Zerriffi Rural Electrification

Strategies for Distributed Generation
2011
ISBN: 978-90-481-9594-7
Verlag: Springer Netherlands
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 203 Seiten

For those in developed nations, suddenly being without electricity is a disaster: power cuts have us fretting over the food stored in the freezer, and even a few hours without lights, televisions, or air conditioning is an ordeal. However, for an estimated 1.6 billion people worldwide, the absence of electricity is their daily experience. An untold number of others live with electricity that is erratic and of poor quality. How can electric power be brought into their lives when the centralized utility models that have evolved in developed nations are not an economically viable option? Poor, rural communities in developing nations cannot simply be 'plugged in' to a grid. Small-scale Distributed Generation (DG), ranging from individual solar home systems to village level grids run off diesel generators, could provide the answer, and this book compares around 20 DG enterprises and projects in Brazil, Cambodia and China, each of which is considered to be a 'business model' for distributed rural electrification. While large, centralized power projects often rely on big subsidies, this study shows that privately run and localized solutions can be both self-sustaining and replicable. Its three sections provide a general introduction to the issue of electrification and rural development, set out the details of the case studies and compare the models involved, and discuss the important thematic issues of equity, access to capital and cost-recovery. Hisham Zerriffi shows that in each case, it is not simply a matter of matching a particular technology to a particular need. Numerous institutional factors come into play including the regulatory regime, access to financial services, and government/utility support or opposition to the DG alternative. Despite this, in many countries, the question is not whether DG has a role to play. Rather it is a question of how it will play a role.

Hisham Zerriffi is an Assistant Professor and the Ivan Head South/North Research Chair in the Liu Institute for Global Issues, University of British Columbia. Prior to joining the UBC Faculty, Dr. Zerriffi was a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Program on Energy and Sustainable Development, where he led a project on the role of institutions in the deployment and diffusion of small-scale energy technologies. Dr. Zerriffi holds a PhD in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania).

Autoren/Hrsg.

