Energy Access in Remote Areas
Are Micro & Pico Grids Workable ?
Presented By: Ashok Madhukar & Shweta Agarwal
Afro-Asian Development ConsortiumNew Delhi
August 7, 2014
Micro & Pico Energy Grids
Remote areas either do not have access to energy or totally unreliable supply systems
Poor quality of life due to lack of energy infrastructure and resultant opportunities for income generation / livelihood
Workable?
Micro and Pico grids are the only workable option for remote areas for generation and distribution of energy and environmental management
We need to understand the system constraints of all the stakeholders and their removal/reduction
Design Structural and Operational Sustainability
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Engineering Sustainability
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SUSTAINABILITY
Program/ Project Design &
Delivery ResourcesHR & Funds
Need: Demand Driven
Ownership & Participation
Lessons Learnt :Remote Area
Need Identification Few people want to go there : organizations ability to
reach out is low Funding for need assessment and appropriate project
design Feasibility study costs more than the project- strange
but true
Delivery Capacity This situation encourages local cartels who deliver:
Substandard work, charge multiple times, have little or no capacity for O&M support
Urgent need to build the last mile local delivery capacity
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Lessons Learnt :Remote Area contd…
Higher Cost of Acquisition leads to; higher cost recovery ability to pay drops
Lessons Learnt : 1. Build Core Teams/ Contractors locally for the design,
development, implementation , operation & maintenance and monitoring of the project.
2. Funding for the needs identification, project design and development with the community acceptance and participation: generally about 10% of the project
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EmpowermentRE: Dual Contribution
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SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Power & Fuel
LIVELIHOODSIncome Generation
Activities
Renewable Energy Dual Contribution
ACCESS Ability to Pay
AVAILABILITY Sustained
OUTCOMEImproved Quality of
Life
Program / Project Design
Structural Stakeholders Commitments Community Ownership 360 Capacity Building
Understanding Each link is critical
Start Up Support HR Funds
Operational O&M Local Capacity Local Participation Cost Recovery
Ability Willingness
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Structural Design is critical for Operational Success
Local Communities
Identification of needs / opportunities: Acceptance and help of the local community for the
surveys and information collection
Willingness of the Community: Ownership: Accept the project Participate in the project development O & M local entrepreneurs and build capacity Share in the cost of services used
“Partners in Progress” approach needed with the community rather than “Beneficiaries”
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Missing Link: Intermediaries Role of NGOs
Community mobilization and capacity building Primary need assessment Implementation support Operation and Management Cost recovery for services
Local Delivery Mechanism Agencies for design and development of the projects Implementation O& M handholding Local Entrepreneurs and operators training
Local Monitoring –Core Teams Capacity Building Benchmarks Trends Course Correction and sustainability
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Delivery Mechanisms Who will implement? : Intermediaries
NGOs- community interface Local Contractors- build and maintain
Capacity Building: Is there capacity to implement Develop and Design the local project Express the need and seek agencies
Standardization & Replication: Cost of design on case to case basis is more than the
value of the intervention itself Time Taken:
Uncertainty is the greatest barrier Staying power: mental and financial
Who is investing in the delivery mechanism creation and its capacity building ???...
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The Realty Check
Reality is that there is more money but less projects and even less understanding of the project implementation capabilities of the organization and its intermediaries
Organizations have the funds but do not have projects to fund in line with their mandates
LAD: Demand Driven/ Supply Side interventions: Assisted demand driven is the answer Inventory of local needs / projects Adopt a Village- best holistic approach and replicable
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PROJECTS : Key Actions
Simplification
Standardization
Replication
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CSR - The Road Ahead
Inventory of projects that can be funded by CSR Compatibility Matrix: geographies and domains/sectors Capacity Building of Organizations for CSR:
Funding Projects Program Design
CSR Funding Process: Awareness Standardization Transparency
CSR Attitude: CSR to pro-actively seek projects Not behave as another agency doling out funds to
beneficiaries
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Strategic Approach: LADMawlyngbna, Meghalaya
Village Profile : Altitude : 1200 m Precipitation of 8000-10000 mm Monsoon Period-6 months Population < 2000 ( 90%
engaged in farming ) Households 350 estimated
Cluster of: 4 villages total 750-800 households 3000+ population
Provide Energy for: basic primary processing for
agriculture produce community buildings and street
lighting and communication
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Strategic Approach: LADMawlyngbna, Meghalaya
Economic Activity:The interventions are
focused on value addition to the local produce for higher economic activity and jobs in the village area and include: Warehousing Drying, Cleaning &
Grading Animal Feed Waste Management
Organic manure Potable Water
Pico Energy Interventions:
1. Pico Hydel Power 10Kw2. Bio Mass Gassifier 10 kw3. Heat Recovery for drying
agri-produce4. Solar PV system - 5 Kw5. Bio Gas for Heat Energy
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Note: Combination supports the seasonal and day / night needs of the community
Strategic Approach: LADMawlyngbna, Meghalaya
Pico-Hydro Power Plant 10 KW
Land contributed by the community Support the need for power primarily
during monsoon period and supplement the existing supply which is not reliable and intermittent
Provide convenience for street lights and lighting of community building
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ImpactEconomic - higher revenue realisation from agriculture produceSocial - Improved quality of life , self reliance & equitable distribution
SustainabilityVillage ownership and participation is integral to this community as demonstrated in other initiatives
“Let us continue the journey towards
Sustainability and Inclusive Growth”
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