Presentation by Ben Garside of IIED at the CHOICES project community energy workshops in Somerset East, Pearston and Cookhouse communities, Blue Crane Route Municipality in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, held in February and March 2013. The presentation covers case studies of community energy projects. More information about Ben’s work on community energy access: http://www.iied.org/energy-delivery-models-work-for-people-living-poverty Further details of the CHOICES project: http://www.iied.org/choices-community-energy-project-south-africa

1. Energy and the community
Ownership models for development and sustainability
CHOICES-SA project workshops
Blue Crane Route Municipality, March 2013
Ben Garside
International Institute for Environment and Development

2. Presentation outline
• Sustainable energy access: how can communities get
more involved?
• Case studies
– The Anagi stove, Sri Lanka
– Micro-hydro in Peru
– Portable solar products
– The SUNGAS project, Nigeria
• Lessons for the CHOICES-South Africa project

3. • Success from different perspectives
– Local wants, needs and expectations
– Goals of external programmes and government vs those of communities
• Social and cultural context
– Local preferences and traditional practices
– Community cohesion and capacities
– Strength of institutions
• Enabling environment
– Institutions, policy, regulation, government support
• Financial sustainability and scaling
– Designing payment systems that are appropriate
– The role of subsidies
– Connecting to larger-scale finance
Energy for the community

4. Supporting energy access

5.  Clean cook stoves are important for health,
forests and climate; they can save time and
money; they can be made locally
 But people like their own stoves, new stoves
can be expensive, smoke can be useful
(e.g. for killing insects)
 Anagi stoves cost around US$1.40 (13 Rand); about 300,000 are sold
each year
 The stove designers worked with local users to design the stove: it was
not the most efficient, but was preferred by users
 Reduced time for cooking and gathering wood were important for users
 Local producers with history of pottery making were provided with
grants to cover capital costs, technical and business training
 Local stove businesses were established using existing delivery channels
Fuel-efficient Anagi stove, Sri Lanka
Reference: Wilson et al 2012

6. Reference: Yadoo (2012)
Micro-hydro in Tamborapa Pueblo, Peru
 40kW micro-hydro mini-grid installed for
160 households by Soluciones Practicas
 Capital costs covered by government,
community provided unpaid labour
 24-hour electricity with meters; households
must use energy-saving lightbulbs; lower tariff
for those using power for income generation;
maintenance covered by tariffs
 Uses include: street lighting, health equipment, lighting for home study,
school computers, communications/entertainment
 55 new businesses have been established, including a computer school, 26
shops, 12 restaurants, 9 carpentry workshops, 3 mechanics workshops, a
radio station, three bakeries, 2 battery charging providers
 By 2009 population had tripled to 490 households
Source: www.solucionespracticas.org.pe

7. Portable solar products
http://www.architonic.com/ntsht/this-product-can-
change-your-life-the-d-light-story/7000556
 Tough Stuff, d.light and others produce
good quality, affordable solar products for
household use
 In-depth market research with potential users
 Local production vs import; local distribution
channels (trained village entrepreneurs or
existing informal channels e.g. building materials)
 Appropriate payment systems, micro-finance, lend-lease models
 People often suspicious of new models, especially if past experience has
been bad. How to trust a new product?
 d.light has sold 1.2 million lights reaching 6 million people (as of 2012);
Tough Stuff has sold 140,000 products, reaching 740,000 people (2011)
Reference: Wilson et al 2012

8.  Renewable energy and gas-to-power
demonstration projects
 Community committees set up to manage
projects
 Challenges include: expectations of solar
power; community conflict; willingness to
pay for services
 Surveys show low levels of awareness about
opportunities
 Success in using social media to raise
awareness and increase local action
flickr/Wayan Vota
The SUNGAS project, Nigeria
Photo courtesy of Niger Delta Wetlands Centre

9. Discussion
 What are the lessons for CHOICES-SA?
 What aspects could be adopted in Blue
Crane Route Municipality?
 Which aspects would be difficult to adopt
here?
 What are your needs?
 What solutions do you see?
 What can you do to change the situation?

10. • Wilson, E., Godfrey Wood, R. and Garside, B. (2012) Sustainable energy for all?
Linking poor communities to modern energy services, IIED
http://pubs.iied.org/16038IIED.html
• Yadoo, A. (2012) Delivery Models for Decentralised Rural Electrification: Case
studies in Nepal, Peru and Kenya, IIED http://pubs.iied.org/16032IIED.html
• Bellanca, R. and Wilson, E. Sustainable Energy for All and the private sector, IIED
Sustainable Markets Briefing http://pubs.iied.org/G03383.html
• IIED Energy Forum (2012) Energy equity: will the UN Sustainable Energy for All
initiative make a difference, IIED Briefing Paper
http://pubs.iied.org/17127IIED.html
• Wilson, E. and Garside B (2010) Powering change in low-income energy markets,
IIED Opinion Paper http://pubs.iied.org/17093IIED.html
IIED publications to download