Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40877272›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Opportunities for decentralised solar power to improve reliability, reduce emissions and avoid stranded assets.

Philip Sandwell, Benedict Winchester, Shivika Mittal, Christos N Markides, Hamish Beath, Jenny Nelson

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Philip Sandwell *Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1117-5095
Benedict Winchester *Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2880-1243
Shivika MittalGrantham Institute-Climate Change and the Environment, Imperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4718-0064
Christos N MarkidesClean Energy Processes (CEP) Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4219-1867
Hamish BeathDepartment of Physics, Imperial College London, London, UK. hamish.beath16@imperial.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5124-9143
Jenny NelsonDepartment of Physics, Imperial College London, London, UK. jenny.nelson@imperial.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1048-1330

Funding

RCUK | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) EP/R045518/1RCUK | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) EP/X52556X/1RCUK | Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) NE/S007415/1Royal Society ICA\R1\201302Royal Society RSRP/R1/211089
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Despite recent improvements to electricity access in lower-income countries, reliability remains low for many. Local renewable electricity infrastructure supplementing the national grid offers a promising route to improved reliability for rural communities. However, improvements in the reliability of national grids create risks for investors including the possibility of "stranded" renewable assets. We use energy-system modelling to explore ways in which solar photovoltaic (PV)-based mini-grids could be interconnected with national grids. We explore the impact of reduced electricity demand to quantify the investment risks of losing customers. Our results indicate that national grid-connected mini-grids can reduce the unit electricity costs for communities whilst also increasing reliability and reducing the carbon intensity of electricity in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7. Reductions in demand have a minimal impact at lower levels but at moderate levels are likely to undermine economic viability. Finally, we discuss policy interventions to facilitate and protect investing in national grid-connected mini-grids.

Identifiers

PMID40877272
PMCPMC12394599

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.