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Renewable Energy Technologies for Rural Development

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Renewable Energy Technologies for Rural Development U N I T E D N ATIONS CONFEREN C E O N T R A D E A N D D EVELOPMENT Renewable Energy Technologies for Rural Development U N C T A D C U RRE nt S tud IE S O N S C IE nc E , T E C H N OLOGY and I nn OV at IO N . N º 1 UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT UNCTAD CURRENT STUDIES ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION Renewable Energy Technologies for Rural Development UNITED NATIONS New York and Geneva, 2010 UNCTAD CURRENT STUDIES ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION. NO.1 Notes The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) serves as the lead entity within the United Nations Secretariat for matters related to science and technology as part of its work on the integrated treatment of trade and development, investment and finance. The current work programme of UNCTAD is based on the mandates set at UNCTAD XII, held in 2008 in Accra, Ghana, as well as on the decisions by the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), which is served by the UNCTAD secretariat. UNCTAD’s work programme is built on its three pillars of research analysis, consensus-building and technical cooperation, and is carried out through intergovernmental deliberations, research and analysis, technical assistance activities, seminars, workshops and conferences. This series of publications seeks to contribute to exploring current issues in science, technology and innovation, with particular emphasis on their impact on developing countries. The term “country” as used in this study also refers, as appropriate, to territories or areas; the designations employed and the presentation of the material do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delineation of its frontiers or boundaries. In addition, the designations of country groups are intended solely for statistical or analytical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage of development reached by a particular country or area in the development process. Mention of any firm, organization or policies does not imply endorsement by the United Nations. The material contained in this publication may be freely quoted with appropriate acknowledgement. UNCTAD/DTL/STICT/2009/4 Copyright © United Nations, 2010 All rights reserved ii RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT Acknowledgements This paper was prepared by Jim Watson of the Sussex Energy Group and Tyndall Centre Climate Change and Energy Programme, SPRU – Science and Technology Policy Research, University of Sussex and Oliver Johnson of the Sussex Energy Group, SPRU – Science and Technology Policy Research, University of Sussex. It was finalized by Dong Wu of the UNCTAD secretariat. Anne Miroux and Mongi Hamdi provided overall guidance. It was edited by Jennifer Rietbergen and Nadège Hadjemian designed the cover. Elvira Chudzinski provided administrative support. The paper benefited from comments and suggestions provided by Judith Cherni (Imperial College, London), Yacob Mulugetta (University of Surrey), Rob Byrne and Alexandra Mallett (Sussex Energy Group, SPRU, University of Sussex). iii UNCTAD CURRENT STUDIES ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION. NO.1 iv RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT Table of Contents 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 2. Energy poverty and rural development ............................................................................ 2 2.1. International commitments on reducing energy poverty................................................ 2 2.2. Linking energy access and rural development ............................................................... 2 3. Renewable energy technologies.......................................................................................... 5 3.1. Defining RETs................................................................................................................ 5 3.2. Benefits/impacts of RETs............................................................................................... 6 3.3. The need for institutional support .................................................................................. 6 4. Case studies .......................................................................................................................... 9 4.1. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 9 4.2. Access to energy for domestic use ................................................................................. 9 4.2.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................ 9 4.2.2. Nepal: biogas plants......................................................................................... 10 4.2.3. Eritrea: mixed fuel stoves................................................................................. 12 4.2.4. Guatemala: wood stoves................................................................................... 15 4.3. Access to electricity...................................................................................................... 17 4.3.1. Introduction ...................................................................................................... 17 4.3.2. China: solar PV and wind for off-grid electrification...................................... 17 4.3.3. Argentina: mixed technologies for on- and off-grid electrification ................. 20 4.3.4. Lao People’s Democratic Republic: market-driven pico-hydro ...................... 22 4.3.5. Namibia: wind turbines and solar PV for powering telecoms base stations.... 23 5. Synthesis ............................................................................................................................. 25 6. Conclusions ........................................................................................................................ 29 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................... 31 List of figures Table 1. Energy efficiency of cooking fuels ......................................................................... 3 Table 2. Levels of electricity access in selected sub-Saharan African countries .................. 4 Table 3. Renewable energy sources and corresponding RETs.............................................. 5 Table 4. List of case studies .................................................................................................. 9 Figure 1. Use of biomass in relation to GNP per person in 80 countries.............................. 4 Figure 2. Typical biogas plant designed for Nepal.............................................................. 11 Figure 3. Improved Ertirean mogogo stove......................................................................... 14 Figure 4. Typical plancha stove promoted by the Social Fund (FIS) in Guatemala ........... 16 v UNCTAD CURRENT STUDIES ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION. NO.1 vi RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT 1. Introduction This paper provides an overview of some of the issues surrounding the use of renewable energy technologies (RETs) to increase access to modern energy services in rural areas. RETs include, inter alia, the provision of electricity generated from renewable sources such as wind, solar, water, tide/wave and geothermal, and the provision of other modern energy services that are powered by renewable sources for activities such as household heating, space conditioning and water pumping. These kinds of technologies have long been subject to international debate and action as a means of expanding access to electricity by means of off- grid or grid extension programmes. Similarly, the development of RETs such as improved cookstoves to increase efficiency and reduce health impacts of traditional fuel use has had a long history and has shown some success. However, growing concern over climate change and the increasing acceptance of a need for low-carbon development trajectories have provided renewed emphasis on improving access to modern energy services using RETs. Chapter 2 of this paper reviews current international commitments to RET use and rural development and examine the literature connecting RETs with rural development. Chapter 3 looks at RET options and some potential benefits and challenges to deploying them. Chapter 4 investigates, using a number of case studies, how RETs have been used to promote rural development and how innovative project/programme design can help overcome some of the barriers inherent to RET deployment in the market. Chapter 5 provides a synthesis of our case study findings and Chapter 6 presents conclusions and recommendations. 1 UNCTAD CURRENT STUDIES ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION. NO.1 2. Energy poverty and rural development 2.1. International commitments on reducing energy poverty The potential of RETs to power rural development has been understood for many decades. However, it is only recently that significant effort has been made to mobilize the resources to realize this potential and there is still a long way to go (Kristoferson, 1997; Bhattacharyya, 2006; Boyle et al., 2006). In September 2000, the connection between clean sources of energy and
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