Renewable Energy for Development STOCKHOLM ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTE – NEWSLETTER SEI • December 1999

Vol. 12

OF

THE

ENERGY PROGRAMME

No. 4

ISSN 1101-8267

Delivery Mechanisms for Small Wind Generators in Inner Mongolia By Nigel Scott and Simon Batchelor, Gamos Ltd. (UK) and Liu Daoqi and Bagen, Inner Mongolia Electric Power College (P.R. China)

The use of over 130,000 small wind generators in northern China is often cited as an example of successful implementation of small-scale renewable energy technology. A research project funded by the UK Department for International Development used the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia as a case study of a successful technology dissemination process. Data was gathered from local officials and wind experts, and from semi-structured interviews with family groups. It is hoped that lessons from the Chinese experience will prove useful for planning similar technology transfer programmes elsewhere. ngoing grid extension has brought electricity supply to many villages in Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region within China. As a result, the demand for nongrid electricity sources such as small wind generators (about 100 Watt power output) arises mainly from herdsmen living in remote areas of the grasslands, where dwellings can be many kilometres apart. Workers from the government Science and Technology Commission (S&TC) as well as manufacturers’ representatives have toured the area to visit people in their homes, and this has been a successful way of generating sales. In recent years, more people have also bought small wind generators through the emerging second hand market.

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Purchasing a small wind generator system Although the cost of a wind generator system is significant for the typical herdsman, comparable to a year’s income, there is no evidence of herdsmen using credit facilities. Although they are familiar with banks and loans, it appears that there is no need for credit, and people prefer instead to raise cash from their flocks by selling animals. People remember how much they paid for systems, and the reported prices are quite consistent. This indicates how significant a purchase a wind generator is for herdsmen, in much the same way that most westerners can remember how much they paid for their first car.

Small wind generator manufacturers Eleven companies were identified as small wind generator manufacturers, although three have now discontinued production. Companies range from small to quite large (16 to 1,200 employees). It is interesting to note that the two companies now dominating the market (accounting for about 90% of market

Interviews and participatory exercises with family groups

share) have wind generators as their core business, and sell only small quantities of other products. Newspapers and magazines are universally used to promote products, and many companies exhibit at “nadamus” – traditional Mongolian social gatherings come trade fairs. However, the level of advertising is thought to be low. Local S&TC offices act as agents, particularly for the two major manufacturers, which have been selected on the Continued on p. 5

In this issue: Modern Bioenergy – An Overview of its Prospects and Potential Gerald Leach and Francis X. Johnson ..................................... 2 What the Readers Think – A Summary of the Results of the RED Questionnaire Helena Forslund and Annemay Holz ........................................ 4 Micro-Hydro Projects in the Annapurna Region of Nepal Tej Prasad Rimal ........................................................................ 7 New Publications, From UNDP-EU and the SEI ...................................................... 8

Modern Bioenergy – An Overview of its Prospects and Potential by Gerald Leach and Francis X. Johnson, Stockholm Environment Institute

Modern bioenergy systems offer an economically promising and environmentally sustainable means of increasing access to improved energy services in developing countries. In this brief primer, we provide an overview of modern biomass resources, technologies and strategies, and an assessment of bioenergy’s potential for supporting sustainable development.

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he role of Modern Bioenergy in forging a sustainable energy future. “Modern” bioenergy systems provide higher quality energy services that are also more versatile and more efficient than traditional bioenergy systems. Traditional solid biomass fuels can only deliver poorly-controllable heat, whereas modern biomass can deliver a variety of efficient and well-controllable energy services. Modern bioenergy will inevitably play a leading role in the global transition to clean and sustainable energy because it has two decisive advantages over other renewable energy sources: • Biomass is stored energy. Like fossil fuels, it can be drawn on at any time. This is in sharp contrast to daily or seasonally intermittent solar, wind, wave and small hydro sources whose contributions are all constrained by the high costs of energy storage.

