Dear Colleagues,

About 790 million people still lacked access to electricity in 2018, and there are clear indications that the goal of universal access, a key to the fulfillment of SDG 7, will not be reached by 2030.

Developing countries are typically endowed with great renewable potential (solar, wind, hydro, biomass, and geothermal) that is limitedly tapped. To bridge the access gap in a sustainable and cost-effective manner, an extensive deployment of renewable energy systems will be needed in the coming years, considering both on-grid capacity expansion and off-grid systems, and either standalone grids or minigrids.

Therefore, this Special Issue focuses on the role that renewables can play in resolving this global issue, within a wide-angle approach. Contributions on the optimal design, implementation, and management of renewable systems are welcome, regardless of the electricity delivery mode, as well as papers tackling all the other factors that directly or indirectly support their implementation, such as understanding demand patterns and estimating load profiles, rural electrification planning, effective business models, supportive policies and regulation, productive uses of electricity and socioeconomic impacts.

We hope that this Special Issue can collect significant advances for better understanding the interconnected barriers and challenges currently preventing the widespread development of renewable-based electrification solutions, addressing all the multidisciplinary aspects embedded in the problem’s definition.

Prof. Dr. Andrea Micangeli
Guest Editor

Prof. Linda Barelli
Co-Guest Editor

Dr. Paolo Cherubini
Assistant Guest Editor

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• renewable energy sources
• energy storage and batteries
• off-grid systems
• grid extension
• electrification planning
• minigrids
• standalone systems
• energy system hybridization
• innovative business models
• environmental and social impact
• demand assessment
• productive uses of energy
• universal access to electricity
• SDG 7
• enabling policies and regulation
• sustainable development