Experimental evidence on promotion of electric and improved biomass cookstoves.

Improved cookstoves (ICS) can deliver "triple wins" by improving household health, local environments, and global climate. Yet their potential is in doubt because of low and slow diffusion, likely because of constraints imposed by differences in culture, geography, institutions, and missing markets. We offer insights about this challenge based on a multiyear, multiphase study with nearly 1,000 households in the Indian Himalayas. In phase I, we combined desk reviews, simulations, and focus groups to diagnose barriers to ICS adoption. In phase II, we implemented a set of pilots to simulate a mature market and designed an intervention that upgraded the supply chain (combining marketing and home delivery), provided rebates and financing to lower income and liquidity constraints, and allowed households a choice among ICS. In phase III, we used findings from these pilots to implement a field experiment to rigorously test whether this combination of upgraded supply and demand promotion stimulates adoption. The experiment showed that, compared with zero purchase in control villages, over half of intervention households bought an ICS, although demand was highly price-sensitive. Demand was at least twice as high for electric stoves relative to biomass ICS. Even among households that received a negligible price discount, the upgraded supply chain alone induced a 28 percentage-point increase in ICS ownership. Although the bundled intervention is resource-intensive, the full costs are lower than the social benefits of ICS promotion. Our findings suggest that market analysis, robust supply chains, and price discounts are critical for ICS diffusion

Energy for All: Harnessing the Power of Energy Access for Chronic Poverty Reduction

Policy makers are trying to balance the demands of three broad objectives in the energy sector; energy security to ensure economic stability and growth; reducing energy poverty, by ensuring access to electricity and clean-combusting fuels and equipment for the poor; and managing greenhouse gas emissions from energy. The World Energy Council has called this the "energy trilemma" - of how to achieve an appropriate balance between these sometimes conflicting objectives. Over the past two years, the challenge of providing people living in poverty with access to modern energy has been prominent in policy debates. The UN Secretary General's Sustainable Energy for All initiative is instrumental in highlighting the importance of energy access for poverty reduction. Some developing countries are now drawing-up national strategies for Sustainable Energy for All and over the next few years, attention is likely to continue in the debates about the post-2015 development agenda and during the UN Decade for Sustainable Energy for All (2014-24). However, and despite this policy focus, governments sometimes overlook the needs of chronically poor people when initiating energy for all programmes as they are often the most difficult for energy service providers to reach, and are least able to afford services when they are available. Chronically poor people therefore need to be explicitly considered in measures to deliver energy services. Research and policy evaluation tells us that access to electricity, together with the assets which enable its use in a transformational way, improved cooking technologies, and mechanical power can help people to escape from persistent poverty. There are three broad policy areas which can help achieve this: - expanding electricity coverage and distributing clean-combusting fuels and equipment to populations not yet served; - improving the ability of the poorest people to afford these when they are available; - enhancing the reliability of energy services. This is important if energy is to contribute in a transformational way to escaping poverty. A minimalist approach will not do - energy is needed by poor households for productive uses as well as domestic and community needs. This CPAN Policy Guide provides guidance for developing country policy makers and their advisers when considering the specific measures necessary to ensure that chronically poor people are included in efforts to deliver sustainable energy for all. It is therefore intended for policy and programme designers and implementers in energy agencies, as well as policymakers in ministries of finance and planning, energy, rural development and health alongside those in local government. One message from this guide is that co-ordination and inter-sectoral collaboration is required to ensure that the expansion of energy services contributes to poverty reduction

Prospects of distributed electricity generation and services based on small scale biomass systems in Ghana

