Top

Published in:

2011 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

1. Rethinking Rural Electrification

Author : Hisham Zerriffi

Published in: Rural Electrification

Publisher: Springer Netherlands

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config

AI-assisted search

Off

Abstract

Despite over a century of investment in electric power systems, there are roughly 1.6 billion people who lack access to electricity service, mainly in rural areas. While there are some open questions regarding the precise cause and effect relationships between rural electrification and human welfare, it is generally considered an important social, economic, and political priority to provide electricity to all. Unfortunately, the very complicated links between electricity and development are often obscured behind two idealized visions of rural electrification.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 102.000 Bücher
über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

next chapter Research Design

Available only for authorised users

China has supported local utilities and renewables markets to meet its impressive service goals. Other countries, such as the Philippines, have relied on cooperatives to meet needs in some areas (Barnes 2007).

Foley notes other institutional problems with utilities that are rural electrifiers, including the low prestige garnered among engineers for working on low-voltage systems, administration problems due to a diffuse customer base and their centralized nature which favors a small number of large projects (Foley 1992b).

The definition of distributed generation is complicated and often context dependent. For the purposes of this book, electric power generation is considered to be “distributed” when it is produced locally and primarily consumed locally. See Appendix A for a more detailed discussion.

Here we use the rather limited definition of “success” to mean that the installation meets the expectations of the parties involved in terms of cost and service, and the technology remained operational for a reasonable amount of time. A more nuanced and precise definition of success is used to assess projects in the actual analysis.

These are customers that are at the top of the “base of the pyramid.” The base of the pyramid, a term covering the vast majority of the population that is usually ignored by commercial enterprises due to assumptions of their low buying power, has become a powerful organizing idea for creating new opportunities to make money while solving societal problems and meeting environmental goals. See, for example, Hart (2005).

Acker RH, Kammen DM (1996) The quiet (energy) revolution: Analysing the dissemination of photovoltaic power systems in Kenya. Energy Policy 24(1):81–111CrossRef

Ackermann T, Andersson G et al (2001) Distributed generation: a definition. Electric Power Sys Res 57:195–204CrossRef

Allderdice A, Rogers JH (2000) Renewable energy for microenterprise. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, pp 1–70

Banerjee R (2006) Comparison of options for distributed generation in India. Energy Policy 34:101–111CrossRef

Barnes DF (ed) (2007) The challenge of rural electrification: strategies for developing countries. Resources for the Future, Washington DC

Barnes DF, Floor WM (1996) Rural energy in developing countries: a challenge for economic development. Annu Rev Energy Env 21:497–530CrossRef

Barnett A (1990) The diffusion of energy technology in the rural areas of developing countries: a synthesis of recent experience. World Dev 18(4):539–553CrossRef

Cabraal RA, Barnes DF et al (2005) Productive uses of energy for rural development. Ann Rev Env Resour 30:117–144CrossRef

Chaurey A, Ranganathan M et al (2004) Electricity access for geographically disadvantaged rural communities: technology and policy insights. Energy Policy 32(15):1693CrossRef

Duke RD, Jacobson A et al (2002) Photovoltaic module quality in the Kenyan solar home systems market. Energy Policy 30:477–499CrossRef

Elias RJ, Victor DG (2005) Energy transitions in developing countries: a review of concepts and literature, PESD Working Papers. Program on Energy and Sustainable Development, Stanford University, Stanford, p 38

Enterprise Development Cambodia (2001) Survey of 45 Cambodian rural electricity enterprises. Enterprise Development Cambodia, Phnom Penh, p 108

Erickson JD, Chapman D (1995) Photovoltaic technology: markets, economics and rural development. World Dev 23(7):1129–1141CrossRef

ESMAP (2000) Mini-grid design manual. Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme, Washington DC

ESMAP (2001) Best practice manual: promoting decentralized electrification investment, Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme.

ESMAP (2005) Brazil background study for a national rural electrification strategy, Aiming for Universal Access. Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), Washington DC, p 176

Etcheverry J (2003) Renewable energy for productive uses: strategies to enhance environmental protection and the quality of rural life. Department of Geography and Institute for Environmental Studies. University of Toronto, Toronto, 49.