• Biomass can produce all forms of energy needed for modern economies – electricity, gas, liquid fuels, and heat. Solar, wind, wave and hydro are limited to electricity and heat. For developing countries, modern bioenergy has several additional advantages over other energy resources, providing multiple development benefits in addition to improving energy services: • provides rural jobs and income to people who grow or harvest the bioenergy resources; • increases profitability in the agriculture, food-processing and forestry sectors. Biomass residues and wastes – often with substantial disposal costs – can instead be converted to energy for sale or for internal use to reduce energy bills. 2

• helps to restore degraded lands. Growing trees, shrubs or grasses can reverse most kinds of damage to soils, with energy production and sales as a valuable bonus. In a nutshell, modern bioenergy systems offer developing countries an opportunity to transform the inefficient traditional biomass sector into an efficient and competitive bioenergy industry. Technical advances are steadily improving the economic attractiveness of this transition.

Biomass resources The two main categories of biomass resources are biomass wastes (or residues) and energy crops. These differ significantly in the economics of their utilisation as well as in biophysical terms: • biomass wastes and residues include forestry residues; agricultural residues (e.g. sugarcane bagasse, cereal husks, straws); urban organic wastes; and animal wastes. They normally offer the most widely available and least-cost biomass resource options. The principal challenge is to develop or adapt reliable, cost-effective handling methods and conversion technologies. • dedicated energy crops refer to plantations of trees, grasses and energy crops. These are relatively high cost now but have a much larger longer-term resource potential than residues. The principal challenges centre on lowering biomass production costs and reducing risks for biomass growers (e.g. stable prices) and energy producers (e.g. guaranteed biomass supply). These approaches can be mixed, by growing biomass for profitable non-energy purposes (e.g. timber) and using the harvest residues for bioenergy (see Note 2).

Some experts see this as the most attractive long-term option, given huge projected global demands for wood products and the scarcity of suitable land for dedicated energy crops once basic food and fibre needs are met.

Bioenergy potentials Rough estimates have been made of potential bioenergy resources in developing regions: see Table 1 (and Note 3). The assumption was made that 20% of recoverable residues can be economically collected and used for energy production (see Note 3). Biomass residues do not represent a huge potential on the continental scale, but they generally offer cost-effective local energy options. Furthermore, the estimates ignore some important sources such as urban wastes. The calculations for dedicated energy crops are based on FAO estimates of potentially cultivable land. Land required for food crop production is subtracted, assuming that needs in 2025 will be 1.5 times the 1990 figure. One-tenth of the remaining land is then assumed to be dedicated to energy crops with an average annual yield of 10 dry tons per hectare (4.8 toe per hectare). Considering the case of Africa, the total 1990 residues of 200 million tons of oil equivalent (Mtoe) was greater than Africa’s entire commercial energy use of 175 Mtoe. The recoverable share of 40 Mtoe is about 22% of commercial primary energy. The production potential for dedicated crops is 376 Mtoe, or just over twice the 1990 commercial primary energy use. These estimates are admittedly rough. More careful estimates would allow for local factors such as climate, soil quality, energy demand growth, labour and capital costs, and prices of energy alternatives. Identifying regions and strategies where these factors combine into bright prospects for commercial bioenergy is an exciting challenge for developing countries and donor agencies. The few studies that have been made paint an optimistic picture for modern bioenergy – assuming continued efforts to improve technologies and overcome institutional constraints.

Bioenergy technologies & scales The scales at which bioenergy systems become economically competitive vary Stockholm Environment Institute

considerably with the local conditions and the nature of the energy demand. At one extreme, large corporations such as Shell are evaluating developing country sites for 10–30,000 hectare plantations feeding 30–100 MW boilers to produce grid electricity for 3.5–6 US¢ per kWh. At the other extreme are village-scale systems such as the famous 5 kW biogasdiesel generator system in Pura, South India, which provides electricity and clean drinking water to three-quarters of the village homes. At an intermediate scale are 100–400 kW gasifiers fed by a 500–1,500 hectare plantation, powering a small town for US¢ 7–10 per kWh, a cost much lower than current off-grid diesel-based power systems in Africa. The use of nearby forestry or sawmill residues would reduce the price further and ease system management. Some specific examples indicating the variety, feasibility, and development of modern bioenergy systems are given below: • Conversion technologies based on biomass residues are already economic and are opening up new competitive niches. In India, for example, improvements in MW-scale gasifiers led to government-backed efforts to realise a cogeneration potential from biomass residues (excluding city wastes) of 17 GW – about 20% of 1995 total installed power capacity. • There are economic complementarities between biofuels and biomass power systems, since they can often be based on the same feedstock. Biofuels such as ethanol offer considerable potential for reducing pollution and CO2 emis-