Access to energy is crucial to human welfare; no residential, commercial or industrial activity can be conceived without energy supply. At the same time, current dependence on fossil fuels and their negative effects on global climate claim for urgent alternatives. The situation in Sub-Saharan Africa is poignant: over half of the population, mainly in rural areas, live without access to electricity services. Crop residues from farming communities in those areas are unused; while technology for electricity production from agricultural biomass is progressing, managing decentralised rural electricity projects is still a challenge, especially in developing countries like Ghana, given the variety and complexity of the factors conditioning biomass to energy supply chains. Such complexity has been previously formulated in academic exercises, but with limited practical applicability for energy planners, practitioners and investors. This research has deployed a holistic approach to biomass-to-energy planning, yet flexible to adapt to different regulatory scenarios and energy supply configurations. A qualitative framework has been developed, taking into consideration four critical components: social development, organisational/institutional, technical, and financial, with their respective metrics. Then, the framework has been applied to three real case study configurations in Ghana, involving primary data collection, sustainability modelling and discussion of the techno-economic feasibility results with policy makers and practitioners. The first configuration consists in decentralised power generation using crop residues from clustered smallholder farms in 14 districts in Ghana; the number of clustered farms, reference residue yields, and residue densities are determined to assess the distances within which it would be feasible to supply feedstock to biomass power plants. The findings show that a minimum of 22 to 54 larger (10 ha) farms would need to be clustered to enable an economically viable biomass supply to a 1000 kWe plant. Financial analyses indicate that such investment would not be viable under the current renewable feed-in-tariff rates in Ghana; increased tariff by 25% or subsidies from a minimum 30% of investment cost are needed to ensure viability using internal rate of return as an indicator. Carbon finance options are also discussed. The second configuration focuses on co- and tri-generation from clustered crop residues. Techno-economic results show that 600 kW and 1 MW biomass fuelled plants to generate power, heating (for cassava or maize drying) and cooling (to refrigerate tomatoes) are feasible, considering a minimum 20% yearly profit for investors’ equity. Additional income between 29 and 64 US $/tonne of crop residue would be possible for farmers if a minimum of 60% of the heat produced can be traded. The consideration of carbon financing under the most common traded prices has little impact on the project results; if more favourable schemes (like the Swedish carbon tax) are considered, the viability of co- and tri-generation plants run on agro residue can be possible even with a low level of residual heat sales. The third configuration analyses minigrid electricity generation and services based on biomass gasification in five Ghanaian communities. Results show that the projected electricity demand compares favourably with the potential supply from available crop residues. Project financing via 100% private funding would not be viable under current national uniform tariffs; however, by applying an end-user tariff equal to the current expenditure on electricity-equivalent uses in the communities, a subsidy of about 35% on initial investment would enable a private entrepreneur an internal rate of return of 15%, whereas a 60% subsidy could enable internal rate of return of 25%. The outcomes of this research have triggered the interest of Ghanaian and international policy makers, developers and private investors.L'accés a l'energia és crucial per al benestar humà, no es pot concebre cap activitat residencial, comercial o industrial sense subministrament d'energia. Alhora, la dependència actual dels combustibles fòssils i els seus efectes negatius sobre el clima global reclamen alternatives urgents. La situació a l'Àfrica Subsahariana és punyent: més de la meitat de la població, principalment rural, viu sense accés a serveis elèctrics. Tanmateix, en aquestes zones abunden les restes agrícoles. Tot i que la tecnologia per a la producció d'electricitat a partir de biomassa agrícola avança, la promoció de l’electrificació rural descentralitzada continua sent un repte, especialment en països en desenvolupament com Ghana, atesa la varietat i la complexitat de factors que condicionen l’aprofitament energètic de la biomassa. Aquesta complexitat s'ha tractat en exercicis acadèmics, però amb poca aplicabilitat pràctica per a planificadors d'energia, promotors i inversors. A fi de contribuir a una millor planificació i presa de decisions, aquesta Tesi desplega un marc integral d’anàlisi tenint en compte quatre components (desenvolupament social, organitzatiu/institucional, tècnic, i financer), flexible per adaptar-se a diferents configuracions de subministrament d'energia i escenaris reguladors. Aquest marc s'ha aplicat a tres casos reals a Ghana, recollint dades de camp, modelitzant la viabilitat tecno-econòmica i debatent els resultats amb promotors públics i privats. La primera configuració consisteix en la generació elèctrica a partir de restes agrícoles de petites plantacions rurals, en 14 districtes a Ghana, on s?ha determinat la biomassa disponible i la seva localització per calcular les distàncies màximes que permetrien la rendibilitat de petites centrals elèctriques. Els resultats indiquen que un mínim de 22 a 54 plantacions (de 10 ha. cadascuna) haurien d'agrupar-se per permetre un subministrament de biomassa econòmicament viable a una planta de 1000 kWe. Financerament aquesta inversió no seria viable amb les tarifes actuals d’injecció a xarxa; un increment d’aquesta tarifa en un 25%, o bé una subvenció mínima del 30% del cost d'inversió són necessàries per garantir la viabilitat. La segona configuració se centra en la co- i la tri-generació a partir de restes agrícoles. Els resultats de l’anàlisi tècnic-econòmica mostren que centrals de 600 kW i 1 MW per autogenerar electricitat, calor (per assecar mandioca o de blat de moro) i fred (per refrigerar tomàquets) són factibles, fins i tot aportant un retorn anual mínim del 20% per a inversors externs. A més de l’electricitat, en cas de poder vendre com a mínim un 60% de la calor produïda, es podria pagar entre 29 i 64 USD per tona de biomassa. La consideració de bons de carboni a preus habituals de mercat internacional té poc impacte en els resultats del projecte; si es consideren esquemes més favorables (com els bons de carboni a Suècia), la viabilitat de les plantes de co-i tri-generació a partir de restes agrícoles seria possible fins i tot amb un baix nivell de vendes de calor residual. La tercera configuració tracta el servei elèctric amb microxarxes basades en la gasificació de restes agrícoles de comunitats rurals. Els resultats de l’anàlisi en 5 comunitats mostren que el potencial de generació elèctrica a partir de la biomassa disponible supera la demanda elèctrica projectada. El finançament només a partir d’aportacions privades no seria viable amb les tarifes nacionals de consum elèctric actuals; en canvi, si s’aplica una tarifa de consum igual a la despesa actual en usos equivalents a l’electricitat (p.ex. llanternes i piles, bateries de cotxe), una subvenció del 35% sobre la inversió inicial permetria una taxa interna de retorn del 15% a inversors privats, mentre que un 60% la subvenció permetria una taxa interna de retorn del 25%.Els resultats d'aquesta investigació han estat considerats pels grups d'interès de Ghana dins de la formulació de polítiques i regulacions d'electrificació rural, i perspectives de trigeneració i els minigresos de biomassa també han desencadenat l'interès dels inversors privats internacionals i ghanesosPostprint (published version

