Addressing Connectivity Challenges in Solar Home Systems: A Monitoring Solution for Rural Electrification

Access to reliable energy remains a significant challenge in rural areas of developing countries, where Solar Home Systems (SHS) are widely deployed to address electrification gaps. However, these systems often lack monitoring capabilities, making operation and maintenance costly and inefficient. This study presents a hybrid monitoring and communication solution designed to overcome the unique challenges of SHS in rural contexts, including limited connectivity, cost constraints, and energy efficiency. The proposed system integrates a robust sensing architecture with a hybrid communication network combining LoRa and mobile technologies to enable real-time monitoring and data transmission. The system was tested in a pilot project conducted in the Ngäbe Buglé comarca of Panama, where eight SHS units were retrofitted with the proposed system. Results demonstrated the system’s ability to monitor key parameters, such as energy consumption, battery status, and solar energy generation, while maintaining connectivity in areas with intermittent mobile coverage. The system’s low power consumption ensured minimal impact on SHS usability, and its cost-efficient design required mobile network connectivity for only one or two devices per mesh network. Furthermore, the pilot highlighted the feasibility of integrating the monitoring system into the existing installed base of SHS, avoiding the need for entirely new installations. This work advances the state-of-the-art in SHS monitoring technologies, providing a scalable and efficient solution tailored to the constraints of rural electrification projects. Future directions include the development of plug-and-play devices for existing systems and enabling bidirectional communication to enhance system interactivity.