sions, as was done in Brazil on a large scale. • National assessments (e.g. India, see Note 1) show that modern bioenergy is cost-competitive with fossil fuels when prices incorporate environmental externalities. Temporary subsidies for modern bioenergy on this basis could lead the young industry to self-sustaining growth. • Emerging small-scale conversion technologies could expand developing country bioenergy markets for off-grid power in villages and small towns. These include 3–100 kW gasifiers and 2–5 kW gas turbines that can use almost any biomass fuel. The lower manufacturing cost in developing countries poses an interesting challenge for North-South industry cooperation. • Improvements in biomass production techniques (e.g. soil preparation, pest control, harvesting methods) are leading to greater yields and lower costs. Many such improvements are tailored to OECD countries. An important role for donor agencies is to help developing countries devise R&D and business strategies tailored to their very different costs of land, labour and capital. • In several developing countries, small farmers are finding it profitable to grow trees for use in biomass power plants (e.g. Nicaragua) or for industrial-scale charcoal production (e.g. Brazil). The trees provide valuable extra income as well as soil improvements for their other crops.

Bioenergy strategies Successful bioenergy strategies in developing countries require three main components: adaptive R&D1 (especially for conversion technologies); good assessments of emerging business opportunities2; and support for the young biomass industry in seizing these opportunities3 (identifying key financial and social institutions, development of business plans, etc). A donor agency strategy might focus on: • resource-rich regions or countries; • identification of key unsatisfied energy markets (e.g. off-grid rural without diesel system access) • commercialisation of those technologies closest to being market-ready (e.g. bagasse cogeneration, steam boilers or gasifiers using forest residues, villagescale biogas electrification); • co-ordination with other development initiatives (e.g. commercial forestry, agroforestry, commercial cropping to produce concentrated high-volume residues such as sugar, tea, coffee); • mobilisation of key potential stakeholders, such as smallholders interested in agroforestry or farm forestry, equipment manufacturers, and independent power producers. In comparison to other renewables, bioenergy strategies are more tailored to the capabilities and needs of the local population. While this presents special challenges, it also offers tremendous opportunities to design and implement energy systems that promote sustainable livelihoods.

Notes and references 1

Table 1: Estimates of potential bioenergy resources in developing regions, circa 1990

Commercial Energy (Mtoe) Africa Latin America Asia* All Developing

175 329 1173 1677

20% of recoverable residues (Mtoe) Crops Forestry Dung Total 9 21 72 102

18 17 44 79

12 16 35 63

40 54 151 245

Dedicated crops Land Energy (Mha) (Mtoe) 79 89 * *

* Asia excludes China. Without China there is little surplus available land in 2025, unless degraded lands are used, probably with (much) lower yields.

Renewable Energy for Development, December 1999, Vol. 12, No. 4

376 424 * *

P. Shukla (1998), Implications of global and local environmental policies on biomass energy demand: a long-term analysis for India, IEA Expert Workshop on Biomass Energy: data, analysis, trends, Paris, March 1998. 2

Short-rotation forestry as an alternative land use in Hawaii, Biomass & Bioenergy, 8/4: 235–244).

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Based on: J. Woods & D. Hall (1994). Bioenergy for development: technical and environmental dimensions. Rome: FAO Environment and Energy Paper 13. The 50% increase in cropland requirements from 1990 to 2025 is based on IPCC scenarios.

