Rural Energy Development

The shift from fossil-based energy systems to renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydro presents both opportunities and challenges for developing countries aiming to expand energy access, promote economic growth, and meet climate goals. This study examines the technological, financial, institutional, and governance aspects of clean energy transitions, focusing on regional disparities and implications for low-and middle-income economies. A systematic review of literature was carried out using the SPAR-4-SLR methodology across Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Only peer-reviewed studies published in English from 2009 to 2025 were included, guided by four research questions: (1) technological and resource endowments, (2) capital structuring and financial market dynamics, (3) institutional and policy frameworks, and (4) decentralized, digital energy governance. Search terms were tailored for each theme, and studies were classified by topic, region, and methodology. Results show that decentralized renewable systems-especially solar micro-grids-offer affordable alternatives to fossil fuels in rural and off-grid areas, enhancing job creation, energy security, and poverty reduction. Examples from Kenya, India, and Southeast Asia highlight the importance of policy consistency, financial innovation, and institutional preparedness in promoting clean energy deployment. Still, ongoing challenges such as high initial costs, infrastructure gaps, and limited technical skills continue to hinder progress in many regions.

Mozambique has substantial solar power potential (23,000GWe) yet only 83MWe of installed capacity (representing 2% of the total 3623MWe generation capacity). Meanwhile, 44% of the population has electricity access, making Mozambique one of the least-electrified countries. Efforts to scale-up off-grid solar photovoltaics and improve rural electrification face key sociotechnical challenges. Using interview data from 33 national stakeholders, we identify the key policy, inter-agency coordination, socio-cultural development, and institution-driven actions needed to overcome these challenges. We introduce the concept of a 'social multiplier effect' to explain how small-scale electricity access improvements increase public demand for gridbased electrification, demonstrating how this can drive socioeconomic benefits to rural and peri-urban areas. We call for coordinated actions from policy and market actors, advocating for policy coherence and increased private sector involvement to boost investment, regulation and innovation in off-grid solar technologies, ultimately achieving universal electricity access and improving social development outcomes in Mozambique.

This study intended to determine the impact of the implementation of rural energy agency intervention on energy access in rural areas particularly in kagera region by specifically reviewing the impact on the percentage of energy access before and after the implementation of rural anergy agency. A quasi – experimental design was employed considering rural areas as the treatment group and urban areas as the control group and panel data was collected from Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited and Rural
Energy Agency Limited for the percent of each ward in kagera region before and after intervention by considering the year 2006 as the pre – intervention period and the year 2018 as the post intervention period. A different-in-different estimation was employed to determine the impact of REA intervention on energy access while line charts and graphs
were used for descriptive visualizations. The results revealed a significant impact of rural energy agency intervention on the energy access in rural areas after obtaining a DID estimator of3.561 percent, (standard error
(1.812), |t| (1.96), P > |t|, (0.049**)). The researcher concluded that all stakeholders concerned must play their roles in the intervention of energy access with no or less draw backs also encourage contractors to work closely with beneficiary communities and their leaders during implementation. There should be effective campaigns and local
participation throughout.

The goals of the European Union towards the energy transition imply profound changes in the energy field, so as to promote sustainable energy development while fostering economic growth. To achieve these changes, the incorporation of sustainable technologies supporting decentralisation, energy efficiency, renewable energy production, and demand flexibility is of vital importance. Blockchain has the potential to change energy services towards this direction. To optimally exploit blockchain, innovative business models need to be designed, identifying the opportunities emerging from unmet needs, while also considering potential risks so as to take action to overcome them. In this context, the scope of this paper is to examine the opportunities and the risks that emerge from the adoption of blockchain in four innovative business models, while also identifying mitigation strategies to support and accelerate the energy transition, thus proposing optimal approaches of exploitation of blockchain in energy services. The business models concern Energy Performance Contracting with P4P guarantees, improved self-consumption in energy cooperatives, energy efficiency and flexibility services for natural gas boilers, and smart energy management for EV chargers and HVAC appliances. Firstly, the value proposition of the business models is analysed and results in a comprehensive SWOT analysis. Based on the findings of the analysis and consultations with relevant market actors, in combination with the examination of the relevant literature, risks are identified and evaluated through a qualitative assessment approach. Subsequently, specific mitigation strategies are proposed to address the detected risks. This research demonstrates that blockchain integration into these business models can significantly improve energy efficiency, reduce operational costs, enhance security, and support a more decentralised energy system, providing actionable insights for stakeholders to implement blockchain solutions effectively. Furthermore, according to the results, technological and legal risks are the most significant, followed by political, economic, and social risks, while environmental risks of blockchain integration are not as important. Strategies to address risks relevant to blockchain exploitation include ensuring policy alignment, emphasising economic feasibility, facilitating social inclusion, prioritising security and interoperability, consulting with legal experts, and using consensus algorithms with low energy consumption. The findings offer clear guidance for energy service providers, policymakers, and technology developers, assisting in the design, deployment, and risk mitigation of blockchain-enabled business models to accelerate sustainable energy development.

