Orientador: Odivaldo José Seraphim / Banca: Elias José Simon / Banca: José Francisco Rodrigues / Resumo: A eletrificação rural constitui elemento de fundamental importância para o aumento da produção e aprimoramento do produto agrícola que conseqüentemente resulta num melhor nível de vida para o agricultor. Com novas e modernas tecnologias à disposição, o produtor rural tem a propriedade valorizada e pode buscar alternativas agrícolas para aumentar sua renda liquida e gerar empregos, além de estimular o mercado de produtos industrializados. O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a evolução do Programa de Eletrificação Rural "Luz para Todos", e apresentar os principais aspectos técnicos e sociais do programa, como veículo no desenvolvimento, referente aos pequenos produtores rurais na área de atuação da cooperativa de Eletrificação Rural de Itaí, Paranapanema e Avaré (CERIPA). Para tanto, foram analisados dados técnicos, financeiros e sociais, através de cadastros e planilhas, com o devido acompanhamento da implantação do Programa. Através destes dados, foi possível determinar índices técnicos e econômicos referentes à implantação do Programa e verificar a evolução do número de consumidores, a potência instalada, a energia faturada e receita bruta da cooperativa. Para a cooperativa, a implantação do programa promoveu um vetor de desenvolvimento, pois todos os consumidores atendidos, englobaram na massa de consumidores da cooperativa, tornando-a mais sólida e mais competitiva no mercado energético. Em apenas sete anos, no período de 2000 a 2006, a cooperativa teve um aumento de mais de 50% no número de ligações, dado este que se refletiu na carga instalada, triplicando o faturamento bruto. Pode-se notar no desenvolvimento deste trabalho uma forte omissão do governo com relação às metas estabelecidas e não cumpridas, onde se aplica simplesmente uma multa simbólica sobre o investimento não utilizado no programa. Não são levantados problemas...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Rural electrification is an outstanding element for production increase and agricultural product improvement which, consequently, results in better life quality for the small farmer. With new and modern technologies available, the rural producer has his property valorized and is able to search for agricultural alternatives to rise his net income and generate employment, besides stimulating the industrialized products market. This work aims to evaluate the evolution of the "Electric Lighting for All" Program and present main technical and social aspects of the program, as a vehicle of development, referring to the rural small farmers at CERIPA Rural Electrification Cooperative of Itaí, Paranapanema and Avaré. It was analyzed technical, financial and social data through registers and sheets with the proper following of the Program implantation. From the data, it was possible to determine the technical and economic indexes related to the Program settlement and verify the increase in number of consumers, installed power, the invoiced electrical energy and gross income of the Cooperative. For the Cooperative, this Program settlement promoted a vector of development, since all the attended small farmers entered the cooperative, making it more solid and competitive in the market. From 2000 to 2006, the cooperative enhanced over 50% reflecting in the installed power, triplicating the gross income.It can be noticed in this work development high omission of the government concerning the established targets not accomplished, where a symbolic tip is simply applied over the investment not used in the program. Problems are not raised, targets are not questioned; the allowance is distributed only to justify a "political willing" with the citizen. / Mestre

A history of the establishment of the Rural Electrification Administration and the Brazos Electric Power Cooperative.

