Project: Renewable Energy Programme for Rural Electrification

Project: Renewable Energy Programme for

Rural Electrification

BACKGROUND

In recent years the Indian economy has had one of the highest growth rates in the world. About one-third of its 1.2 billion people, however, still live with less than 1 US $ a day1 _{while almost 500 million people}

do not have access to electricity2_{. While enhancing}

the overall electricity supply, the Government of India wants to promote renewable energy from both points of view, energy security, as well as mitigation to climate change.

Through this programme, SDC aims at demonstrating the sustainability and viability of locally managed generation of renewable energy (RE). A few pilot plants will be constructed in remote rural areas to harness RE sources. They would not only represent local electrification solutions for isolated communities, but should also serve as long term investments towards the social and economic development of the region. The renewable energy produced could potentially feed into the state electricity grid and therefore allow the plant to act as a source of revenue for local development. The project intends to involve the local community right from the planning stage to ultimately enable them to manage such plants independently and as a local resource. Apart from

providing electricity to households, SDC also intends to address the issues of inclusion by ensuring that weaker sections of the community are equitably represented and involved at all stages of decision making in this project. Through dialogues between stakeholders, the lessons from this project should be fed into the policy development and programme implementation in the electricity sector.

GOAL

The overall outcome of this project is the adoption of renewable energy technologies to produce electricity in remotely located and poor communities. The project is expected to not only act as a development mechanism for the region, but also to contribute to the development of government schemes and regulations for the promotion of small renewable energy generating plants that can contribute electricity to the state grids. This will also contribute to increasing the share of renewable energy in the energy mix of the entire country.

DURATION

APPROACHES

• The initial focus of the project will be on two technologies, i.e. biomass gasification and micro hydro power.

• Pilots plants will be developed by key partners.

• Successfully implemented strategies and technologies will be disseminated at state and then national level.

• The project also will contribute to the development of policies, regulation and government schemes and promote small renewable energy generating plants who can contribute electricity to the state grids. • The experiences gained and lessons learnt will contribute to the international debate on renewable energy policies as well as related development programmes in other countries.

RESULTS

Policy and regulatory elements such as tariff, franchisee model, and financing models for electricity will be developed and adjusted. This will promote effective harnessing of renewable energy and its integration into the state’s grid whenever feasible.

Community institutions and local elected bodies will be strengthened and empowered to adopt and manage renewable energy technologies. In collaboration with the state and national authorities, renewable energy technology packages will be developed and can be replicated in the future.

Indian and Swiss institutions will engage in a scientific and technological cooperation in the area of renewable energy.

CONTACT

Swiss Cooperation Office India

Chandragupta Marg Chanakyapuri

New Delhi - 110 021, India. E-mail: [email protected] Phone: + 91-11-26877819