The article "Hand Crank Generators: Your Guide to a Reliable Power Source" discusses the advantages and applications of hand crank generators. It explains that these devices convert mechanical energy from human effort into electrical energy, providing a sustainable and cost-effective power source, particularly useful during emergencies or in remote locations. Key benefits highlighted include their renewable nature, suitability for emergency preparedness, affordability, portability, and educational value. The article also outlines various uses such as charging devices, emergency lighting, and powering outdoor activities. Features like all-steel motors for durability and super capacitors for consistent power output are also mentioned.

Social media applications are essential for next generation connectivity. Today, social media are centralized platforms with a single proprietary organization controlling the network and posing critical trust and governance issues over the created and propagated content. The ARTICONF project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program researches a decentralized social media platform based on a novel set of trustworthy, resilient and globally sustainable tools to fulfil the privacy, robustness and autonomy-related promises that proprietary social media platforms have failed to deliver so far. This paper presents the ARTICONF approach to a car-sharing use case application, as a new collaborative peer-to-peer model providing an alternative solution to private car ownership. We describe a prototype implementation of the car-sharing social media application and illustrate through real snapshots how the different ARTICONF tools support it in a simulated scenario.

Purpose-Tanzania is rich in small hydropower (SHP) potentials. However, many of these potentials have yet to be fully used, and more than two-thirds of its rural population lacks access to electricity. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of SHP stations in improving rural welfare in the southern highlands of Tanzania. It further explores the history, cost-effective analysis and threats to the sustainability of SHP as one of the renewable energy sources. Design/methodology/approach-The study uses a qualitative research design to explore respondents' views on the role of SHP stations in facilitating rural electrification and welfare improvement. Primary data were gathered using semi-structured interviews with the 27 key informants and beneficiaries of SHP stations from the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. In addition, the study used documentary research to complement the information from the field survey. Findings-The findings found that SHP stations enhance rural electrification and welfare by providing electricity in remote areas with sparse populations. They operate as standalone off-grids, often by church communities and individuals. However, the sustainability of SHP stations is hampered by challenges such as climate change impacts, high capital investment costs, heavy siltation of small reservoirs, skilled manpower shortages, limited local manufacturing capabilities and infrastructural issues. Originality/value-The study contributes to the ongoing debate on renewable energy supply and uses, focusing on how SHP stations could contribute to sustainable rural electrification and achieve the 2030 United Nations agenda for sustainable development, which, among other things, aims to safeguard access to sustainable and modern energy and alleviate energy poverty.

The rapid growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem and the increasing demand for Electric Vehicles (EVs) have driven the need for efficient, scalable, and high-performance hardware solutions. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have become key enablers of intelligent decision-making and optimization in hyperscale-cloud and EV infrastructure. To fully harness the potential of AI/ML in IoT systems, specialized silicon chips System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions are essential. These SoCs must integrate data processing, connectivity, and energy management capabilities to ensure high availability and performance in various environments. This paper explores the role of AI/ML-enabled IoT connectivity chip design for hyperscale-cloud and EV infrastructure, emphasizing the integration of AI/ML in silicon design and providing a comparative analysis of competitive silicon architectures for high-availability computing systems. As the United States accelerates its transition to sustainable transportation, the adoption of EVs relies on the efficiency, scalability, and reliability of the supporting charging infrastructure. The convergence of AI, ML, and IoT collectively known as AIoT offers the potential to optimize EV charging stations, enhance energy distribution, and drive technological innovation. The paper highlights how AIoT-powered intelligent connectivity and high-availability systems can optimize EV charging networks, supporting economic growth and the successful adoption of Software Defined Vehicle Infrastructure (SDV)-EVs.

This chapter describes an integrated methodology to evaluate the feasibility of solid biofuels from biomass residues for energy applications in developing countries. The proposal considers five stages: (a) the identification of locally available spatial and temporal waste; (b) characterization with different specialized analysis techniques, including physicochemical, energetic, and proximal; (c) the evaluation of the energetic potential available in situ, spatial, and temporarily; (d) the definition of guidelines for the management of solid biofuels of the pellet type, briquettes, or biocharcoal, considering territorial factors and energy feasibility; and (e) the identification of end-use technologies to use potential biofuels or the identification of processes and energy value chains to satisfy local, residential, and collective energy needs or for productive activities

Social acceptance is essential for the successful implementation of renewable energy technologies and can be divided into three main categories: socio-political approval, community acceptance, and market acceptance. Socio-political acceptance refers to broad public support for policies and technologies, although local resistance often persists due to decisions about siting. Community acceptance involves the support of local stakeholders and is influenced by the Not in My Back Yard (NIMBY) phenomenon, though research indicates varied reactions to renewable projects. Market acceptance concerns the adoption of innovations by consumers and investors, affected by the complexity of energy infrastructures. Policy frameworks are crucial for fostering community engagement, inclusivity, and transparency. Incentives aligned with community motivations enhance participation. The integration of AI, VR, and blockchain can further improve engagement platforms. Sustainable community development requires active participation, capacity building, diversified financing, flexibility, social equity, and continuous impact evaluation. Sharing knowledge and replicating successful models across communities is vital for broader impact.