MRDV / Institute for Rural Development / In the year 2002, the Zimbabwean government adopted a Rural Electrification Programme (REP) as a developmental strategy designed to improve villagers’ lives. Despite the government’s noble initiative to improve rural areas’ access to electricity, not much is known about the REP’s socio-economic benefits to grassroots communities in the country. Thus, a study was carried out to determine the REP’s socio-economic benefits accruing to villagers in Insiza South District located in Matabeleland South Province of Zimbabwe. Appreciative inquiry was undertaken following a mixed method approach. Data were collected through two sequentially integrated phases. Multistage sampling was applied to select respondents from 15 villages within three administrative wards 5, 7 and 12 of Insiza South District. Out of the 110 respondents who participated in the study, the eight key informants who participated in the first phase were drawn from the institutions that coordinated the REP. One hundred and two residents participated in phase two of data collection carried out through application of focus group discussions (FGDs). Thematic content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data collected in phase 1 of the study. Quantitative data was analysed using the International Business Machines, Statistical Product and Service Solution (IBM, SPSS) version 24 for Windows. More than 68 % of the respondents perceived basic uses (lighting, cooking, and for educational purposes) of electricity as the benefits accruing from the REP. Sixty six percent of respondents viewed modern uses (heating, cooling and air conditioning) of electricity as the benefits accruing from the programme. A much smaller proportion (31 %) of villagers singled out the benefits of electrification to be productive uses such as boiler making, manufacturing and mechanised farming. There were highly significant differences in perception among residents of the wards with respect to basic (P < 0.001) and modern (P < 0.01) uses. However, there were no differences in perception among male and female members of the three wards (P < 0.05). The collective community benefits included improved access to information, enhanced retention and attraction of teachers in rural areas, introduction of computer studies in schools and initiation of entrepreneurial projects such as welding and milling. Residents also benefitted indirectly from the REP through local electrified service centres. It was revealed that almost 91 % the local villagers were still using firewood while about 59 % of the villagers who could afford it had access to solar power. The study highlighted the need for a platform to deliberate on challenges relating to RE and its contribution to economy. The findings are crucial for rural development, policy reviews and academic research.

This study examines the history and growth of the B-K Electric Cooperative in Seymour Texas, as well as its economic impact on the surrounding rural areas.

This study seeks to examine the history of the Denton County Electric Co-operative and the Rural Electrification Administration, as well as the effect they had on electrifying rural agriculture sites.

This study was made to show the economic growth of the rural area served by the Cooke County Electric Co-Operative association, as well as its history. Locally, the Cooke County Electric Co-operative Association owes a large part of its success to the ability of the rural people to help themselves. In this thinly populated section of the country they have built a successful business where established power companies claimed that it would be impossible. Although the number of farmers continues to decrease, the demand for power continues to increase. The members of the Cooke County Co-operative are proud of their co-operative and are always happy to tell of their accomplishments. At the last memberships meeting a large majority of the members were present.

