Renewable Energy Programs for Rural Electrification: Experience and Lessons from India (original) (raw)
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South Asia accounts for around 31 % of the global population without access to electricity. While there is no denying the fact that the electrification rate is increasing, such a situation continues to exist despite several initiatives and policies to support electrification efforts by the respective country governments. The challenges to enhance electricity access are manifold including technical, financial, institutional and governance barriers. Based on an extensive literature review, this chapter attempts to highlight the rural electrification situation at the regional and country level in South Asia. It also performs a comparative analysis to exploit cross learning potential and suggest specific boosters that could serve as input for policy and technology review and assist future electrification efforts in the region. Here we have focused on renewable energy based mini-grids and stand-alone systems and also covered conventional grid extension. We also raise some pertinent issues and attempt to find their solutions. The household connection needs to be improved considerably through a targeted approach and innovative micro-lending model. At the same time the electricity supply also needs to be enhanced, such as through distributed power projects utilizing locally available renewable resources, to ensure that electricity supply to connected households in sustainable and supply constraints do not inhibit extending electrification to virgin areas or intensification of existing villages. Developing a regulatory mechanism to extend the tariff fixation for D. Palit (&) Á A.
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This study investigates renewable energy based rural electrification in India, with a specific focus on the mini and micro-grid experiences. Specific references are made to solar PV and biomass based technologies implemented under publicly supported programmes like the Remote Village Electrification programme and the Village Energy Security programme. Additionally, the study also focuses on mini-grids deployed by private companies such as Husk Power Systems (HPS) and Mera Gao Micro Grid Power (MGP). In order to better comprehend a comparative perspective of mini-grid variants, the report has analysed the mini-grid experiences by examining technologies adopted, policies and incentives, business models, financing and tariff structures, and community participation. The study also highlights trends in the implementation of mini-grids (both technological developments as well as institutional evolutions), and the evolving policy dynamics used to promote and incentivise both private and publicly supported mini-grid developments in India.
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2011
South Asia accounts for 42% of the global population without access to electricity. Such a situation continues to exist despite several initiatives and policies to support electrification efforts by the respective country governments. The challenges to enhance electricity access are manifold including technical, financial, institutional and governance barriers. This paper makes a modest attempt, based on extensive literature review, to highlight the rural electrification situation at the regional and country level in South Asia. The paper also does a comparative analysis to exploit cross learning potential and suggest specific boosters that could serve as input for policy evaluation, review and improvements to assist future electrification efforts in the region. We focussed on renewable energy based mini-grids and stand-alone systems and also covered conventional grid extension. The paper raised some pertinent issues and attempted to find solutions to these issues. The household connection needs to be improved considerably through a targeted approach and innovative micro-lending model. At the same time the electricity supply also needs to be enhanced, such as through distributed power projects utilizing locally available renewable resources, to ensure that connected households continue to receive electricity and that supply constraints do not inhibit extending electrification to new areas. Developing a regulatory mechanism to extend the tariff fixation for mini-grid projects and providing cross-subsidies to ensure long term sustainability of such projects are highlighted. Finally, economic linkages, access to credit and institutional arrangements also need to be organized appropriately, especially for off-grid RE to facilitate successful outcomes.
Rural Electrification in India: A Decentralized Approach
Renewable energy technologies have substantial potential to provide reliable and secure energy supply as an alternative to grid extension or as a supplement to grid power and therefore suitable for electrification of rural and especially remote areas which are still lacking access to modern energy sources like electricity; perceived major barrier for rural development. In India, locally available, renewable energy sources such as solar energy, biomass, wind, or hydro energy can go a long way in alleviating the problem of lack of electricity and can play a prominent role in extending access to energy. Though India has embarked upon an ambitious programme of rural electrification which may expand the grid connectivity rapidly to several uncovered areas, the actual supply of electricity through the established grid would still remain unpredictable and limited. This review paper studies existing literature to map out the factors that have led to the successful implementation of Decentralized systems and explores how these systems can lead to social and economical upliftment of the rural community.
Off-grid Energy Development in India An Approach towards Sustainability
A critical evaluation of existing approaches to the off-grid development in India suggests that successful decentralised interventions are contingent upon the combined influence of three key determinants, that is, strength of policy support, community participation, and productive linkages. Technology, source of finance and plant size are other key determinants. Contrary to the established wisdom on role of communities, it is suggested that, in practice, the reality of capacity constraints among communities, local-level conflicts and elite capture subvert community participation.