Energy and the community Ownership models for development and sustainability

CHOICES-SA project workshops Blue Crane Route Municipality, March 2013

Ben Garside

International Institute for Environment and Development

Presentation outline

• Sustainable energy access: how can communities get more involved?

• Case studies – The Anagi stove, Sri Lanka

– Micro-hydro in Peru

– Portable solar products

– The SUNGAS project, Nigeria

• Lessons for the CHOICES-South Africa project

• Success from different perspectives – Local wants, needs and expectations

– Goals of external programmes and government vs those of communities

• Social and cultural context – Local preferences and traditional practices

– Community cohesion and capacities

– Strength of institutions

• Enabling environment – Institutions, policy, regulation, government support

• Financial sustainability and scaling – Designing payment systems that are appropriate

– The role of subsidies

– Connecting to larger-scale finance

Energy for the community

Supporting energy access

Clean cook stoves are important for health, forests and climate; they can save time and money; they can be made locally

But people like their own stoves, new stoves can be expensive, smoke can be useful (e.g. for killing insects)

Anagi stoves cost around US$1.40 (13 Rand); about 300,000 are sold each year

The stove designers worked with local users to design the stove: it was not the most efficient, but was preferred by users

Reduced time for cooking and gathering wood were important for users

Local producers with history of pottery making were provided with grants to cover capital costs, technical and business training

Local stove businesses were established using existing delivery channels

Fuel-efficient Anagi stove, Sri Lanka

Reference: Wilson et al 2012

Reference: Yadoo (2012)

Micro-hydro in Tamborapa Pueblo, Peru

40kW micro-hydro mini-grid installed for 160 households by Soluciones Practicas

Capital costs covered by government, community provided unpaid labour

24-hour electricity with meters; households must use energy-saving lightbulbs; lower tariff for those using power for income generation; maintenance covered by tariffs

Uses include: street lighting, health equipment, lighting for home study, school computers, communications/entertainment

55 new businesses have been established, including a computer school, 26 shops, 12 restaurants, 9 carpentry workshops, 3 mechanics workshops, a radio station, three bakeries, 2 battery charging providers

By 2009 population had tripled to 490 households

Source: www.solucionespracticas.org.pe

Portable solar products

http://www.architonic.com/ntsht/this-product-can-change-your-life-the-d-light-story/7000556

Tough Stuff, d.light and others produce good quality, affordable solar products for household use

In-depth market research with potential users

Local production vs import; local distribution channels (trained village entrepreneurs or existing informal channels e.g. building materials)

Appropriate payment systems, micro-finance, lend-lease models

People often suspicious of new models, especially if past experience has been bad. How to trust a new product?

d.light has sold 1.2 million lights reaching 6 million people (as of 2012); Tough Stuff has sold 140,000 products, reaching 740,000 people (2011)

Reference: Wilson et al 2012

Renewable energy and gas-to-power demonstration projects

Community committees set up to manage projects

Challenges include: expectations of solar power; community conflict; willingness to pay for services

Surveys show low levels of awareness about opportunities

Success in using social media to raise awareness and increase local action

flickr/Wayan Vota

The SUNGAS project, Nigeria

Photo courtesy of Niger Delta Wetlands Centre

Discussion

What are the lessons for CHOICES-SA?

What aspects could be adopted in Blue Crane Route Municipality?

Which aspects would be difficult to adopt here?

What are your needs?

What solutions do you see?

What can you do to change the situation?

• Wilson, E., Godfrey Wood, R. and Garside, B. (2012) Sustainable energy for all? Linking poor communities to modern energy services, IIED http://pubs.iied.org/16038IIED.html

• Yadoo, A. (2012) Delivery Models for Decentralised Rural Electrification: Case studies in Nepal, Peru and Kenya, IIED http://pubs.iied.org/16032IIED.html

• Bellanca, R. and Wilson, E. Sustainable Energy for All and the private sector, IIED Sustainable Markets Briefing http://pubs.iied.org/G03383.html

• IIED Energy Forum (2012) Energy equity: will the UN Sustainable Energy for All initiative make a difference, IIED Briefing Paper http://pubs.iied.org/17127IIED.html

• Wilson, E. and Garside B (2010) Powering change in low-income energy markets, IIED Opinion Paper http://pubs.iied.org/17093IIED.html

IIED publications to download