The principal objectives of this thesis are to assess the value to Nepal of developing the use of mini-micro-hydro as a modern energy source in the rural areas and, at the same time, of promoting the domestic manufacture of mini-micro-hydro turbines and associated equipment as a means of creating a modern engineering sector within the country. Development of the mini-micro-hydro sector is viewed as a possible solution to two of the country's urgent economic problems. A sustainable and efficient means must be found of supplying the energy needs of areas remote from the national grid and, at the same time, it is important for the country to develop a nucleus of modern engineering capability in capital goods manufacture: the existence of a capital goods sector is widely understood to be a necessary condition of technological progress and a key to the achievement of on-going economic growth. This study investigates the potential of mini-micro-hydro development as a means of providing complementary solutions to these two problems. Mini-micro-hydro plants installed in the rural areas generate energy in an environmentally-friendly manner, but what, it may be asked, are the returns in commercial and in social terms on such installations? The manufacture of mini-micro-hydro equipment is already being undertaken in Nepal: does this activity offer the prospect of technology transfer and the development of enhanced technological capability? A third, subordinate, objective of the study is to determine whether, if a case is made for promoting the installation and manufacture of mini-micro-hydro units, the stance of the government, and of other institutions, is as helpful as it could be to achieving these ends. The conclusions of the study - from investigation of mini-micro-hydro operations in rural areas, and from examination of the technological capabilities developed by the turbine manufacturing firms - are that a positive case can indeed be made for encouraging in Nepal both the use of mini-micro-hydro units and their manufacture. It would however appear that certain changes in government policy and more active involvement by research institutions would be of assistance for the advancement of the mini-micro-hydro sector.

No description available.

This thesis contains empirical findings on rural energy, forest resource use and fuel saving technologies in Ethiopia. Using a household survey data conducted in different parts of the country, efforts were made to contribute to the limited empirical evidences in Africa in general and Ethiopia in particular. The thesis has four empirical chapters and the first and the last chapters of the thesis are the introduction and summary, respectively. The main findings and policy implications are highlighted below. The second chapter examines the coping mechanisms of rural households to fuel wood scarcity. Using randomly selected households, the results of the empirical analysis show that rural households residing in forest degraded areas respond to fuel wood shortages by increasing their labor input to fuel wood collection. The study also finds that there is no evidence for the substitution between fuel wood and dung or fuel wood and crop residues. Supply side strategies alone may not be effective in addressing the problem of forest degradation and biodiversity losses. Any policy on natural resource management in general and rural energy problems in particular should make a distinction between regions of different forest degradation level. The third chapter examines the relationship between property rights and household demand for fuel wood, as measured by the source from which fuel wood is collected. Results from the discrete choice model indicate that active local-level institutions reduce the dependency on community forests, but, otherwise, increase household dependency on open access forests. However, land tenure security and local level institutions do not increase demand for fuel wood collected from private forests. The results suggest that there is a need to bring more open access forests under the management of the community and increase the quality of community forestry management in order to realize improvements in forest conservation. The fourth chapter of this thesis deals with finding empirical evidence on the role of local level institutions and property right regimes on forest dependency using data from a random sample of rural households in Ethiopia. We find that forest dependency is negatively correlated to the wealth status of the household. Our estimation results suggest that local level institutions are not significant factors in determining use of non wood forest products unlike major forest products such as timber or woody materials in general. We also find that there is a need to expand the current practice of participatory forest management to other open access forest areas. We conclude that generalization on the forest-poverty link depends on the type of forest management and the specific characteristics that prevail in the area. The last chapter of the thesis deals with finding empirical evidence on the determinants of adoption of different types of fuel saving technologies in urban Ethiopia. The duration analysis suggests that adoption rates have been increasing over time, that income and wealth are important contributors to adoption, and that substitute technologies tend to hinder adoption of Lakech charcoal stove. However, it was not possible to consider prices or perceptions related to either the technologies or biomass availability in the duration models, and, therefore, further research is needed in order to further inform policy with respect to household technology adoption decisions. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Economics / unrestricted

No description available.