Contacts: [email protected] [email protected]

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What the Readers Think – A Summary of the Results of the RED Questionnaire by Helena Forslund, SEI and Annemay Holz, Malmö University

In the July 1999 Issue of RED, we posted a questionnaire to our readers in order to evaluate the content and format of newsletter. The questionnaire was also intended to provide guidance as to how we can better serve the interests of our readers. We were pleased with the number of respondents and we have provided below a synthesis and discussion of the responses and comments.

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he RED newsletter has a readership that spans all the continents, with a special emphasis on developing countries and/or organisations that work in developing countries. The responses to the questionnaire reflected this emphasis, with about 50% coming from developing countries, mainly Africa and Asia, with a few from South America. Most of the remaining responses were from European countries.

The first contact with RED One out of three respondents were recommended by another reader or by SEI staff to read RED and this is how they first established contact with the newsletter. A fairly large group amongst our respondents were themselves involved in a project that was presented or discussed in RED. About one out of ten readers established their first contact with RED through a library, university or through other journals. Even though the RED is

also published on the World Wide Web, only a few percent of the readers made acquaintance with RED through the SEI web page. This finding was reinforced by the fact that the majority of the respondents did not have access to the Internet.

How is the RED used? More than 50% of the respondents claim to spend more than 15 minutes reading a new issue of RED. A majority of the respondents would like to contribute to RED by writing an article themselves. About 60% of the respondents claimed to use the RED in their work. Many respondents use the RED in existing projects or when preparing a new project, while those in educational professions also used articles for courses and lectures. Thus, initial reading of reading the newsletter appeared to be matched in importance by the use of some of the articles as references. Here are a few examples:

Occupations of questionnaire respondents

Consultant, 5% Student, 5%

Library, 2% Management worker, 24%

Editor/journalist, 6%

Engineer, 9%

Lecturer, 10% Researcher, 20%

Other/unknown, 20%

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”I use it often for dissemination of information to local government authorities countrywide.” - Secretary General, Tanzania. ”I use RED case studies in my training courses on energy management and environmental management.” - Trainer/Consultant, Tanzania. Respondents were generally satisfied with the level of detail, pictures and the graphic illustrations, as well as the language used in RED. Generally the reader seem to appreciate the choice of topic, the length of the articles, the global scope of the newsletter, and the fact that RED is being distributed free of charge. Some respondents also appreciate the fact that it goes beyond mainstream views on the role of energy in development. A few criticisms were raised regarding the lack of news and updates in the RED, and some respondents requested a calendar of activities. One view put forward suggested a detailed case study be included in each issue along with a few brief informative articles.

Reader Background and Comments Who is the reader? (See figure.) About one third of the respondents are either researchers or lecturers. One in five holds management positions and one in six are working as engineer and/or consultant. A smaller group consists of students. The majority of the respondents also share their copy of RED with more than one person, which means that the newsletter has a considerable outreach, extending beyond the number of persons and organisations on the actual mailing list. The respondents’ opinions regarding the subject matter of the RED were quite positive – a few keywords extracted from the respondents’ comments are illustrative: “exposing successful project…,” “…independent views…,” “…useful to people in the third world….” Below are some longer and spontaneous comments excerpted from a few readers: ”The subject matter which RED deals with are of vital importance especially when we have a problem of renewable energy and energy crisis in the third world countries.” - Senior Research Fellow, India. Stockholm Environment Institute

”The issues of globalisation is always decided upon without involving the so called poor in the third world. The articles give light to the people.” - Executive Director, Uganda. ”Very informative and make me get access to environmental issues which I do not find accessible to me otherwise.” - University student, Tanzania.

