It takes a village: Social scada and approaches to community engagement in isolated microgrids

Abstract

In isolated rural areas of Latin America, approximately 33.8 million people lack access to electricity due to high costs and technical challenges. Traditional electrification projects often fail due to poor maintenance and lack of community involvement. This paper discusses the potential of microgrids as a solution, emphasizing the importance of community engagement for sustainability. The proposed approach integrates a "Social SCADA" system to facilitate community participation in the management and maintenance of microgrids. Case studies from Chile and other Latin American regions illustrate the benefits of this methodology, highlighting improved sustainability and reliability of rural electrification projects through active community involvement.