Comparative Study of Techno-Economics of Lithium-Ion and Lead-Acid Batteries in Micro-Grids in Sub-Saharan Africa

Microgrids stand to play an important role in expanding electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa. Batteries, which are often a core element of micro-grids, represent a substantial portion of the capital cost and are therefore an important component of developing sustainable business models for micro-grid deployment. As a result, understanding key considerations for selecting a battery type and operating it effectively are foundational for taking micro-grid growth to scale across the sub-continent. While batteries have been deployed in many systems worldwide over the past few decades, unanswered questions remain on how best to apply them to the context of off-grid micro-grids in Sub-Saharan Africa. Building on analytical work with developers in Sub-Saharan Africa and tools at NREL, this report investigates battery techno-economics and optimal operation in micro-grids, including evaluating criteria to decide between deploying lead acid or lithium-ion batteries, discussing key design considerations for the enclosures that house the batteries, and how to effectively condition the enclosure.