these nations have made tremendous achievements in this regard, the associated challenges have become major source of worry for most of the nations. This paper gives highlights of these issues and possible measures of overcoming them in order to enhance sustainable SGs deployments in developing countries like Nigeria.