India Social Enterprise Landscape Report

As part of an Asian Development Bank Regional Technical Assistance (RETA), Shujog provided a broad overview of the SE landscape in India, covering various sectors and profiling 120 Indian SEs. The report highlights social and environmental needs, how SEs are addressing these needs, the key barriers confronting SEs, and the different enablers that facilitate SE activities

Prospects of distributed electricity generation and services based on small scale biomass systems in Ghana

Access to energy is crucial to human welfare; no residential, commercial or industrial activity can be conceived without energy supply. At the same time, current dependence on fossil fuels and their negative effects on global climate claim for urgent alternatives. The situation in Sub-Saharan Africa is poignant: over half of the population, mainly in rural areas, live without access to electricity services. Crop residues from farming communities in those areas are unused; while technology for electricity production from agricultural biomass is progressing, managing decentralised rural electricity projects is still a challenge, especially in developing countries like Ghana, given the variety and complexity of the factors conditioning biomass to energy supply chains. Such complexity has been previously formulated in academic exercises, but with limited practical applicability for energy planners, practitioners and investors. This research has deployed a holistic approach to biomass-to-energy planning, yet flexible to adapt to different regulatory scenarios and energy supply configurations. A qualitative framework has been developed, taking into consideration four critical components: social development, organisational/institutional, technical, and financial, with their respective metrics. Then, the framework has been applied to three real case study configurations in Ghana, involving primary data collection, sustainability modelling and discussion of the techno-economic feasibility results with policy makers and practitioners. The first configuration consists in decentralised power generation using crop residues from clustered smallholder farms in 14 districts in Ghana; the number of clustered farms, reference residue yields, and residue densities are determined to assess the distances within which it would be feasible to supply feedstock to biomass power plants. The findings show that a minimum of 22 to 54 larger (10 ha) farms would need to be clustered to enable an economically viable biomass supply to a 1000 kWe plant. Financial analyses indicate that such investment would not be viable under the current renewable feed-in-tariff rates in Ghana; increased tariff by 25% or subsidies from a minimum 30% of investment cost are needed to ensure viability using internal rate of return as an indicator. Carbon finance options are also discussed. The second configuration focuses on co- and tri-generation from clustered crop residues. Techno-economic results show that 600 kW and 1 MW biomass fuelled plants to generate power, heating (for cassava or maize drying) and cooling (to refrigerate tomatoes) are feasible, considering a minimum 20% yearly profit for investors’ equity. Additional income between 29 and 64 US $/tonne of crop residue would be possible for farmers if a minimum of 60% of the heat produced can be traded. The consideration of carbon financing under the most common traded prices has little impact on the project results; if more favourable schemes (like the Swedish carbon tax) are considered, the viability of co- and tri-generation plants run on agro residue can be possible even with a low level of residual heat sales. The third configuration analyses minigrid electricity generation and services based on biomass gasification in five Ghanaian communities. Results show that the projected electricity demand compares favourably with the potential supply from available crop residues. Project financing via 100% private funding would not be viable under current national uniform tariffs; however, by applying an end-user tariff equal to the current expenditure on electricity-equivalent uses in the communities, a subsidy of about 35% on initial investment would enable a private entrepreneur an internal rate of return of 15%, whereas a 60% subsidy