There is a growing consensus that universalisation of modern energy services is central to reducing major elements of poverty and hunger, increasing literacy and education, and improving health care, employment opportunities, and lives of women and children. In India, more than 700 million people lack access to modern energy services for lighting, cooking, water pumping and other productive purposes. Without these services people-most often women-are forced to spend significant amount of their time and energy on subsistence activities. This acts as a barrier to the gender development. Although the links between gender, poverty and energy have been studied by many authors, not many have come out with practical solutions. The present paper explores the nexus between gender-energy-poverty, highlights areas of gender concern, and suggests actions. We analyse how women from rural areas and low income households are at the receiving ends of energy poverty. We then analyse the roles of different stakeholders in universalizing modern energy services with specific emphasis to women. We argue how women self help groups can be a vital link in large scale diffusion of energy efficient and renewable technologies. The paper concludes with policy prescriptions of sustainable development and gender empowerment through energy solutions.

Presently Rural Energy Communities (REC) are faced with challenges such as the inefficient distribution of energy from Renewable Energy Sources (RES), unfair pricing, and the inclusion of prosumers into the electricity market. Therefore, this article proposed an approach that employed enabling technologies such as Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT), self-enforcing smart contracts-enabled Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for sustainable energy sharing and tracking in REC. Additionally, a model is proposed based on key factors that influence the adoption of enabling technologies in REC. For the methodology qualitative data is collected from secondary sources and descriptive analysis is employed to present the key findings. Key findings from this study contributes to develop a decarbonized, decentralized, and digitized energy management approach to support the sustainability of REC. The deployment of AI can facilitate prediction short-term energy planning for RES production and consumption based on real-time data from IoT devices. More importantly, findings from this study presents use case scenarios of energy sharing and tracking, and green electric vehicle charging in REC suggesting that DLT based smart contracts, IoT, and AI offers an effective approach to accelerate the sharing and tracking of RES in REC. Besides, DLT and smart contracts enables real-time electricity consumption monitoring, energy trading management, and pricing.

The over-arching aim of the EDORA project is to develop a better understanding of the development opportunities and challenges facing diverse types of rural areas in Europe. The underlying demand for such knowledge is to support targeted policy development, relating (inter alia) to job creation and social change. The sectoral (agricultural) bias in available data relating to rural development means that the more inductive approaches which have been popular in the ESPON programme carry with them a strong risk of slipping into " well trodden paths " which associate rural development disproportionately with the agricultural industry and the farming community. This has necessitated a deliberate attempt to follow a more deductive methodology, whereby a review of conceptual and theoretical literature directs the choice of empirical data and analysis. This Interim Report reflects mainly upon this theoretical groundwork. The original rationale for the project (the need to understa...

Measuring the Energy Potential of Biomass for Firing Purposes by Statistical and Geographical Methods in the Case of a Hungarian Settlement. During our research we developed a method allowing to survey easily and quickly the herbaceous and woody biomass potential of any settlement in Hungary based on statistical and geographical data. Derived from the data, which can obtained from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, it could be easy to calculate the assumable energy requirements of a given settlement. On the grounds of the method, one can recognize the settlements in a short period of time which may be suitable for the establishment of sustainable biomass-based cogeneration units on the long-term. The method can be applied in other countries as well, if the relevant national statistical database is available. During the research the town of Ibrány, which is lying in the northeastern part of Hungary (fig. 1), was analysed in detail from multiple aspects. Furthermore, the suitability of Ibrány was analysed in order to find out whether potential bioenergy investments could be implemented in the town or not. In pursuance of the research, based on the Hungarian literature, Ibrány was found to be capable of the implementation of a bio-energy investment.

The role of prosumers who are consumers who produce, store, and consume energy is vital to the uptake of renewable energies in Local Energy Communities (LEC). However, the integration of prosumers in the smart grid to facilitate bidirectional flows of energy and information depends on intelligent operations of energy systems and flexible structures of the existing energy markets. But existing energy trading mechanisms are faced with issues of trust, privacy, security, and energy pricing determination. Also, there are fewer studies based on a citizen-centric prosumer approach. Thus, there is need to provide reliable solutions that addresses the aforementioned challenges faced by prosumers in LEC. Advancements in disruptive technologies, such as Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) have transformed a broad spectrum of intelligent systems in smart cities. Therefore, this study examines the integration of AI and IoT as AIoT and DLT towards a citizen-centric prosumer approach for decentralized energy markets trading. Additionally, this article develops an architectural model for energy prosumption in LEC using design science approach based on a user-centred design method that shows a possible implementation concept to support energy sharing and trading in LEC. The architectural model supports trust, data privacy, security, and energy pricing determination using AI and smart contracts to provides real-time energy trading monitoring, easy access, control, and immutable logs to unearth underlying energy demand and supply patterns thereby supporting citizen-centric prosumer approach. Finally, a use case scenario of DLT and AIoT for prosumption operations is presented.