Orientador: Angelo Cataneo / Banca: Zacarias Xavier de Barros / Banca: Sergio A.Lunardelli Furchi / Banca: Wagner José Dizeró / Banca: Manoel Henrique Salgado / Resumo: Com o fenômeno da globalização e da unificação dos mercados, novas oportunidades de negócio surgiram, exigindo dos produtores o incremento da qualidade dos serviços e o controle preciso das operações, reduzindo o custo operacional. Neste novo cenário, as propriedades rurais estão passando por grandes mudanças, transformando-se em verdadeiras empresas rurais. Cada vez mais este novo modelo econômico prima pela qualidade e pela sustentabilidade do agronegócio. Para tal, é necessário um sistema que auxilie o produtor rural a administrar o seu negócio. A maioria dos estudos estão focados em levantamento financeiro e esquecem que é essencial para a agricultura definir o Balanço Energético e determinar a sua eficiência. Vários trabalhos propostos comparam duas formas produtivas em uma determinada região, mas não existe um estudo em nível nacional. O presente trabalho propõe um modelo de sistema de informação que abrange a parte energética do agronegócio, bem como o envio destas informações para uma base centralizada, a fim de obter o modelo energético rural brasileiro. Com isto, será possível determinar o Balanço Energético e as formas mais eficientes de plantio no agronegócio. O sistema proposto é dividido em dois módulos. O primeiro é voltado aos pequenos produtores rurais, no intuito de ajuda-los na administração rural, disponibilizando relatórios gerencias para que o produtor conheça o desempenho energético do sistema agrícola implantado, podendo maximizar os resultados energéticos e melhorar a eficiência da produção. O segundo módulo é composto de um software de analise de dados, recebendo os dados enviados pelos produtores e construindo uma base nacional de informação a respeito dos resultados energéticos, podendo comparar a eficiência dos sistemas de plantio... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: With the phenomenon of globalization and the unification of markets, new business opportunities have emerged, requiring producers to increase service quality and precise control of operations, reducing operating cost. In this new senary, farms are undergoing major changes, transforming themselves into true rural businesses. Increasingly, this new economic model strives for quality and sustainability of agribusiness. For such a system is needed to assist the farmer to manage your business. Most studies are focused on raising financial and forget that agriculture is essential to define the energy balance and determine its efficiency. Several studies comparing two proposed forms of production in a given region, but there is a nationwide study. This paper proposes a model of information system that covers the energy part of agribusiness, as well as sending this information to a centralized database in order to get the Brazilian rural energy model. With this, you can determine the energy balance and more efficient ways of planting in agribusiness. The proposed system is divided into two modules. The first is geared to small farmers in order to aid them in farm management, providing management reports for the producer to meet the energy performance of the agricultural system in place, the results can maximize energy and improve production efficiency. The second module consists of a software data analysis, receiving the data sent by the producers and building a national information regarding the results of energy and can compare the efficiency of cropping systems in certain regions or making a historical analysis, comparing performance over the years / Doutor

