Increasing energy access in rural areas of developing countries

The chapter deals with the design of schemes for the large-scale dissemination of modern energy technologies in rural areas of developing countries. Market-based mechanisms overcome partly the limits of donor aid-projects. They build on public-private partnerships where a network of local entrepreneurs contributes to the maintenance of energy systems. The implementation of small rural energy services companies can help the dissemination of a wide range of products (e.g. LPG, cook stoves, bio-digesters). The example of solar home systems is emphasized. Easily dispatched in remote areas, they contribute to small load improving living conditions of peasants but also facilitating the management of their farm (mobile phone); bigger loads are used for water pumping and irrigation. Even if there are in many instances competitive with fossil fuels, small photovoltaic systems remain unaffordable for the majority of rural inhabitants without proper market support mechanisms like micro-credit and fee-for service schemes. This chapter introduces the institutional and regulatory framework that is needed to enable rural energy services companies to thrive, presents different models of dissemination and concludes with concrete case studies of market dissemination of renewable energy technologies in developing countries, notably in Kenya, South Africa, Bangladesh and China.

Increasing energy access in rural areas of developing countries. In Bundschuh, J., Chen, G. (Eds.), Sustainable Energy Solutions in Agriculture. CRC Press / Balkema - Taylor & Francis Group.

Lemaire, X.M.L. (2014)

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