Early in the XXI century, the eradication of poverty and inequality is still a challenge for
international development. Although there is no single factor that causes poverty, the
characteristics of which are numerous, the lack of access to technology is a distinctive aspect
of extreme poverty.
About two billion people in the world have no access to modern and efficient power supply systems (ITDG, 2002).
According to data obtained from the Ministry of Energy and Mines (2005), 23.7% of the population
in Peru, i.e. nearly 6.5 million people, had no access to an electricity service at the end
of 2004. The majority of these people live in rural areas, where the situation is even more
critical: more than 67% of the rural population in Peru have no access to electricity.
In addition to aggravating the poverty situation in rural areas, this tends to act as a barrier,
preventing families from overcoming their poverty condition.
The natural strategy for increasing the access to electricity in rural areas is to extend the
electricity grid of the national interface system. However, due to the extensive and complicated geographical conditions in Peru and the widespread nature of its small towns,
the expansion of the electricity grid would reach a limited number of people in our country.
Under the circumstances, other technologies based on the development of renewable local
resources could give isolated communities the opportunity to gain access to infrastructure and
decentralised, sustainable and locally managed energy services.
Approach
Practical Action – ITDG considers technology to be a vital factor for contributing to people’s
livelihoods.
Its definition of technology includes physical infrastructure, machinery and equipment, as well
as related know-how, skills and the capacity to organise and use each and every one.
Practical Action – ITDG has acquired know-how and experience through practical projects with local partners, trying to maximize the impact on relieving poverty, keeping people informed and influencing them on the different national and international practices and policies
that affect the lives of poverty-stricken people (ITDG, 2002).
In this respect, the work carried out by Practical Action – ITDG to provide energy to rural
populations has been based on the development and promotion of renewable sources of energy as a
decentralized, sustainable and low-cost alternative for the local supply of basic services.
To this end, Practical Action – ITDG has focused its work on overcoming the main barriers that
prevent the expansion of renewable energies as a viable alternative for rural areas, namely:
the lack of appropriate technologies, the absence of adequate financial mechanisms, the incipient
development of local skills and the lack of proven decentralized models for the management of
basic services.
Technological developments
Practical Action – ITDG has developed a number of appropriate technologies to suit the
conditions of our region, placing special emphasis on low production costs and equipment that
is easy to operate and maintain.
These technologies have been transferred to small workshops and manufacturers so that they can become suppliers of local markets.
The following are the most outstanding of the main technologies developed:
Technologies related to the development of hydroelectric power:
- Hydraulic turbines: Pelton type turbines for 0.5 to 1000 kW and axial turbines with fixed
blades for 5 to 250 kW. With the different models designed, advantage can be taken of the
entire range of hydraulic resources that can possibly be used for generating electricity:
from small volume and large head to large volume and small waterfall combinations.
- Induction generators: whereby engines can be used as generators, reducing costs by up to
60% for less than 12 kW of power, including electronic load regulators and other accessories.
- River turbines: 500 W turbines for domestic use in lower jungle communities settled on the
shores of large rivers. This axial free-flow turbine takes advantage of the energy of these
watercourses to generate electricity.
- Low-cost civil Works: the technologies developed help reduce the costs of manpower and
materials compared to conventional technologies. For example, lining Canals with the curved
template method, fuse-type run-of-river intakes, desilters, load chambers, power house
components and accessories, among others.
Technologies related to other renewable sources of energy:
- Micro aerogenerator with 100 w of power: for domestic use and battery charging services in
isolated areas. The designed model known as IT–PE-100 operates in low to moderate wind
conditions, which are the most frequent in our territory. The blades of this highly reliable
small wind turbine are made of Light material like resin or fibreglass and it includes a
permanent magnet power generator specially designed to suit its requirements.
- Small-scale production of bio-diesel: based on oils from native or introduced plant species
as a possible solution to the lack of access to energy in isolated communities; and based on
used oils, for use as a diesel additive to reduce contaminating gas emissions and as an
alternative to the final disposal of used oils in urban areas.
- Taking advantage of agricultural waste to generate power: trying out the use of rice husks
as a source of fuel for manufacturing bricks in small non-industrial brick factories.
Innovating financial mechanisms
Practical Action – ITDG, supported by the Inter-American Development Bank, implemented a
revolving fund between 1992 and 2005, for the implementation of micro hydroelectric power
plants in Peru.
Through this mechanism, which was unique in Latin America, loans worth more
than US$ 940 thousand were granted and complementary investments of nearly US$ 3 million were
made by government, private and cooperation agencies.
With more than 30 micro hydroelectric power schemes implemented, the plant capacity exceeds 1.5
MW for the benefit of 3 thousand rural families or about 15 thousand rural dwellers.
Furthermore, the operation of micro hydroelectric schemes has resulted in the creation of 200
small businesses and a 33% rise in the income of local families, thanks to these new
businesses as well as the improvement of previously existing businesses.
Based on the experience accumulated by Practical Action – ITDG as a result of the revolving
fund supported by the IDB, a new phase is being implemented, referred to as the Renewable
Energies Promotion Fund (FOPER), promoting a combined financing scheme that includes lost fund
donations, loans, local and regional government investments through participatory budget
processes, and the contributions of users of the schemes.
Local capacity-building
This work, carried out by the Renewable Energies Demonstration and Training Centre (CEDECAP)
located in Cajamarca, is aimed at overcoming one of the main barriers that prevent isolated
populations from gaining access to energy services: the limited local capacity to operate,
maintain and manage small power plants.
So far, more than 200 managers of isolated schemes have been trained in both technical and
management aspects, proving that it is possible to create a local capacity to manage schemes
of this kind.
The CEDECAP, which has been supported by the Engineering Without Boundaries Association of
Cataluña since 2005, conducts training courses, workshops and seminars, mainly for users,
students, technicians, professionals, experts, manufacturers and policy-makers related to
renewable energies and appropriate technologies.
The main subjects covered in the training activities are energy and rural development, technical resource evaluation aspects, the design,
construction and implementation of small isolated power schemes based on renewable energies,
and management models for decentralized services. Also considered are aspects concerning
productive uses of energy and information and communication technologies for rural areas.
Management models for decentralized basic services
As an alternative to the management models for schemes with less than 500 kW of power managed by the municipality or the community, Practical Action – ITDG has successfully tested an innovating model designed to ensure an efficient and sustainable management of small rural
electricity schemes, based on the understanding that an electricity scheme is the group of
elements related to the generation, distribution, operation, maintenance, management and use of
electricity in small rural areas.
This scheme was designed based on research work carried out with the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP). Once the ownership of the power generating scheme is determined, the operation, maintenance and administration are awarded to a local micro company on concession.
This concession is awarded via a medium or long-term contract, with clear and specific terms of
reference and respecting the legal framework currently in force. The local company is privately
owned and formed by members of the community.
Bibliography
- ITDG. Group Strategy 2003 – 2007: impact, know-how, influence. United Kingdom, 2002.
- Ministry of Energy and Mines. National Rural Electrification Plan. 2005 – 2014 period. Executive Projects Bureau. Peru, 2005.
Organization name: Soluciones Prácticas – ITDG
Street address: Av. Jorge Chávez 275 - Miraflores
City: Lima
Country: Peru
Phone: 51 1 447-5127 / 444-7055 / 242-9714
Fax: 51 1 446-6621
E-mail: jcoello@itdg.org.pe
Web: http://www.solucionespracticas.org.pe
|
