Tential in Lao PDR Information Sharing Tools on Renewable Energy for Lao PDR Final Report
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Information Sharing Tools on Renewable Energy in the Lao PDR Rural Electrification Report Series tential in Lao PDR Information Sharing Tools on Renewable Energy for Lao PDR Final Report 110512_RURAL_FR_010 Vientiane, Lao PDR Study funded by and conducted in collaboration with Helvetas Laos 1 May, 2011 Information Sharing Tools on Renewable Energy in the Lao PDR Lao Institute for Renewable Energy and HELVETAS REPORT # 110512‐RURAL‐FR‐010 Information Sharing Tools on Renewable Energy for the Lao PDR: Final Report Vientiane, Lao PDR 11th May 2011 DOCUMENT REVISION HISTORY: Rev Date Description Authors Checkers 1 18/02/2011 Draft Report Issued for Client Review L. Mateo, N. Paech E. Allen., A. Phimmasone 2 12/05/2011 Revised Report for Internal Review L. Mateo, A. Phimmasone 2 Information Sharing Tools on Renewable Energy in the Lao PDR About Us LIRE is a non‐profit organisation dedicated to the sustainable development of a self sufficient renewable energy sector in the Lao PDR. The institute offers agronomical, technological and socio‐economic research services, and works to provide a free public resource of information and advice on the use of renewable energy technologies in Lao PDR. LIRE strives to support the development of the country by exploring commercially viable means to establish renewable energy technologies in rural parts of the country, in areas without connection to the national grid and with little access to technical expertise. Helvetas is a Swiss Association for International Cooperation, founded in 1955. Helvetas has more than 40’000 members in Switzerland supporting its activities. Helvetas works in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Helvetas started to work in Lao P.D.R. in 2001 with the Laos Extension for Agriculture Project (LEAP) funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Helvetas in Laos has been focusing mainly on the agriculture sector, addressing issues related to organic agriculture promotion and food security in the country. Other sectors such as Education and Culture, Civil Society and State which are part of Helvetas’ working areas shall gain more and more importance. Helvetas Laos and its partners are currently implementing 6 projects across the country. 3 Information Sharing Tools on Renewable Energy in the Lao PDR Table of Contents 1 Context .............................................................................................................................................. ‐ 1 ‐ 2 Interview with CLICK and Re‐orientation of the Study ..................................................................... ‐ 2 ‐ 2.1 Context ...................................................................................................................................... ‐ 2 ‐ 2.2 Results of the meeting with CLICK ............................................................................................ ‐ 3 ‐ 3 Online Information Sharing within the ASEAN Region ..................................................................... ‐ 5 ‐ 3.1 Review of existing websites in the ASEAN Region .................................................................... ‐ 5 ‐ 3.1.1 The example of: MEE Net .................................................................................................. ‐ 5 ‐ 3.2 The importance of a moderator for online information sharing media ................................... ‐ 6 ‐ 4 Review for Lao PDR, the Case through an Online Questionnaire ..................................................... ‐ 7 ‐ 4.1 Context of the ‘Monkey’ survey ................................................................................................ ‐ 7 ‐ 4.2 Methodology ............................................................................................................................. ‐ 7 ‐ 4.3 Results of the questionnaire ..................................................................................................... ‐ 8 ‐ 4.4 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... ‐ 14 ‐ 5 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... ‐ 15 ‐ 5.1 An Online Library .................................................................................................................... ‐ 16 ‐ 5.2 Improving visibility on renewable energies in Lao PDR: the need for coordination .............. ‐ 17 ‐ 6 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... ‐ 18 ‐ 7 Appendix and Annexes ................................................................................................................... ‐ 20 ‐ 7.1 Appendix 1: Summary of WebPages on Renewable Energy in ASEAN Region ....................... ‐ 20 ‐ 7.2 Appendix 2: Invitation to the Questionnaire .......................................................................... ‐ 23 ‐ 7.3 Appendix 3: Results of the Online Survey ............................................................................... ‐ 24 ‐ 7.4 Annex 1: READ (Renewable Energy Activities Database) by LIRE and SNV Laos, supported by the FAO, 2009 ..................................................................................................................................... ‐ 31 ‐ i Information Sharing Tools on Renewable Energy in the Lao PDR Table of Figures Figure 1: Who are you? ............................................................................................................................. ‐ 8 ‐ Figure 2: What does renewable energy mean to you? ............................................................................. ‐ 8 ‐ Figure 3: What do you think about the visibility of renewable energies in the Lao PDR? ....................... ‐ 9 ‐ Figure 4: Other people who might have interest in engaging in RE ....................................................... ‐ 12 ‐ Figure 5: Information of interest ............................................................................................................ ‐ 13 ‐ Table of Tables Table 1: List of websites under CLICK umbrella, February 2011 ............................................................... ‐ 2 ‐ ii Information Sharing Tools on Renewable Energy in the Lao PDR 1 Context The Lao PDR enjoys an abundance of natural energy resources, notably solar, hydro and biomass potential, and yet in rural areas access to energy remains poor. In 2008, the national electricity grids extended to reach 64% of the population, with a further 3.8% utilising a variety of off‐grid solutions.1 The remaining 42%, mostly the rural poor living in isolated communities, were relying on inefficient, unhealthy and environmentally damaging practices, such as use of traditional fuel wood and kerosene/diesel. These conventional activities are time consuming and costly to utilise. As such, rural populations are still disadvantaged relative to urban communities Access to information is one of the main bottlenecks for the development of the Lao rural renewable energy (RE) sector. At present all actors and end‐users are making energy choices based on incomplete information and a lack of knowledge to begin projects at all as well as facing technical limitations. Furthermore, generally in Lao PDR users and actors suffer from inaccurate perceptions of the real costs of energy resources and neither are they aware of opportunities already available. Helvetas Laos, fully aware of this narrow choice offered to rural populations, assigned LIRE to: Review existing information sharing tools in Lao PDR and within the Sub‐Mekong region; Provide recommendations on how to improve access to RE information for Lao population and main stakeholders active in the field of RE. In order to complete this study LIRE and Helvetas RISE Program Laos, met a key informant active in the Lao PDR called Mr. P. Phimmachanh who animates and moderates several online information sharing platforms representative of the Coalition for Lao Information, Communication and Knowledge (CLICK). CLICK is an organization dedicated to online information exchange. This organization aims to alleviate poverty and support Lao development “through provision of information, communication and knowledge2”. The purpose of the study was there re‐examined and it was decided to focus on answering this key question: Is there a market‐driven demand for RE information in Lao‐PDR? The following sections will introduce the elements needed to answer to this key question; then recommendations will be given according to the response to this important question. 1 Electricity Statistics Yearbook of Lao PDR (2008) 2 http://www.clicklaos.org ‐ 1 ‐ Information Sharing Tools on Renewable Energy in the Lao PDR 2 Interview with CLICK and Re‐orientation of the Study 2.1 Context On the 25th January 2011 a meeting was organized in Helvetas Laos’ office to interview Mr Phoutthasinh Phammachanh, the moderator of LaoLink (part of CLICK organization), with the aim to discuss about the idea to create an Online Information Exchange Platform especially dedicated to RE in the Lao PDR. Mr P. Phammachanh was a key relevant stakeholder to interview as he plays an important part in the most active platform information sharing in the Lao PDR. Thus, his opinion was invaluable as he acts with the double role of i) observer of the people and topics which are active online, and ii) stakeholder with experience and