One of the main goals in pursuing sustainable development is to provide universal access to modern energy services, notably through the use of off-grid renewable energy technologies. To date, integrated assessment models (IAMs) poorly address energy access targets. In the context of research dedicated to energy scenarios and climate change mitigation in Africa, we attempt to advance the representation of energy access in one such IAM by using GIS data. In a case study for Ethiopia with the TIAM-ECN model, we demonstrate that by enriching an IAM with information derived from GIS databases, insights are obtained that better capture the dynamics of energy access developments, in comparison to conventional IAM analysis of energy technology deployment pathways. When duly accounting for the geographical spread in demography and technology costs in a developing country, we find that many people may gain access to electricity in remote areas thanks to the availability of affordable off-grid power production options that render expensive grid extensions unnecessary. This effect is not explicitly accounted for in most traditional IAMs. By the middle of the century, off-grid technologies could provide affordable electricity to 70% of the Ethiopian population, based almost entirely on renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydropower. Keywords Integrated assessment model (IAM). Off-grid electricity generation. Renewables. Africa. GIS Highlights • We propose a method for using GIS data to enrich energy-economyenvironment models. • Our method allows for better simulating developments in advancing energy access, e.g. in Africa. • We project universal electricity access in Ethiopia by 2040 thanks to offgrid technologies. • By the middle of the century, off-grid options could provide electricity to 70% of the population. • In 2050, more than 95% of off-grid electricity is produced through renewable energy technologies.
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