Published Article / This study investigates the use of off-grid micro-hydrokinetic river system as a cost-effective and sustainable electricity supply option for remote rural residents in close proximity to flowing water and not having access to grid electricity. This hydrokinetic technology is still in the development stage and there is a lack of application especially in rural areas with reasonable water resource. This study will present the economic and environmental benefits of the proposed system. A mathematical model is developed to simulate the system performance as submitted to different solicitations. A test prototype will also be used in order to validate the simulation results.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this thesis is to establish a tangible metric by which to evaluate the impact of modern energy access on the livelihoods of rural Sub-Sahara African communities. The narrative is set in Tsumkwe, a remote rural Namibian location some 596 km north-east from the main capital city Windhoek. Initiatives aimed at rural electrification and energy provision are expected to reduce poverty as well as contribute to the community’s general wellbeing. However, determining the relationship between energy and development is quite a challenging undertaking. An analysis that is either exclusively quantitative or qualitative runs the risk of providing a skewed picture of the energy-development-poverty nexus. In this thesis, quantitative data is embedded within qualitative data as an attempt to examine the nexus and to translate how intervention programmes are transformed into outcomes in order to gauge success of a project. The transformative paradigm shaped the theoretical framework and informed the mixed-method research approach while the capability approach was used to analyse plurality and individualisation of policy impacts. Consequently, the role of place is positioned at the centre in gauging experiences of the poor vis-à-vis the importance of locating resources and capabilities to address socio-economic issues within a geographical location. The injustice of energy poverty can be viewed as unequal access to energy services (i.e. distributional injustice) as well as an intervention that failed to recognise the needs of certain groups and potentiality offered by place. From this, the concept of an energy poverty penalty is qualitatively developed. It was found that the penalty, although it is more pronounced in the low income groups, is exacerbated by choice offered in an energy basket thus affecting non-income poor households too. Therefore, the energy poor are not necessarily income-poor. It is finally concluded that while sustainable energy interventions offer the possibility to reduce energy poverty and the attendant human wellbeing index improvement they need to be grounded in a robust information base to track progress towards targets. Most existing indicators and composite indices assessing access to energy, the degree of development related to energy and deprivation of access to modern energy fail to account for the energy poverty trap. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie tesis is om ‘n tasbare meting daar te stel om die impak to toegang to moderne energie daar te stel in landelike gebied in sub-Sahara Afrika te evalueer. Die studie is uitgevore in Tsumkwe, ‘n afgeleë landelike gebied in Namibië, sowat 596 km noordoos van die hoofstad, Windhoek. Daar word veronderstel dat inisiatiewe wat daargestel word om energie en elektrisiteit toeganglik te maak vir landelike gebiede en gemeenskappe, verarming sal teewerk en gemeenskappe kan ophef. Dit is egter moelik om die verhouding tussen energie verskaffing and vooruitgang te bepaal. ‘n Studie wat net kwalitatief of kwantitatief gebaseer is, sal nie die ware toedrag van sake uitlig nie. In hierdie tesis is kwalitatiewe data verweef met kwantitatiewe data om vas te stel presies hoe effektief programme is wat daargestel is om energie aan landelike gebiede te lewer. Die transformatiewe paradigma het die teoretiese raamwerk gevorm en gelei tot die kombinasiemetode navorsingsbenadering terwyl die moontlikheids benadering gebruik is om die pluraliteit en individualisering van die beleidsimpakte te ontleed. Gevolglik, is die rol van plek in die middelpunt van die ondervindings van die armes vis-à-vis die belangrikheid van die verkryging van hulpbronne en vermoë om sosio-ekonomiese kwessies binne ‘n geografiese ligging te hanteer. Die feit dat landelike gebiede verarm is wat energie en elektrisiteit voorsiening betref, kan toegeskryf word aan die volgende: ongelyke toegang to energie dienste, programme wat nie die behoeftes van landelike gemeenskappe aanspreek nie en die potensiaal van plek waar die program aangepak word is nie voldoende aangespreek nie. In die lig van hierdie potensiële oorsake van energie verarming is die konsep energie aarmoede boete kwaliteitsgewys ontwikkel. Dit is gevind dat die boete, wat meer van toepassing is op lae inkomste groep is, beinvloed word deur die keuse wat beskikbaar gemaak is in terme van energie voorsiening. Hierdie keuse het ook ‘n invloed op die “geen-inkomste” arm groep in ‘n gemeenskap. Dit is dus duidelik dat diegene wat energie verarm nie noodwending geldelik ook verarm is nie. Die studie, ter opsomming, het tot die slotsom gekom dat hoewel tussenkomende programme wat daar gestel word om volhoubare projekte aan te bied vir energie voorsiening in landelike gebiede, energie verarming kan verminder, dit nie effektief genoeg is tensy dit opgevolg word met duidelike doelwitte nie. Die bestaanded aanduidings vir toegang tot energie, aanduidings wat energie toegang en vooruitgang evalueer is nie werklik effektief genoeg nie.