Zerriffi, Hisham

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Acknowledgments;8
2;Contents;10
3;Chapter 1: Rethinking Rural Electrification;14
3.1;Introduction;14
3.2;Importance of Rural Electricity Supply;16
3.3;The Contest to Electrify;19
3.4;This Study: Distributed Rural Electrification;23
3.4.1;Prior Experience with Distributed Generation;23
3.4.2;The State of Research on Distributed Electrification;26
3.4.3;Research Methods Used in This Study;27
3.5;Summary of Results;28
3.6;Main Conclusions of the Study;30
3.7;Appendix A: Defining Distributed Generation;33
3.8;References;34
4;Chapter 2: Research Design;37
4.1;Introduction;37
4.2;Study in Context;38
4.3;Variables for the Study of Distributed Electrification Business Models;39
4.3.1;Outcomes of Distributed Rural Electrification;41
4.3.1.1;Changes in Electricity Services;41
4.3.1.2;Sustainability;45
4.3.1.3;Replicability;46
4.3.1.4;Box 1 Measuring Changes in Electricity Service;42
4.3.1.5;Box 2 Measuring Sustainability;43
4.3.1.6;Box 3 Measuring Replicability;43
4.3.2;Independent Variables;47
4.3.2.1;Organizational Form;47
4.3.2.1.1;Centralized/Governmental Organizations;48
4.3.2.1.2;Decentralized/Governmental Organizations;49
4.3.2.1.3;Centralized/Non-Governmental Organizations;49
4.3.2.1.4;Decentralized/Non-Governmental Organizations;50
4.3.2.1.5;Hypotheses;51
4.3.2.1.5.1;Electricity Service;51
4.3.2.1.5.2;Sustainability;51
4.3.2.1.5.3;Replicability;52
4.3.2.2;Technology Choice;52
4.3.2.2.1;Hypotheses;53
4.3.2.2.1.1;Electricity Service;53
4.3.2.2.1.2;Sustainability;54
4.3.2.2.1.3;Replicability;54
4.3.2.3;Target Customers;55
4.3.2.3.1;Hypotheses;56
4.3.2.3.1.1;Electricity Service;56
4.3.2.3.1.2;Sustainability;56
4.3.2.3.1.3;Replicability;57
4.3.2.4;Financial Structure;57
4.3.2.4.1;Hypotheses;59
4.3.2.4.1.1;Electricity Service;59
4.3.2.4.1.2;Sustainability;60
4.3.2.4.1.3;Replicability;61
4.3.2.5;Summary of Hypotheses;62
4.3.3;Control Variables;62
4.4;Case Selection;65
4.5;References;68
5;Chapter 3: Distributed Rural Electrification in Brazil;70
5.1;Introduction;70
5.2;The Institutional Context for Distributed Electrification in Brazil;70
5.3;Centralized Organizations Delivering Distributed Power;76
5.3.1;Overview;76
5.3.2;Utility Diesel Mini-Grids;77
5.3.2.1;DREM Parameters;78
5.3.2.2;Control Variables;78
5.3.2.3;Outcomes;79
5.3.3;COELBA Utility Solar Home Systems;79
5.3.3.1;DREM Parameters;80
5.3.3.2;Control Variables;80
5.3.3.3;Outcomes;80
5.3.4;CEMIG Utility Solar Program;81
5.3.4.1;DREM Parameters;81
5.3.4.2;Control Variables;82
5.3.4.3;Outcomes;82
5.3.5;PRODEEM;82
5.3.5.1;DREM Parameters;83
5.3.5.2;Control Variables;83
5.3.5.3;Outcomes;83
5.4;Alternatives to the Centralized Model;86
5.4.1;Overview;86
5.4.2;IDEAAS/STA Solar Home System;88
5.4.2.1;DREM Parameters;89
5.4.2.2;Control Variables;89
5.4.2.3;Outcomes;89
5.4.3;BRASUS;90
5.4.3.1;DREM Parameters;90
5.4.3.2;Control Variables;91
5.4.3.3;Outcomes;91
5.4.4;Solar Battery Charging Stations;91
5.4.4.1;DREM Parameters;92
5.4.4.2;Control Variables;92
5.4.4.3;Outcomes;92
5.5;Other DREMS;93
5.6;Key Findings and Conclusions;94
5.7;References;96
6;Chapter 4: Distributed Rural Electrification in Cambodia;99
6.1;Introduction;99
6.2;The Institutional Environment;100
6.3;Rural Electricity Entrepreneurs;102
6.3.1;DREM Parameters;105
6.3.2;Control Variables;105
6.3.3;Outcomes;105
6.3.3.1;Sufficiency;106
6.3.3.2;Quality;106
6.3.3.3;Sustainability;106
6.4;Solar Home Systems and PV for NGO Projects;106
6.4.1;DREM Parameters;108
6.4.2;Control Variables;108
6.4.3;Outcomes;110
6.5;Biomass Cooperative;110
6.5.1;DREM Parameters;111
6.5.2;Control Variables;112
6.5.3;Outcomes;113
6.6;Japanese PV/Hydro Project;113
6.6.1;DREM Parameters;115
6.6.2;Control Variables;115
6.6.3;Outcomes;115
6.7;Key Findings and Conclusions;116
6.8;References;118
7;Chapter 5: Distributed Rural Electrification in China;120
7.1;Introduction;120
7.2;Box 1 Rural Electrification Counties Criteria;122
7.3;The Institutional Context;122
7.3.1;Major Actors in the Energy Sector;124
7.3.2;Key Policies;125
7.4;Small Hydropower in China;126
7.4.1;Early Small Hydropower Efforts;126
7.4.1.1;DREM Parameters;126
7.4.1.2;Control Variables;127
7.4.1.3;Outcomes;127
7.4.2;Recent Small Hydropower Efforts;127
7.4.2.1;DREM Parameters;130
7.4.2.2;Control Variables;130
7.4.2.3;Outcomes;130
7.4.3;Box 2 One Small Hydro Power Plant in Hubei;129
7.5;The Township Electrification Program;131
7.5.1;DREM Parameters;132
7.5.2;Control Variables;132
7.5.3;Outcomes;133
7.6;The Market for Small Solar Home Systems;133
7.6.1;DREM Parameters;134
7.6.2;Control Variables;134
7.6.3;Outcomes;135
7.7;Household Wind Power in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region;135
7.7.1;DREM Parameters;136
7.7.2;Control Variables;136
7.7.3;Outcomes;136
7.8;Household Wind/Photovoltaic Hybrid Systems in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region;137
7.8.1;DREM Parameters;137
7.8.2;Control Variables;138
7.8.3;Outcomes;138
7.9;Other Models;138
7.10;Conclusions;139
7.11;References;143
8;Chapter 6: Understanding Success and Failure in Distributed Electrification;145
8.1;Introduction;145
8.2;Changes in Electricity Service;145
8.3;Sustainability;146
8.4;Replicability;147
8.5;Key Findings and Conclusions;149
8.6;Appendix: Detailed Summary of Results;155
8.7;Reference;159
9;Chapter 7: Beyond Charity: Universal Service and a Vision for Distributed Electrification;160
9.1;Introduction;160
9.2;The Old Vision: Cheap Service for All;162
9.2.1;Universal Service;162
9.2.2;Urban/Rural Price Equity;164
9.2.3;Impacts of Universal Service and Equity Programs;168
9.3;An Alternative Vision for Local Electrification;168
9.3.1;Linking Rural Electrification to Productive Activities;172
9.3.2;De-linking Rural Electrification from Climate Change;173
9.3.3;Segmentation of Local Markets;175
9.3.4;Local Scale Solutions;175
9.4;Box 1 Segmentation of Customers by Rural Electricity Entrepreneurs in Cambodia;177
9.5;Moving Forward;178
9.5.1;Changing Macro-Level Policies;178
9.5.2;Reconceptualizing Infrastructure Decentralization;179
9.5.3;Flexible and Appropriate Regulations;183
9.5.4;Restructuring the Social Contract;184
9.6;Conclusion;186
9.7;References;186
10;Chapter 8: Paying for the Vision: New Financial Models for Distributed Electrification;189
10.1;Introduction;189
10.2;Financial Challenges to Distributed Electrification;190
10.2.1;Technical Costs;190
10.2.2;Willingness and Ability to Pay;193
10.2.3;Access to Financial Resources;194
10.3;The Conventional Solution: Subsidies;195
10.3.1;Types of Subsidies;196
10.3.2;The Downside of Subsidies;196
10.4;Expanding the Financial Options;198
10.4.1;Alternative Financial Models;198
10.4.2;Micro-credit;199
10.4.3;Tariff and Subsidy Reform;200
10.4.4;Development of New Institutional Structures;202
10.5;Conclusion;204
10.6;References;204
11;Index;206