Modelling Clean Energy for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods

Abstract

Modelling, especially as applied to energy, is the process of building computer models of energy systems in order to analyze them. An energy system can be defined as the combined processes of acquiring and using energy in a given society or economy (Jaccard 2005); and an energy system comprises all components related to the production, conversion, delivery, and use of energy (Allwood et al. 2014). Energy models employ physical, mathematical, or logical representation of a system, entity, phenomenon, or process and are used to project the future energy demand and supply of a country, region, or rural community. They simulate policy and technology choices that may influence future energy demand and supply and hence investments in energy systems (Herbst et al. 2012). Modelling clean energy can be simply defined as deliberately promoting technologies that have lower impact on the environment compared to the fossil fuel options. Clean energies are also known as alternative or low-carbon technologies and most often referred to as renewable energy, like solar, wind, biomass, micro-hydro, and geothermal. These technologies are clean, usually inexpensive, and easy to maintain and operate (Chowdhury et al. 2015). Specifically as applied to rural areas of developing countries, clean energy for sustainable livelihoods can be merely defined as the design and implementation of energy systems that warrant effective and affordable clean energy for enhancing economic, infrastructure, environmental, social, and human resources to ensure users' subsistence over the long term (Cherni et al. 2007).