Thesis (MScEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis discusses the development of a 5 kVA single phase AC voltage regulator, specifically designed to assist in the reduction of electrification costs in sparsely populated rural areas. The voltage regulator is based on a solid state auto-transformer tap changer, designed to be robust and maintenance free. Electrification cost savings can be realized if the length of the LV network can be extended to reach more households. To accomplish this, a voltage regulator can be installed onto the extended LV feeder at the point where the LV voltage will drop below the minimum valid voltage, thereby boosting the voltage downstream and enabling more customers to be connected. A variety of voltage regulator topologies were investigated to obtain the best topology for the application. The voltage regulator design is discussed in detail with careful attention given to the power loss incurred, surge voltage protection requirements, protection coordination with the existing LV network and the thermal design requirements. An electronic controller based on a digital signal processor together with an appropriate power supply is designed and built. The software to control the voltage regulator is developed, integrated with the hardware and debugged. The complete voltage regulator is evaluated through extensive laboratory testing and field trials are performed to verify the performance of the device. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis bespreek die ontwikkeling van ‘n 5 kVA, enkelfase, wisselstroom spannings reguleerder, spesifiek ontwerp om koste besparings te bewerkstellig in die elektrifisiëring van yl bevolkte landelike gemeenskappe. Die spannings reguleerder se ontwerp is gebaseer op ‘n outo-transformator tap wisselaar met vaste toestand skakelaars, om sodoende robuust en instandhoudings vry te funksioneer. Elektrifisiërings koste besparings is moontlik indien die laag spannings distribusie kabel verleng kan word, om sodoende elektrisiteit aan meer huishoudings te voorsien. Om dit mootlik te maak kan ‘n spannings reguleerder geinstalleer word op die punt waar die kabel spanning onder die minimum toegelate spanning daal. Sodoende word die spanning weer verhoog aan al die huishoudings wat aan die verlengde gedeelte van die kabel verbind is. ‘n Verskeidenheid uiteenlopende spannings reguleerder topologieë is ondersoek om die beste topologie vir die toepassing te identifiseer. Die ontwerp van die spannings reguleerder is baie deeglik bespreek en spesifieke aandag is gegee aan die verliese, spits opwelling spannings beveiliging, sinkronisasie met die huidige laag spannings netwerk se beveiligings meganismes en die termiese ontwerp van die stelsel. ‘n Elektroniese beheerder, gebaseer op ‘n digitale sein verwerker, tesame met ‘n toepaslike kragbron is ontwerp en gebou. Die nodige sagteware om die spannings reguleerder te beheer is ontwikkel, geintegreer met die hardeware en ontfout. Die volledige spannings reguleerder is ontleed deur intensiewe toetse in die laboratorium en toets installasies op laag spannings netwerke, om sodoende die nakoming van die werks verrigting vereistes van die toestel te bevestig.

Master of Science / Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering / Anil Pahwa / In Afghanistan, electricity is mostly generated by hydroelectric, diesel and natural gas generators. A significant amount of electricity also is imported from neighboring countries. Accessibility of electricity is mostly limited to the capital and main towns. The government of Afghanistan and other development organizations, such as The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (German Agency for International Cooperation “GIZ”), are striving to develop accessibility of electricity to remote communities by supporting the local population of people to enhance living conditions. Although some of these remote communities are served by local diesel fuel generators for just a couple of hours during the night, still most communities do not have access to electricity and they are using wood and kerosene as major sources of energy in cooking, heating and lighting. For those remote communities who are served by local diesel fuel generators, the cost of electricity is much higher than from the national grid. On the other hand, grid extensions are too expensive and, in some cases, impossible for such communities because of the geographical features of Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a mountainous country which receives a significant amount of snow during the winter and once it melts the water runs into rivers, lakes and streams. Therefore mostly it does not face any shortage of running water during the year. Also Afghanistan has plentiful wind and solar energy. Therefore, small hydro-power, wind turbine and solar energy are attractive renewable energy sources for remote communities. The development of such a hybrid power system is a complex process and technical expertise is essential in design and construction phases. The main challenges are the high cost of civil works and equipment, technical expertise for design and construction and encouragement of local people for the support of the project. This report will give an insight into design, cost-effectiveness and feasibility of the system using HOMER in order to encourage private investors and local community people to take advantage of this potential available in Afghanistan and be convinced of the sustainability for investments in micro-hydropower, wind and solar.