A study of the energy potential from agro-industrial waste of Mangifera indica L. in the city of Zamora, Michoacán is presented, considering its use through solid biofuels. This research is composed of three stages: (a) the qualitative and quantitative diagnosis of the waste disposal of M. indica, spatiotemporally (b) the physicochemical characterization of the waste collected from 14 processing companies using characterization techniques, as well as proximal analysis of the moisture content, ash, volatiles, fixed carbon, and calorific value, and (c) estimation of the energy potential to spatially and temporally define the final energy disposition and possible use of the analyzed waste. The results show the ash content of mango residues below 3.5%, while the volatile material was 82.9%, the fixed carbon content was below 17%, and the polymeric compounds showed 27.24% cellulose, 10.46% for hemicellulose, and for lignin 5.78%. The presence of carbon was also identified in the order of 44.61%, hydrogen in 6.53%, oxygen in 48.11%, nitrogen of 0.74%, and the sulfur recorded was below the range of 0.01%. The calorific value was estimated from 17.5 to 19.28 MJ/kg; the available energy potential on the order of 0.5 TJ/day for 4 months. This proposal not only shows a case study of the bioenergy potential available, but it can also encourage addressing future research related to the use and valuation of agro-industrial waste, which, like in the Zamora region, there are many more in Mexico, and they are so diverse and productive that the energy potential is relevant.

The paper explores future opportunities as well as challenges arising from urban manufacturing (UM) regarding the design of sustainable energy systems for cities. Global trends affect the type of production (e.g. Industry 4.0) as well as the industrial structure (e.g. convergence of services and production) of UM in cities. This causes new requirements but also new options for the urban energy system. The study presented in this paper examines this area of tension and explores not only the potentials of waste heat use, but also additional electricity demand trough steadily advancing digitalisation. The study illustrates, that over the next few years it will be key to improve the interfaces between actors and sectors: between companies ("energy communities"), between industry and grid/energy supply company/neighbouring settlement areas and between the sectors heat-electricity-gas-mobility through e.g. power-to-x and possible uses of hydrogen. The paper concludes with a conc...

The paper connects culture, tourism and rural development. It tries to make an overview of various forms of cultural tourism in Czechia. Attractions of cultural tourism are identified and ranked according to their cognitive function. Their list includes cultural heritage in spheres of archaeological sites, architecture, arts, folklore, pilgrimages, technical works, cultural events or protected landscape areas. The culture of wine in Southern Moravia has been chosen as an example. Its analysis was elaborated using the Importance/Performance Analysis. Czechia has great potential for the cultural tourism development in rural areas but it seems to demand a great deal of work when one needs to be constantly reconciling the changing interests of tourists with the potential of the regions. One of the important goals is to attract tourists into rural areas and thus limit their concentration in the most attractive places. Rural cultural tourism seems to be a significant aspect in this respec...

Purpose-Tanzania is rich in small hydropower (SHP) potentials. However, many of these potentials have yet to be fully used, and more than two-thirds of its rural population lacks access to electricity. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of SHP stations in improving rural welfare in the southern highlands of Tanzania. It further explores the history, cost-effective analysis and threats to the sustainability of SHP as one of the renewable energy sources. Design/methodology/approach-The study uses a qualitative research design to explore respondents' views on the role of SHP stations in facilitating rural electrification and welfare improvement. Primary data were gathered using semi-structured interviews with the 27 key informants and beneficiaries of SHP stations from the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. In addition, the study used documentary research to complement the information from the field survey. Findings-The findings found that SHP stations enhance rural electrification and welfare by providing electricity in remote areas with sparse populations. They operate as standalone off-grids, often by church communities and individuals. However, the sustainability of SHP stations is hampered by challenges such as climate change impacts, high capital investment costs, heavy siltation of small reservoirs, skilled manpower shortages, limited local manufacturing capabilities and infrastructural issues. Originality/value-The study contributes to the ongoing debate on renewable energy supply and uses, focusing on how SHP stations could contribute to sustainable rural electrification and achieve the 2030 United Nations agenda for sustainable development, which, among other things, aims to safeguard access to sustainable and modern energy and alleviate energy poverty.

This proposal evaluates the energy potential of agricultural residues of Zea mays from an indigenous community in Mexico. The study consists of four stages: (a) evaluation of residue production in all community farming areas (b) morphological and physicochemical characterization, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman (c) the proximal and functional evaluation of the residues, through fiber analysis, determination of fixed carbon, humidity, estimation of calorific value, ash microanalysis and elemental analysis, and (d) evaluation of energy potential and multicriteria analysis. The results show that Z. mays residues have initial moisture values of less than 10%, ash content below 20%, fixed carbon around 14% and a calorific value of 17.6 MJ/kg associated with polymeric compounds and carbohydrates, as well as a percentage of extractable compounds of the order of 40%. The production of these residues on the 249 hectares (ha) of cult...

