Venezuela: Recover the electricity grid through residential photovoltaic systems

50% of the energy demand of our national electrical system is consumed by the residential sector.

Although it is true that there is clear evidence of an effort to advance in the stabilization of the network, from the Ministry of Popular Power for Electric Energy (MPPEE), through the recovery of old generators or contributors such as thermoelectric that made a significant contribution to the network, as is the case of the State of Zulia. Even if this task is achieved in a timely manner, our National Electric System has a ceiling, it will not grow more than it was in its best times, and that at the present time its contribution will continue to be limited.

The recovery of the electrical network in the very short term requires parallel strategies, with multiple contributors, such as, among others, incorporating an individual storage system with batteries and solar panels to guarantee one kilowatt to each house. Where being conservative, we would reduce the residential demand to the network by at least 50%. It would be a Venezuelan-style solution because we would jointly resolve, with the entire population, the reliable supply of electricity. Achieving to strengthen, shield and de-stress our national electrical network in record time.

I say Venezuelan, because it goes beyond the simplicity of placing solar panels in a house or school or hospital, etc. It is to use photovoltaic technology with batteries, maintaining the connection to the network that allows each family to have enough backup energy stored in the event of any contingency of the electrical system and also to autonomously and progressively make sectors or communities or entire towns

with the short term goal to make the country one of the most reliable in terms of its safe supply of electricity to the population.

Installing a photovoltaic technology system at home with a backup of one kilowatt stored in batteries would be more than enough to guarantee an operating consumption, where the technological facilities can be left so that if each home individually wishes to have more stored energy, they can do so. (for example, if everyone considers it, they can add more batteries).

Each home, by keeping these small photovoltaic systems connected to the grid, will charge its batteries either with the energy that comes from the street or with the installed solar panels, which also has the advantage that if a contingency occurs for many hours without electricity , at night the stored kilowatt is consumed and during the day the solar panels continue to power the house.

In principle, a backup of one night and that backup would continue during the day due to the contribution of the solar panels.

With this strategy, the impact would be noticed immediately because by progressively lowering that demand to the network, power outages or rationing are reduced or eliminated.

And in a second phase, the private sector should be encouraged to inject into the network, as small or medium-sized energy suppliers, either from their homes or industries or solar farms.

This action, which is almost immediate, helps the national electricity network to grow, with the help of private investment, and avoids thinking of growing through mega-investments that the national government would have to seek.

This experience has been carried out with great success by countries such as France, Spain, and in general in almost all of Europe.

It is mandatory that the electrical solution in Venezuela be shared, joint. Government, communities and private investment.

The technology exists, and geographically we are a privileged country for being a beloved land of the Sun.

After the Atacama desert in Chile, Venezuela is one of the regions in America that has a stable and exceptional condition for the development of photovoltaic energy throughout all its seasons.

We have everything to be happy!!

Lenin Cardozo, Venezuelan engineer and environmentalist.  

Technician in Photovoltaic Systems, with more than 300 Megawatts installed between Canada and the USA