could enable internal rate of return of 25%. The outcomes of this research have triggered the interest of Ghanaian and international policy makers, developers and private investors.L'accés a l'energia és crucial per al benestar humà, no es pot concebre cap activitat residencial, comercial o industrial sense subministrament d'energia. Alhora, la dependència actual dels combustibles fòssils i els seus efectes negatius sobre el clima global reclamen alternatives urgents. La situació a l'Àfrica Subsahariana és punyent: més de la meitat de la població, principalment rural, viu sense accés a serveis elèctrics. Tanmateix, en aquestes zones abunden les restes agrícoles. Tot i que la tecnologia per a la producció d'electricitat a partir de biomassa agrícola avança, la promoció de l’electrificació rural descentralitzada continua sent un repte, especialment en països en desenvolupament com Ghana, atesa la varietat i la complexitat de factors que condicionen l’aprofitament energètic de la biomassa. Aquesta complexitat s'ha tractat en exercicis acadèmics, però amb poca aplicabilitat pràctica per a planificadors d'energia, promotors i inversors. A fi de contribuir a una millor planificació i presa de decisions, aquesta Tesi desplega un marc integral d’anàlisi tenint en compte quatre components (desenvolupament social, organitzatiu/institucional, tècnic, i financer), flexible per adaptar-se a diferents configuracions de subministrament d'energia i escenaris reguladors. Aquest marc s'ha aplicat a tres casos reals a Ghana, recollint dades de camp, modelitzant la viabilitat tecno-econòmica i debatent els resultats amb promotors públics i privats. La primera configuració consisteix en la generació elèctrica a partir de restes agrícoles de petites plantacions rurals, en 14 districtes a Ghana, on s?ha determinat la biomassa disponible i la seva localització per calcular les distàncies màximes que permetrien la rendibilitat de petites centrals elèctriques. Els resultats indiquen que un mínim de 22 a 54 plantacions (de 10 ha. cadascuna) haurien d'agrupar-se per permetre un subministrament de biomassa econòmicament viable a una planta de 1000 kWe. Financerament aquesta inversió no seria viable amb les tarifes actuals d’injecció a xarxa; un increment d’aquesta tarifa en un 25%, o bé una subvenció mínima del 30% del cost d'inversió són necessàries per garantir la viabilitat. La segona configuració se centra en la co- i la tri-generació a partir de restes agrícoles. Els resultats de l’anàlisi tècnic-econòmica mostren que centrals de 600 kW i 1 MW per autogenerar electricitat, calor (per assecar mandioca o de blat de moro) i fred (per refrigerar tomàquets) són factibles, fins i tot aportant un retorn anual mínim del 20% per a inversors externs. A més de l’electricitat, en cas de poder vendre com a mínim un 60% de la calor produïda, es podria pagar entre 29 i 64 USD per tona de biomassa. La consideració de bons de carboni a preus habituals de mercat internacional té poc impacte en els resultats del projecte; si es consideren esquemes més favorables (com els bons de carboni a Suècia), la viabilitat de les plantes de co-i tri-generació a partir de restes agrícoles seria possible fins i tot amb un baix nivell de vendes de calor residual. La tercera configuració tracta el servei elèctric amb microxarxes basades en la gasificació de restes agrícoles de comunitats rurals. Els resultats de l’anàlisi en 5 comunitats mostren que el potencial de generació elèctrica a partir de la biomassa disponible supera la demanda elèctrica projectada. El finançament només a partir d’aportacions privades no seria viable amb les tarifes nacionals de consum elèctric actuals; en canvi, si s’aplica una tarifa de consum igual a la despesa actual en usos equivalents a l’electricitat (p.ex. llanternes i piles, bateries de cotxe), una subvenció del 35% sobre la inversió inicial permetria una taxa interna de retorn del 15% a inversors privats, mentre que un 60% la subvenció permetria una taxa interna de retorn del 25%.Els resultats d'aquesta investigació han estat considerats pels grups d'interès de Ghana dins de la formulació de polítiques i regulacions d'electrificació rural, i perspectives de trigeneració i els minigresos de biomassa també han desencadenat l'interès dels inversors privats internacionals i ghaneso