In this paper, it's presented an integral project of technology transfer. Based in the development of several prototypes of solar cookers, all of them with our own design and construction, whose functionality is to compound parabolic concentrators of revolution, this project performed how to implement this ecotechnology. The prototype implemented uses mirror polished aluminum reflectors, aluminum pressure cooker manual tracking device and solar tilt. With the help of social programs, 70 solar cookers were implemented in an indigenous community in Michoacán, México; previously it was implemented a diagnostic of timber resources consumption to each beneficiary family. Also, firing tests were performed with various prototypes plots to select the best one with thermal and ergonomic characteristics. The project expects to reduce the consumption of timber as fuel used for cooking by 30%; to encourage the use of renewable energy, to mitigate respiratory diseases caused by the inhalation of combustion smoke and help the family's economy. Currently we are working with the monitoring to quantify the improvements achieved in consumption-appropriation. There is already an user manual of maintenance and construction of solar cookers in the indigenous language and the project wants to be the basis for future Eco technologies' implementations.

In the past few years, pertaining to energy shortage, Government of Pakistan promoted the biogas plants in specific rural areas. This study is an attempt to explore the success and failure adopted biogas plants by the farmers in rural areas of Faisalabad, Pakistan. In this study, the researcher selected tehsil Faisalabad of district Faisalabad based on the availability of biogas plants installed by the Government, NGO/INGOs and private contractors in the past few years. Snowball sampling method was used to identify the sample size. Total 51 biogas adopters participated in the study as respondents. Primary data were collected through face to face interviews on a structured questionnaire. Results shows that 33.3% of respondents were fully satisfied with their biogas plants. Close to one fourth (23.5%) of respondents were partially satisfied while 43.1% of respondents were not satisfied with their biogas plants. More than half (56.9%) of biogas plants were in working condition and 43.1...

This study assessed the potential contributions of improved cookstoves in enhancing organic fertilizer availability for application to farmland, greenhouse gas emission mitigation and improvement of household finances using the Kitchen Performance Test and Controlled Cooking Test. Substitution of a three-stone open fire with improved cookstoves significantly (p<0.01) improved fuel use efficiency by 54% (highest) for the mirt stove together with biogas and 32% (lowest) for the mud stove without biogas. The greenhouse gas emission reductions in carbon dioxide equivalents were 4534(±32) kg y-1 , 6370(±42) kg y-1 , 6953(±51) kg y-1 , 7661(±43) kg y-1 for the mud stove, mirt stove, mud stove with biogas and mirt stove with biogas respectively. The average financial savings from the sale of surplus biomass fuel for the improved cookstoves were higher than the summed financial savings from substitution of commercial fertilizer, generation of carbon finance and replacement of kerosene for lighting. This explains why households usually prefer to sell surplus biomass fuels instead of using them as organic fertilizers. This finding suggests that wide scale adoption of fuelefficient solid biomass stoves can contribute to the financial security of households, and may help to reduce deforestation, but will do little to increase the fertility of soils. By contrast, including biogas stoves will help to improve soil fertility by retaining at least some of the carbon and nutrients in bioslurry that will then be applied to the soil.

Este texto de divulgación, forma parte de los cuadernos del programa de Lectura Científica del Instituto de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación del estado de Michoacán. El capítulo habla de la energía en la vida cotidiana, y mantiene un enfoque ilustrativo de la energía en entornos comunitarios.

This study assessed the potential contributions of improved cookstoves in enhancing organic fertilizer availability for application to farmland, greenhouse gas emission mitigation and improvement of household finances using the Kitchen Performance Test and Controlled Cooking Test. Substitution of a three-stone open fire with improved cookstoves significantly (p<0.01) improved fuel use efficiency by 54% (highest) for the mirt stove together with biogas and 32% (lowest) for the mud stove without biogas. The greenhouse gas emission reductions in carbon dioxide equivalents were 4534(±32) kg y-1 , 6370(±42) kg y-1 , 6953(±51) kg y-1 , 7661(±43) kg y-1 for the mud stove, mirt stove, mud stove with biogas and mirt stove with biogas respectively. The average financial savings from the sale of surplus biomass fuel for the improved cookstoves were higher than the summed financial savings from substitution of commercial fertilizer, generation of carbon finance and replacement of kerosene for lighting. This explains why households usually prefer to sell surplus biomass fuels instead of using them as organic fertilizers. This finding suggests that wide scale adoption of fuelefficient solid biomass stoves can contribute to the financial security of households, and may help to reduce deforestation, but will do little to increase the fertility of soils. By contrast, including biogas stoves will help to improve soil fertility by retaining at least some of the carbon and nutrients in bioslurry that will then be applied to the soil.