Possible Changes in Format The questionnaire raised a number of issues related to the format of the newsletter in terms of articles vs. debates or letters, etc. On the question of having a continuous series of articles by several authors in a series of issues, three quarters

of the respondents thought that such series would enhance the possibility to give different perspectives on key issues. Many readers would like to see more continuity in RED. One way to create this is through having one main article on a subject of current interest in each issue, which is then followed up in the next issues with contributions and replies from the readers. Here the web version of RED could serve as a discussion forum, still keeping in mind the restricted number of readers being connected to the Internet. On the question of having ”Letters to the Editor,” most respondents did not want such a section in the newsletter. Concerning debates in RED, a majority favoured the idea but added that such debates

should be kept brief and focus only on burning issues. Others pointed out that ”It is not needed since RED inspires to debates elsewhere.” We would like to express our thanks to every one of you who contributed to our evaluation of RED by submitting the questionnaire. Your help was very valuable to our efforts to improve the content and look of the newsletter. The staff of the RED is now discussing the proposed changes and emphases with the goal of introducing improvements in the next two issues, due in March and June 2000. Through the help of our devoted readers, we will thus be unveiling a new and improved RED for the new millennium! Contact: [email protected]

Delivery Mechanisms... continued from page 1

basis of quality and reliability, and most people interviewed bought through the S&TC.

Service and Sales Infrastructure The S&TC offices also act as service centres, holding spare parts and offering repair services; users have to pay for the parts but labour is provided free of charge. Motor vehicles are now common in the region and users are well acquainted with various aspects of wind generator technology, based on the similarities in parts and function. Consequently, many people carry out their own repairs, and service centres have no difficulties recruiting staff. Although government bodies set up the initial service and sales infrastructure, in recent years a private sector has emerged and expanded, offering considerable market opportunities for entrepreneurs, including: • private individuals selling wind generators • private individuals touring homes offering parts and repairs • small workshops selling parts and carrying out simple repairs. Private enterprise has shown itself able to adapt to changing conditions so that it complements the state organisations e.g. second hand markets – both formal

(shops) and informal (sales between friends and family).

The historical roots of Decentralised Rural Electrification Programmes in China The current set-up of the small wind generator programme is the result of many years of development. Having recognised the limitations of grid electrification, in the 1970s the Chinese government started to look at renewable energy options for decentralised rural electrification. They adopted a similar approach across various technologies: • setting up research and development centres

A typical small wind generator

• poor quality of machines

• establishing manufacturing capabilities

• technical problems

• pilot schemes and demonstration programmes

New Energy for Nomads

• dissemination programmes. The first demonstration program for small wind generators in Inner Mongolia was set up in 1977; machines from different manufacturers were distributed free of charge. In the following year the S&TC was involved in a second initiative that provided training and maintenance. A number of difficulties arose during this period: • the nomads refused to accept the machines, complaining that they were noisy, of low efficiency, and only sufficient for 2/3 of the needed lights

Renewable Energy for Development, December 1999, Vol. 12, No. 4

A further initiative was launched in 1980 called “New Energy for Nomads,” which encompassed wind generators, windpumps, solar PV and electric fences. Demonstration wind generator systems included both stand-alone machines for individual dwellings and community systems for battery charging. Experience showed that community systems blew over, whereas herdsmen looked after the

Continued on p. 6

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Delivery Mechanisms... continued from page 5

privately owned machines. Consequently, stand-alone systems were adopted as being most appropriate for Inner Mongolia. A network of service centres was also set up, which now covers 60% of banners (the third tier of government) in the region.

Expanding the wind generator programme A wider programme was launched in 1984, after which sales took off. Government departments worked together e.g. the Ministry of Agriculture ran a programme from 1984 to 1992 in parallel with a S&TC programme from 1984 to 1989. Substantial subsidies were offered to homes in selected demonstration sites in different banners. A range of training initiatives included printing of leaflets, training of S&TC personnel, and the running of maintenance courses for users. It was only in 1986 that a general subsidy was made available on all sales – 715% of the system cost at that time. Although still in place, this has been kept at the same monetary value, making it much less significant now. When asked how they first learned about wind generators, respondents were divided more or less equally between friends and family, and the S&TC on local visits. It is also interesting to note that one of the major manufacturers, the Shangdu Livestock Machinery Factory did not advertise in the early days, preferring to rely on word of mouth. This indicates the importance of demonstration programmes in promoting a technology that is new to a region.

