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| 1 |
ID:
166713
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| Summary/Abstract |
In 2016, 1100 million people lack access to electricity, mainly in developing countries in Africa, Asia and South America. In these countries, there is a large potential for hydroelectric production through off-grid microgrids, although not fully exploited. This work assesses the long-term sustainability of off-grid micro-hydro projects operating in rural indigenous communities. More specifically, four sustainability dimensions are analyzed: environmental, technical, socioeconomic and institutional, and specific indicators are proposed for each one. In particular, 6 micro-hydroelectric power plants in southern Venezuela are used as case studies. The data gathering includes surveys, technical visits and interviews with technicians, engineers and beneficiaries. Results show that the institutional dimension and, in particular, alignment between involved institutions has been fundamental for the long-term sustainability. Indeed, appropriate institutional alignment is the key to strengthening the impacts on: (i) the environmental dimension, minimizing emissions and impacts on local ecosystems; (ii) the technical dimension, improving adequacy and reliability of technologies; and (iii) the socioeconomic dimension, making efficient use of electricity to enhance education, health and productivity. Lessons learned and conclusions of this research can significantly contribute to improve future projects, in particular to the 22 included in the electrification plans of Venezuela in coming years.
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| 2 |
ID:
166490
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| Summary/Abstract |
Small-scale renewable energy technologies offer impoverished rural communities in developing countries the ability to overcome extreme poverty and improve their living conditions. Unfortunately, most presented frameworks for rural electrifications have not adequately addressed the three cores of energy trilemma. This paper proposes a methodology of rural electrification planning to overcome the three cores of the energy trilemma (environment, security and equity), considering four sustainability dimensions: environmental, technical, socioeconomic and institutional. The proposal is based on a review of the Venezuelan program “Sembrando Luz” (“Sowing Light”), developed between 2005 and 2013, through visits to 28 beneficiary communities. A set of lessons learned were used to define the methodological proposal developed here. This proposal establishes specific objectives for the achievement of sustainability in rural electrification programs, through a novel conceptual framework, valid for the achievement of universal access anywhere in the world. In addition, hierarchical criteria and a projects classification are proposed, which finally enables a projects portfolio to be designed according to the technical and financial conditions available in each country. As a case study, the planning methodology is applied to 2,269 isolated communities in Venezuela that still lack electricity. The methods and conclusions of this work are intended to be a contribution to the improvement of rural electrification programs with renewable energy in other countries of the developing world.
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