This study assessed the potential contributions of improved cookstoves in enhancing organic fertilizer availability for application to farmland, greenhouse gas emission mitigation and improvement of household finances using the Kitchen Performance Test and Controlled Cooking Test. Substitution of a three-stone open fire with improved cookstoves significantly (p<0.01) improved fuel use efficiency by 54% (highest) for the mirt stove together with biogas and 32% (lowest) for the mud stove without biogas. The greenhouse gas emission reductions in carbon dioxide equivalents were 4534(±32) kg y-1 , 6370(±42) kg y-1 , 6953(±51) kg y-1 , 7661(±43) kg y-1 for the mud stove, mirt stove, mud stove with biogas and mirt stove with biogas respectively. The average financial savings from the sale of surplus biomass fuel for the improved cookstoves were higher than the summed financial savings from substitution of commercial fertilizer, generation of carbon finance and replacement of kerosene for lighting. This explains why households usually prefer to sell surplus biomass fuels instead of using them as organic fertilizers. This finding suggests that wide scale adoption of fuelefficient solid biomass stoves can contribute to the financial security of households, and may help to reduce deforestation, but will do little to increase the fertility of soils. By contrast, including biogas stoves will help to improve soil fertility by retaining at least some of the carbon and nutrients in bioslurry that will then be applied to the soil.

T he future of biomass energy in the global energy system depends on many major factors, among others on the attitude of society in rural areas to the biomass energy and the renewable energy resources. Biomass energy plays increasing role in rural areas with its contribution to the self sufficiency of people in the countryside. The paper deals with the analysis the opportunities of utilization of biomass energy sources giving example of a Hungarian study area and to study the possibilities of the cooperation and management regarding biomass industry in a certain rural region. Furthermore, the aims of this analysis are on the one hand to predict the potential renewable energy of the Eger Micro-region and on the other hand to research the theoretical possibilities of a value added chain in biomass industry. The main conclusion of the paper is that economic benefits can be locally embedded through local distribution of profit generated by sales of energy or financial benefits from energy saved by efficiency activities local training and employment opportunities and local shareholding. Furthermore shareholding can also involve individuals resident outside of the local community, forming part of a more spatially dispersed 'community of interest' involved in, and supportive of, the development.

This document describes the development of a thermal model to explain the behavior of a solar concentration cooker. The model is presented in terms of a coupled system consisting of three ordinary, differential non-lineal equations used to calculate average temperatures of the surface of the reflectors, the surface of the container, and the liquid placed inside the container. Numerical results compared to measurements from experimental tests show that good concordance was obtained. A study of variation was conducted using some of the design parameters of the solar cooker to estimate standard cooking power and thermal efficiency. We conclude that the parameter 'emittance of selective absorbent film' on the surface of the cooking pot exerts the greatest influence on the thermal properties assessed.

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The development of small-scale solar thermal technologies is useful to address specific energy needs; however, there is a gap between the technology that is developed and the one that is accepted and achieves its use in a sustained long-term manner. In this sense, the development of a double-inclination solar dryer for the dehydration of medicinal plants used in traditional P'urhépecha medicine is presented. From a participatory and consensual perspective of technological co-creation with the user that allows promoting its long-term use, the solar dryer was generated from the Design Thinking methodology and the conventional technological development process. The stages of the proposed process considered the identification of the energy need, the design, sizing and simulation, the prototyping, and the characterization and implementation of the technology in a group of traditional doctors for the drying of local medicinal plants. The result is a solar dryer with thermal efficiency of 23% and exergy efficiency of 3%, which achieves the dehydration of medicinal plants in 1 day with 4.7 kWh of average solar irradiance, and removes more than 80% of the humidity from a maximum load of 5 kilograms. The temperature of the drying chamber exceeds 50°C, and the energy distribution is homogeneous, being a natural convection device, easy to build and with affordable materials. This technology has been implemented in the home of a traditional doctor and it is expected that it can be replicated to satisfy the demand for drying products in indigenous community families in Mexico.

Sub-Saharan African region currently suffers from the lack of clean energy and heavy postharvest loss. Hence, a biogas driven combined cooling, heating and power generation system that harmonises power generation with food drying and cold storage is studied in the context of current renewable energy policies of the Nigerian government. Wastes from a community cattle market are assessed for biogas generation that is subsequently used to power a 72 kW internal combustion engine. Heat is recovered from the engine to drive a cabinet dryer, an absorption chiller and maintain anaerobic digestion process. The model is developed in Aspen Plus and the results are used to evaluate the economic viability of the system. The electricity and tri-generation efficiencies are 25.7% and 74.5%, respectively. Results also suggest that energy demand of 407 farmers can be met including drying of 12,190 kg of cassava, 3,985 kg of maize and cold-storage of 6,080 kg of tomato per farmer every year. At $0.05•kWh −1 of electricity, the discounted payback period varies between 2.5 and 4.7 years depending on agricultural product processed. Levelised cost of energy and profitability index are also sensitive to both interest rate and plant's availability which become uneconomical above 9% and below 80%, respectively.

