Bringing Energy Justice to Remote Mountainous Regions With Printed Organic Photovoltaics

Remote, sparsely populated mountainous communities face a structural energy-access disadvantage: geographic isolation and rugged terrain raise the cost of grid extension while low household incomes limit the revenue available to recover those costs. When grid connections arrive, supply is often insufficient to power cooking and refrigeration. This study approached electrification as an energy justice and technology problem, exploring who remains excluded from energy access, why conventional investment leaves these communities underserved, and whether technology can help overcome these barriers. Four off-grid technologies were assessed for adequate electrical load, affordability, and sustainability: (a) micro-hydro, (b) solar mini-grids, (c) diesel generators, and (d) printed organic photovoltaics (OPV). Consultation with authorities in Hela Province, Papua New Guinea, provided conditions for an illustrative remote-highland case. A dwelling-scale printed OPV electrification prototype was constructed and tested at the Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle (NSW, Australia). Cooking load was measured directly because it depends on food preparation practices and cannot be derived from component ratings alone. Current printed OPV powered cooking under controlled artificial illumination. However, next-generation printed OPV could, under the modelled assumptions, meet the full-domestic-load benchmark. It could deliver more than 3.25 kWh per day from 20 m² of roof space at a monthly cost of about US$25. The model assumes a 10-year service life and indicates strong transportability and a favourable sustainability profile under the assessment framework. Equitable deployment requires financing and deployment schemes that reach poorer households, recognize remote communities as legitimate beneficiaries, and foster participation in ownership and implementation.