Small Scale Wind Applications

Why don’t we see many wind hybrid

systems?
• Cost of diesel – depends on the cost of the diesel
(esp. transportation costs), must be higher than $0.20-
0.25/kWh
• Ability to pay – although cost of kerosene in off-grid
areas suggests an ability to pay
• Constrained by size of system – need minimum of 1.5
MW hybrid system
• Size of market – small business, system size max of 5
MW
• Wind resource assessment – very site-specific,
determined by micro-climate, hard to measure on
appropriate scale
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the presenter and do not necessarily represent
those of the Asian Development Bank.
Why don’t we see many wind hybrid
systems?

• Private sector – low participation

• Rural electrification – where no comparative
diesel cost, hard to justify cost of hybrid system
• Maintenance – unattractive to provide O&M
service post construction in remote locations,
although system automation helps
• Poor care of balance of plant components, e.g.
batteries (no ownership)
 What can be done to solve the
problem?
• Develop strategy/roadmap for the sector
• Pilot project case study & knowledge
building
• Education – explain that wind is not free
• Economies of scale – aggregate demand
between countries
• Capital subsidies – reduce up-front costs
• Incentivise private sector to become
owners & operators