District heating networks are commonly addressed in the literature as one of the most effective solutions for decreasing the greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector. These systems require high investments which are returned through the heat sales. Due to the changed climate conditions and building renovation policies, heat demand in the future could decrease, prolonging the investment return period. The main scope of this paper is to assess the feasibility of using the heat demand-outdoor temperature function for heat demand forecast. The district of Alvalade, located in Lisbon (Portugal), was used as a case study. The district is consisted of 665 buildings that vary in both construction period and typology. Three weather scenarios (low, medium, high) and three district renovation scenarios were developed (shallow, intermediate, deep). To estimate the error, obtained heat demand values were compared with results from a dynamic heat demand model, previously developed and validated by the authors. The results showed that when only weather change is considered, the margin of error could be acceptable for some applications (the error in annual demand was lower than 20% for all weather scenarios considered). However, after introducing renovation scenarios, the error value increased up to 59.5% (depending on the weather and renovation scenarios combination considered). The value of slope coefficient increased on average within the range of 3.8% up to 8% per decade, that corresponds to the decrease in the number of heating hours of 22-139h during the heating season (depending on the combination of weather and renovation scenarios considered). On the other hand, function intercept increased for 7.8-12.7% per decade (depending on the coupled scenarios). The values suggested could be used to modify the function parameters for the scenarios considered, and improve the accuracy of heat demand estimations.

Energy ladder hypothesis states that with an increase in income and awareness households gradually switch from biomass to kerosene and finally to ultra-clean, renewable, green energy sources such as electricity. Electricity lies at the top of the energy ladder hypothesis for household energy use. Empirical results support the fact that income, wealth, gender and the educational status of households often influence the switch from dirty to clean energy; however, in some cases, households even with higher incomes, wealth, and education levels use electricity only for lighting but not for both lighting and cooking. This creates a ladder within the energy ladder. Using a nationally representative dataset collected by the government for the Bhutan Living Standard Measurement Study (2003, 2007 and 2012), covering more than 22,000 households, this study examines the factors influencing the use of electricity for lighting, and lighting and cooking by Bhutanese households. The results of multinomial logit model estimation demonstrate that demographic features, wealth and the education levels of households, in addition to access to infrastructure significantly influence a household's use of electricity for lighting and cooking, which supports a ladder within the energy ladder hypothesis.

Background: In Ethiopia, biomass contributes to about 92% of the household fuel consumption. As a result, deforestation rate has alarmingly increased associated with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and land degradation. The concerned government agencies have been widely making concerted efforts to reverse the situation by of promotion of improved cookstoves (ICS). However, the performance of these technologies in terms of saving fuelwood and their contribution to CO 2 emission reduction in a real kitchen was not studied systematically. Thus, this research was initiated to address the knowledge gap. Methods: The study was conducted in Tigray region in northern Ethiopia. The study households were selected following cross-sectional and longitudinal study designs. A kitchen performance test (KPT) was carried out based on 3 days of repeated fuelwood use measurements to compare the wood-saving performance of ICS in comparison with the traditional cookstove (TCS). The emission reduction potential of both ICS and TCS was calculated based on the Clean Development Mechanism and United Nation's Framework of Convention on Climate Change and presented in CO 2 equivalent (CO 2 e). Results: The result suggests significant differences in total and per capita wood consumption (p < 0.05) between improved and TCS. The use of Mirt and Tikikil compared to the traditional stove has reduced the household wood consumption by 35% and 18%, respectively. Furthermore, ICS stoves also reduced CO 2 e emission per stove per year by 0.65 and 0.27 tons, respectively. Conclusion: The study deals with the significant contribution that the shift from TCS to the ICS brought in terms of reducing the amount of fuelwood used at household level and the carbon emission per capita. It addresses the crucial roles of such technologies in reducing forest degradation and the associated ecosystem loss. Therefore, policy aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries at household level should at least start via promotions of ICS.

Large proportions of households in developing countries, like Uganda, lack modern energy services especially electricity. Yet renewable biomass resources are often available. Economic and policy barriers are blamed for this scenario. In emerging economies such as India however, cost-effective, locally suitable and environmentally sustainable solutions have been developed and deployed. One such option is the Husk Power System (HPS) which utilizes agricultural residues as feedstock for electricity generation. To evaluate the economic viability of such a system in predominantly agricultural villages of Uganda, the economic figures such as levelized unit cost of electricity, Net Present Value, Benefit-Cost ratio, Payback Period and Internal Rate of Return were determined for a 34 kW plant utilizing either coffee or rice husks as fuel. The study showed a positive Net Present Value of 20,073US$ and 27,054US$, an attractive Payback Period of 4 and 3.75 years, and a 15 year Internal Rate of Return of 14 and 17% for HPS operating on either rice or coffee husks, respectively. The system was more economical than options like diesel generators and photovoltaics, though more expensive compared to grid power. The system was also more difficult to operate and sustain in villages connected to grid electricity. Policy implications of the findings support financial subsidies and rural-based support measures for adoption of the technology.