An Economic Assessment along the Jatropha-based Biodiesel Value Chain In India

The Government of India had launched the National Biofuel Mission in the year 2003 as an initiative to limit the country’s dependence on crude oil imports. An integral part of this mission is the Biodiesel Blending program and Jatropha, a tree-borne biodiesel yielding crop, is the cornerstone of the program. This study has been specifically designed to carry out economic assessment of the upcoming jatropha-based biodiesel value chain in the country. The study, based on primary data collected from three major jatropha growing states, has observed that jatropha cultivation is an economically viable proposition in the long-run as indicated by favourable values of net present value, internal rate of return and benefit cost ratio. Nevertheless, initial government support till attaining break even point is crucial to sustain the interest of the farmers. The jatropha seed processing industry has been found to be viable if operated at sufficient economies of scale, which in turn is determined by the level of backward integration with the seed market and a forward integration with biodiesel distribution channels. However, the existing biodiesel value chain in India lacks this integration and is characterized by under-developed seed markets, sub-optimal processing infrastructure and ill-defined biodiesel distribution channels. The involvement of corporate players to participate in processing and distribution activities has further delayed the program to take off. The study has cautioned that unless proactive orientation of all the stakeholders is ensured, the program may fail to meet its objectives, at least in the medium-term.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Policy Recommendations for Renewable Heating and Cooling in the United Kingdom

A Working Document prepared as part of the IEE project "Policy development for improving RES-H/C penetration in European Member States (RES-H Policy)"The RES-H Policy project: The project "Policy development for improving RES-H/C penetration in European Member States (RES-H Policy)" aims at assisting Member State governments in preparing for the implementation of the forthcoming Directive on Renewables as far as aspects related to renewable heating and cooling (RES-H/C) are concerned. Member States are supported in setting up national sector specific 2020/2030 RES-H/C targets. Moreover the project initiates participatory National Policy Processes in which selected policy options to support RES-H/C are qualitatively and quantitatively assessed. Based on this assessment the project develops tailor made policy options and recommendations as to how to best design a support framework for increased RES-H/C penetration in national heating and cooling markets. The target countries/regions of the project comprise Austria, Greece, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Poland and UK – countries that represent a variety in regard of the framework conditions for RES-H/C. On the European level the projects assesses options for coordinating and harmonising national policy approaches. This results in common design criteria for a general EU framework for RES-H/C policies and an overview of costs and benefits of different harmonised strategies.This Working Document summarises policy recommendations to improve the policy framework for RES-H/C in the United Kingdom. A policy set has been proposed based on the different elements of the policy analysis that has been conducted throughout this project. The document describes the proposed policy instruments and a strategy how to best implement it in the light of the specific national context. It analysis the interaction of the proposed policy set with the existing policy framework (e.g. for the building sector) and provides a proposal for monitoring and evaluating the policy impact on the development of RES-H/C. The report represents a key output of the RES-H Policy project, an EU FP7 funded research project aiming to assist EU Member States in selecting support options for increased renewable heat. It draws on modelling carried out by the Vienna University of Technology and The Dutch Energy Research Centre (ECN) as well as qualitative assessment by the authors. The body of literature in this field is very narrow, particularly given the much less advanced state of renewable heat policy and the significance of heat in developed countries, where it accounts for 40-50% of national energy use.European Commission through the IEE programm