A prepaid architecture for solar electricity delivery in rural areas

This paper demonstrates a model for electricity delivery and revenue collection in a rural context with the potential to increase the reliability of service delivery and lower operating costs compared to traditional fixed monthly fee utilities. The microutility in this paper provides power on a pre-paid basis similar to the way cellular phone air-time is sold. This system uses Short Message Service (SMS) messages sent over the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks for communication allowing installation in any place within reach of a GSM tower. Several of these individual microutilities are monitored and administered via a central server. These consumers in these systems are using modest amounts of power consistent with lighting usage. Some customers are are unable to maintain positive account credit suggesting a benefit to the prepaid approach. These microutilities are currently installed and have been providing power to approximately 170 households in Mali and 38 households in Uganda beginning in April--August of 2011.