The over-arching aim of the EDORA project is to develop a better understanding of the development opportunities and challenges facing diverse types of rural areas in Europe. The underlying demand for such knowledge is to support targeted policy development, relating (inter alia) to job creation and social change. The sectoral (agricultural) bias in available data relating to rural development means that the more inductive approaches which have been popular in the ESPON programme carry with them a strong risk of slipping into &quot; well trodden paths &quot; which associate rural development disproportionately with the agricultural industry and the farming community. This has necessitated a deliberate attempt to follow a more deductive methodology, whereby a review of conceptual and theoretical literature directs the choice of empirical data and analysis. This Interim Report reflects mainly upon this theoretical groundwork. The original rationale for the project (the need to understa...

Se presenta a continuación una propuesta general para la determinación del potencial energético disponible en poblaciones específicas, a partir de la identificación espacial y temporal, mediante diagnósticos cuantitativos, así como mediante la determinación del poder calorífico de determinados tipos de biomasa. El interés principal de esta propuesta se orienta hacía el aprovechamiento de los residuos agrícolas y agroindustriales, para conocer la intensidad bioenergética para ciertas áreas y periodos de tiempo, de manera participativa, e inferir la viabilidad de implementación de cadenas de valor para la generación de biocombustibles sólidos a partir de estos residuos, describiendo algunas recomendaciones para su gestión de manera local con pertinencia ambiental, factibilidad económica y viabilidad ambiental

More than half the world's population lives in rural areas, nearly 90 percent of them-some 2.8 billion-in the developing countries. Most of today's 2 billion people without adequate energy services are in rural areas. Currently, share of herder households in Mongolia with electricity sources accounts 82.7 per cent of total 160.2 thousand herder households (NSO, 2011). This study estimates the herder household's energy consumption based on theory of energy ladder hypothesis, Engle curves and Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) model as demand system analysis. The results of the study illustrate that the Energy Ladder hypothesis fits to herder households in Mongolia. They mostly use dung, wood, forest and grass waste and coal in regard to their income and energy source availability. The share of energy expenditure estimation shows that energy is necessity goods for herders. Total household expenditure inversely related to the energy expenditure share. The study results conclude that the herder's energy consumption is on a very low level and some policy interventions are necessary for improving herder´s livelihood.

The power situation in rural India continues to remain poor with around one-third of the rural population without access to any form of electricity. The consequence of which is kerosene being used as a major source of lighting for un-electrified households as well as households with intermittent access to electricity in rural areas. While grid based electrification has been the most common approach, decentralized renewable energy options especially, solar PV systems have also been adopted as a cost effective mode of electrification. This paper presents the results of socio-technical assessment of solar photovoltaic interventions namely, solar home systems, solar mini-grid and solar AC pico-grids, which have been used to electrify selected villages in Sundarbans region of India. The study is focused on technical, financial, and institutional aspects along with the social impact assessment of PV based electrification in the Sundarbans region. The results of the study elucidate that, in general, the impacts of the solar PV solutions used for electrification have been largely positive, especially benefits of reduced kerosene consumption, ease in studying and cooking and reduced health effects. The study also finds that technology is not the only factor on which the viability of a program depends, but institutional and financial aspects also play a significant role. The need of the hour is to develop a strong institutional framework and enabling policies for achieving higher success rates in PV programs.

This study is based on extensive survey of selected photovoltaic (PV) programs in India and presents a comparative analysis of four prevalent solar lighting technologies, namely Solar Home System, Solar Charging Station, Solar AC Mini Grid and Solar DC Micro Grid employed for rural electrification in India. The study is focused on technical, financial, and institutional aspects of these programs along with the social impact assessment of PV based electrification in rural households. The findings of this study revealed that private entrepreneurship based delivery model have shown better performance as compared to the subsidy based delivery model. It is also found that beneficiary ownership play a vital role in the performance and sustainability of PV programs. We suggest that financial support, local need based technical innovations, developing local technical expertise and sensitization and training of all stakeholders are key parameters to enhance the operational sustainability of the PV programs.

South Asia accounts for 42% of the global population without access to electricity. Such a situation continues to exist despite several initiatives and policies to support electrification efforts by the respective country governments. The challenges to enhance electricity access are manifold including technical, financial, institutional and governance barriers. This paper makes a modest attempt, based on extensive literature review, to highlight the rural electrification situation at the regional and country level in South Asia. The paper also does a comparative analysis to exploit cross learning potential and suggest specific boosters that could serve as input for policy evaluation, review and improvements to assist future electrification efforts in the region. We focussed on renewable energy based mini-grids and stand-alone systems and also covered conventional grid extension. The paper raised some pertinent issues and attempted to find solutions to these issues. The household connection needs to be improved considerably through a targeted approach and innovative micro-lending model. At the same time the electricity supply also needs to be enhanced, such as through distributed power projects utilizing locally available renewable resources, to ensure that connected households continue to receive electricity and that supply constraints do not inhibit extending electrification to new areas. Developing a regulatory mechanism to extend the tariff fixation for mini-grid projects and providing cross-subsidies to ensure long term sustainability of such projects are highlighted. Finally, economic linkages, access to credit and institutional arrangements also need to be organized appropriately, especially for off-grid RE to facilitate successful outcomes.