Overcoming early problems In the earliest stages, the S&TC had difficulty giving machines away; they identified technical problems with machines, but in addition they had not adequately assessed demand for wind generators. On technical problems, staff relayed complaints back to manufacturers who acted upon this information to produce better machines. For example, the Shangdu Livestock Machinery Factory brought out a second design in 1984, which included a permanent magnet generator and longer blades. With regard to demand, although 6

lighting is now regarded as the most important use of electricity, on its own it was not sufficient to sell the technology in the early days. By good fortune rather than design, the introduction of a broadcasting station in Inner Mongolia in 1980 created a demand for TVs, and consequently contributed to a surge in demand for wind generators.

The “Top-down” Approach A traditional model for developing new technologies has been the “top-down” approach, whereby specialist research centres devise solutions and draw up designs, manufacturers make the item, extension services distribute it and users are expected to adopt it. A number of criticisms have been levelled at this approach, but most of them relate to the fact that the top end has little contact with the bottom end; for example: • experts (and research centres) do not regard users as a potential source of innovation • researchers have no contact with the technology as it is actually adopted or implemented • feedback loops among the different actors tend to be weak, if not absent • poor needs assessment (often conducted by experts from outside of the system). In an effort to address these problems, iterative and, more recently, participatory models of development have been proposed, both of which involve users in the process and formalise the feedback mechanisms. The implementation of wind generators in Inner Mongolia is an example of the top-down approach. The government resolved to introduce the technology, setting up research centres, and then government departments were given the job of distributing the machines. However, one of the advantages of this approach is that it can achieve a wide dissemination relatively quickly, and this appears to be one of the strengths of the Inner Mongolia experience.

ness of early demonstration programmes. An important feature of the Inner Mongolian infrastructure is that it included an effective feedback loop (through the S&TC staff). It is particularly interesting that the top down system used in Inner Mongolia, typically characterised by lack of feedback, has been particularly successful in this respect. This can be attributed to a number of features: • most importantly, the diligence of the S&TC in accurately gathering data from the field (demonstration projects) and relaying it to manufacturers • manufacturers were motivated to take remedial action • research centres were available to contribute expertise. China has a large number of research and development organisations concerned with wind energy that include a wide range of affiliations (e.g. academic, government department, and utility). Manufacturers worked with local research institutions in supporting the evolution of successful designs over time.

Conclusions Perhaps the most striking feature of the Chinese small wind generator programme has been the government’s commitment. It has consistently supported development and implementation of the technology for over 20 years, well in excess of the planning horizon for political parties in most democracies. With a high level commitment to promote wind energy, it has established an integrated framework for policy implementation. This has resulted in horizontal consistency amongst different government departments (that have worked together) and vertically consistency from central government down to the community level. This consistency has facilitated communication and effective feedback loops among the various actors involved in the small wind generator programme, resulting in improvements in product development and implementation.

Quality and Feedback Loops Poor quality and insufficient capacity of wind generators hampered the effective-

Contact: Dr.Nigel Scott Gamos Ltd. [email protected]

Stockholm Environment Institute

Micro-Hydro Projects in the Annapurna Region of Nepal by Tej Prasad Rimal, Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP)

Fuelwood cutting is a threat to the forests in the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal. The primary source of household energy is fuelwood that is used for heating, cooking and lighting. In order to reduce the need for fuelwood consumption, Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) has been promoting alternative energy sources in the Annapurna region of Nepal. The profusion of water resources in Annapurna Conservation Area offers great hydroelectric potential.

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illage-level micro-hydro electric ity plants, when managed by local residents, have proven to be economically viable and environmentally friendly. Micro-hydro development has

helped to improve living standards of the people by conserving the forest and improving the sanitation and hygiene at the household level. The harnessing of a locally available source of renewable en-