Energy intervention programs have gained prominence in governmental policies and development agendas as a prevailing practice of improving rural livelihoods and protecting local environment and resources in developing rural areas since early 1970s. In spite of the increasing evidences of small-scale renewable energy systems being advantageous over traditional ones towards rural sustainability, the introduction and diffusion of the new energy systems in many developing rural areas has suffered program ineffectiveness in terms of slow construction, limited utilization, and high risks of being idled or abandoned by the adopters. While there are substantial studies documenting the challenges of rural energy planning, few scholars have devoted to the processes and efficacy of the planning practice. Literature has obvious gaps between planning theory and rural energy planning practice as no prior academic efforts were uncovered to use planning theory to examine the rural energy planning practice and to provide directions to future practice. Meanwhile, literature suggests that the integration of efficacy-oriented and context-dependent principles of planning theory into the energy planning processes can contribute to the effectiveness of rural energy intervention programs. Vital to the integration is the conduct of a study that critically assesses the rural energy planning processes against the insights drawn from planning theory and then provides policy implications for bridging the gaps between theory and practice. A review of literature on energy, planning, and community development in relation to sustainability led to an evaluative framework containing 24 criteria which were aggregated into six groups of principles, i.e., equity, flexibility, efficiency, participation, continuity and reflectivity. The principles were coupled respectively focusing on the operationalization, implementation, and monitoring processes of rural energy planning. Employing a primary case study design, the researcher conducted the field study in southern China’s Hainan province to examine whether the aggregated criteria were upheld and performed in local practices. In the field research, the author collected relative information and data through interviews, surveys, secondary sources, and direct observation. The data were analyzed in a mix of inter-related qualitative and quantitative methods. Where possible, the author used triangulation to limit individual and methodological biases. Hainan’s rural energy intervention programs of introducing and diffusion renewable energy systems such as anaerobic digesters and solar heaters in developing rural areas were significant contents of the provincial eco-village program and eco-province strategy. Although the energy programs had satisfactory effectiveness sporadically in a few villages, the majority of the programs suffered from problems like slow construction, limited utilization, and high risks of being idled or abandoned by the adopters. A number of challenges were recognized and mentioned by the administrative interviewees, including financial, technical, social, cultural, institutional and other constraints that support and conform to the discussions in literature. The study advances the understandings by identifying the gaps between planning theory and local rural energy planning practice in Hainan. Specifically, the equity principle was recognized but not totally fulfilled; the flexibility principle remained contentious and singularly executed; the efficiency principle was accepted but performed without enough scrutiny; the participation principle was emphasized but challenging; the continuity principle was aware of but not compulsorily executed; and the reflectivity principle was vague and overlooked. The author further analyzes that there will be barriers at the micro, meso, and macro levels to impede the integration of planning theory into rural energy planning practice. Extending the findings to a broader discussion on planning for development projects in developing rural areas, the author highlights a number of external and internal problems that harm the program effectiveness and calls for immediate and meaningful attention to ensuring program effectiveness. Several suggestions are provided for policy reconsideration and reorientation.

Energy intervention programs have gained prominence in governmental policies and development agendas as a prevailing practice of improving rural livelihoods and protecting local environment and resources in developing rural areas since early 1970s. In spite of the increasing evidences of small-scale renewable energy systems being advantageous over traditional ones towards rural sustainability, the introduction and diffusion of the new energy systems in many developing rural areas has suffered program ineffectiveness in terms of slow construction, limited utilization, and high risks of being idled or abandoned by the adopters. While there are substantial studies documenting the challenges of rural energy planning, few scholars have devoted to the processes and efficacy of the planning practice. Literature has obvious gaps between planning theory and rural energy planning practice as no prior academic efforts were uncovered to use planning theory to examine the rural energy planning practice and to provide directions to future practice. Meanwhile, literature suggests that the integration of efficacy-oriented and context-dependent principles of planning theory into the energy planning processes can contribute to the effectiveness of rural energy intervention programs. Vital to the integration is the conduct of a study that critically assesses the rural energy planning processes against the insights drawn from planning theory and then provides policy implications for bridging the gaps between theory and practice. A review of literature on energy, planning, and community development in relation to sustainability led to an evaluative framework containing 24 criteria which were aggregated into six groups of principles, i.e., equity, flexibility, efficiency, participation, continuity and reflectivity. The principles were coupled respectively focusing on the operationalization, implementation, and monitoring processes of rural energy planning. Employing a primary case study design, the researcher conducted the field study in southern China’s Hainan province to examine whether the aggregated criteria were upheld and performed in local practices. In the field research, the author collected relative information and data through interviews, surveys, secondary sources, and direct observation. The data were analyzed in a mix of inter-related qualitative and quantitative methods. Where possible, the author used triangulation to limit individual and methodological biases. Hainan’s rural energy intervention programs of introducing and diffusion renewable energy systems such as anaerobic digesters and solar heaters in developing rural areas were significant contents of the provincial eco-village program and eco-province strategy. Although the energy programs had satisfactory effectiveness sporadically in a few villages, the majority of the programs suffered from problems like slow construction, limited utilization, and high risks of being idled or abandoned by the adopters. A number of challenges were recognized and mentioned by the administrative interviewees, including financial, technical, social, cultural, institutional and other constraints that support and conform to the discussions in literature. The study advances the understandings by identifying the gaps between planning theory and local rural energy planning practice in Hainan. Specifically, the equity principle was recognized but not totally fulfilled; the flexibility principle remained contentious and singularly executed; the efficiency principle was accepted but performed without enough scrutiny; the participation principle was emphasized but challenging; the continuity principle was aware of but not compulsorily executed; and the reflectivity principle was vague and overlooked. The author further analyzes that there will be barriers at the micro, meso, and macro levels to impede the integration of planning theory into rural energy planning practice. Extending the findings to a broader discussion on planning for development projects in developing rural areas, the author highlights a number of external and internal problems that harm the program effectiveness and calls for immediate and meaningful attention to ensuring program effectiveness. Several suggestions are provided for policy reconsideration and reorientation.