Fishbein RE (2003) Survey of productive uses of electricity in rural areas. Africa Energy Unit, Washington DC, pp 1–50, World Bank

Foley G (1992) Rural electrification in the developing world. Energy Policy

Foley G (1992b) Rural electrification: the institutional dimension. Utilities Policy 2(4):283–289CrossRef

Goldemberg J, Johansson TB (eds) (1995) Energy as an instrument for socio-economic development. UNDP/BDP Energy and Environment Group, New York

Green JM, Wilson M et al (2001) Maphephethe rural electrification (photovoltaic) programme: the constraints on the adoption of solar home systems. Development Southern Africa 18(1):19–30

Hansen CJ, Bower J (2003) An economic evaluation of small-scale distributed electricity generation technologies. Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, Oxford, p 66

Hart SL (2005) Capitalism at the crossroads: the unlimited business opportunities in solving the world’s most difficult problems. Wharton School Publishing, Upper Saddle River

Haugland T, Bergesen HO et al (1998) Energy structures and environmental futures. Oxford University Press, Oxford

Howells M, Victor DG et al (2006) Beyond free electricity: the costs of electric cooking in poor households and a market-friendly alternative. Energy Policy 34(17):3351–3358CrossRef

Hurst C (1990) Establishing new markets for mature energy equipment in developing countries: experience with windmills, hydro-powered mills and solar water heaters. World Dev 18(4):605–615CrossRef

IEA (2009) The Electricity Access Database. International Energy Agency. http://www.iea.org/weo/database_electricity/electricity_access_database.htm

International Energy Agency (2004) Energy and development. In: World energy outlook 2004. International Energy Agency, Paris, p 38CrossRef

International Energy Agency (2002) Energy and poverty. In: World energy outlook 2002. International Energy Agency, Paris, p 47CrossRef

Li J, Xing Z et al (2001) Biomass energy in China and its potential. Energy Sustain Dev V(4):66–80

MacKerron G, Pearson P (eds) (2000) The international energy experience: markets, regulation and the environment. Imperial College Press, London

Martinot E (2001) Renewable energy investment by the World Bank. Energy Policy 29:689–699CrossRef

Martinot E, Chaurey A et al (2002) Renewable energy markets in developing countries. Annu Rev Energy Env 27:309–348CrossRef

Modi V, McDade S, et al (2005) Energy services for the millennium development goals. Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme, United Nations Development Programme, UN Millennium Project, and World Bank, New York

Nieuwenhout FDJ, van Dijk A et al (2001) Experience with solar home systems in developing countries: a review. Prog Photovoltaics Res Appl 9:455–474CrossRef

Pan J, Peng W, et al (2006). Rural electrification in China 1950–2005. Program Energy and Sustainable Development working Paper #60. Research Centre for Sustainable Development, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Program on Energy and Sustainable Development, Stanford University, Beijing, China and Stanford, CA

Pepermans, Driesen et al. (2005) Distributed generation: definition, benefits and issues. Energy Policy 33:787–798

Radulovic V (2005) Are new institutional economics enough? promoting photovoltaics in India’s agricultural sector. Energy Policy 33:1883–1899CrossRef

Reiche K, Tenenbaum B et al (2006) Promoting electrification: regulatory principles and a model law. Energy and Mining Sector Board, Washington DC, p 49, World Bank

Santos RRd, Zilles R (2001) Photovoltaic residential electrification: a case study on solar battery charging stations in Brazil. Prog Photovoltaics Res Appl 9:445–453CrossRef

Stroup KK (2005) DOE/NREL inner Mongolia PV/wind hybrid systems pilot project: a post-installation assessment. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, p 106

The Electricity Access Database. International Energy Agency. http://www.ica.DrWeo/database.electricity_access_database

Tong J (2004) Small hydro power: China’s practice. China WaterPower Press, Beijing

Tongia R (2007) The political economy of Indian power sector reforms. In: Victor DG, Heller TC (eds) The political economy of power sector reform: the experiences of five major developing countries. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 109–174

van Campen B, Guidi D et al (2000) Solar photovoltaics for sustainable agriculture and rural development. Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, pp 1–76, United Nations

Victor D, Heller T (eds) (2006) The political economy of power sector reform: the experiences of five major developing countries. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

WEC (1999) The challenge of rural energy poverty in developing countries. World Energy Council and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, London, p 199

World Bank (1996) Rural energy and development: improving energy supplies for 2 billion people. World Bank, Industry and Energy Department, Washington DC

Title: Rethinking Rural Electrification
Author: Hisham Zerriffi
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Book: Rural Electrification
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-9593-0

Electronic ISBN: 978-90-481-9594-7

Copyright Year: 2011
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9594-7_1