Participation of local residents in construction of 40 kW Tikhedhunga Micro Hydro Project in Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal

ergy is also of great interest in ACAP for its role in catalysing integrated rural development. With increased emphasis on the environmental aspects of development, micro-hydro projects that can show positive environmental features have become more attractive. One method is to couple the supply-side micro-hydro source with greater availability and affordability of efficient end-use devices. For example, lower cost, higher efficiency cooking devices have been available, such as the Bijuli Dekchi (low wattage rice cooker) and Bijuli Baltin (low wattage water boiler). A greatly improved and lower cost package of energy services can be delivered by coupling a higher quality fuel (electricity rather than fuelwood) with more these efficient end-use devices. At the same time, the new set of energy services offers environmental benefits through decreased use of fuelwood and fossil fuels. Micro-hydro plant construction has minimal impact on the surrounding ecosystems and landscape. The construction of Micro-hydro plants involves maximum utilisation of the natural slope of the hillside, and thus major earthworks are not necessary. As opposed to many other kinds of development, this results in minimal disturbance of the surrounding soils and fewer alterations in local watershed equilibrium. Micro-hydro electricity thus has ecological and environmental benefits in addition to the inherent value that accrues to a locally manageable and cost-effective resource.

Contact: Tej Prasad Rimal Alternative Energy Officer Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP)

Participation of local residents in construction of a temporary weir of 80 kW for Bhujung Micro Hydro Project in Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. Renewable Energy for Development, December 1999, Vol. 12, No. 4

P. O. Box. 183, Pokhara, NEPAL Email: [email protected] 7

POSTTIDNING

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Stockholm Environment Institute Box 2142 SE-103 14 Stockholm Sweden

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) is an international research institute focusing on local, regional and global issues related to environment and development. The scientific and administrative work of the Institute is co-ordinated by SEI’s headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, with centres in Boston (USA), York (UK), and Tallinn (Estonia). In addition, SEI works with an international network of independent scientists and research institutes located throughout the world. This newsletter is published by SEI's Energy Programme with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The Energy Programme is concerned with energy and environmental issues in developing countries. Studies are carried out in close cooperation with local institutions. The views expressed in the articles in this newsletter are those of the authors and not necessarily those of SEI. For further information, or if you would like to receive this newsletter, please contact Solveig Nilsson, SEI Energy Programme. This newsletter is distributed free of charge and is also available on SEI's WWW site. Editor: Francis X Johnson Publisher: Arno Rosemarin Layout: SEI/Ordförrådet Printer: Alfa-Print, Sundbyberg ISSN: 1101-8267

New Publications Energy as a Tool for Sustainable Development for African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries

Local Management of Rural Power Supply A new approach in Tanzania

This report was jointly supported by the European Commission and the United Nations Development Program. The report includes separate chapters on SubSaharan Africa and Small Island Developing States, along with an overview chapter and several useful appendices containing institutional profiles and contacts. The SEI Energy Programme in Stockholm led the project team that prepared the chapter on sub-Saharan Africa. The report builds on the 1997 UNDP publication, Energy after Rio: Prospects and Challenges and tries to identify the actions required by different role-players to increase the adoption of sustainable energy options in the two regions. The report is intended to support developing countries in implementing effectively the objectives of Agenda 21, and to contribute to the follow-up to the Rio Earth Summit and the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development in preparation for its 9th Session in 2001.

This report details the results of an innovative project centered on a pilot rural electrification program in the village of Urambo, which is located 80 km west of Tabora in the western part of Tanzania. The project involved several years of cooperation between the SEI, the University of Dar es Salaam and the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Ltd. (TANESCO). The Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA) provided much of the funding. Drawing on recommendations from previous studies, the project team developed and implemented a new approach to rural electrification in Tanzania, based on local management of supply and distribution, with the utility (TANESCO) providing technical support. The results of the project suggest that this institutional approach can provide electricity services that are more cost-effective, more reliable and better matched to local needs than previous approaches to rural electrification in Tanzania.

Björn Kjellström

134 p. ISBN 92-1-126-122-8. UN Sales No. 99-III-B-45 United Nations Publications CH-1211, Geneva, 10, Switzerland

Printed on chlorine-free, 100% recycled paper

Email: [email protected]

Box 2142 SE-103 14 Stockholm Sweden Tel +46 8 412 1400, Fax +46 8 723 0348 E-mail [email protected] WWW: http://www.sei.se/

by Monica Gullberg, Maneno Katyega and

200 p. ISBN: 91-88714-68-3. Available from SEI-Stockholm Email: [email protected]