No description available.

Lack of energy access in developing countries remains a major barrier in the economic development of rural communities. Worldwide, about 1.3 billion people lack access to modern energy services, and there is a need to pursue ways other than grid extension due to the remoteness of most of these communities from national grids. Following the Sustainable Energy For All (SE4ALL) initiative of the United Nations, the role of decentralised solar generation systems has been acknowledged to meet rural energy objectives. The initiative has also resulted in growing participation of private sectors in the rural energy field for boosting project execution and delivery.   To evaluate the success of private entrepreneurs operating rural energy projects, the research has proposed a decision support sustainability assessment framework for evaluating performance of operational decentralized rural solar energy projects. A rural electrification project is said to be performing sustainably when it reliably ensures access to its services for productive uses, while engaging and gaining acceptance of the community and which operates within socio-ethical norms maintaining its financial gains as well as maintaining the local environment. Based on this definition and the multi-criteria Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), 15 energy indicators have been proposed to evaluate sustainability performance of existing projects.  These indicators are spread over the standard three pillar approach – capturing economic, social, environmental dimensions, along with the contribution of a fourth ethical dimension of sustainability. Multiple stakeholder groups including 16 project planners, evaluators, advisors and investors have been consulted in applying the multi criteria Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Organisations consulted include University of Oslo, Aalto University, Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), Multiconsult AS, Micro-energy International, African Solar Designs (ASD), SunErgy AS, RVE.SOL, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Foundation of Rural Energy Services (FRES), Alliance of Rural Electrification (ARE), and Fortum Corporation. The outcome from two rounds of consultation surveys have yielded highest priority to economic dimension (33,18%), followed by social (27,55%) and ethical (23,17%) dimensions, and lastly the environment (16,18) dimension. With these prioritisations, the framework has been used to evaluate the performance of  rural decentralised solar projects in Kenya and Malawi. Results of this framework yielded average performance of Kenya and Malawi in the economic dimension – in Kenya being driven by a competitive O&M cost and delivery of project services to businesses; and in Malawi through a low rate of payment defaults and ability to increase tariffs with inflation.  In assessing the Kenya case study, a higher score in the social dimension was attributed to the range of services on offer resulting in better involvement of the community in the project as compared to the Malawian case study. However, a limited number of services in Malawi have ensured a more transparent and accountable management structure resulting in a higher score in the ethical evaluation. For both projects, environmental performance has been average due to lack of solid policies for waste treatment, end-use recycling of batteries, and some recorded negative impacts on the local bio-diversity-  Outcomes of the framework suggest a applicability of the framework in addressing concerns of multiple stakeholder groups including project planners, evaluators, advisors and investors in understanding operational challenges of rural solar projects. Insights from the case studies point towards the strength of  solar electrification as a means rather than the ultimate goal of rural development, the necessity of economic and social sustainability synergies during project operation, and the importance of affordable energy pricing and payment methods. / Bristande tillgång energi i utvecklingsländerna fortfarande ett stort hinder för den ekonomiska utvecklingen av landsbygden. 1,3 miljarder människor saknar tillgång till moderna energitjänster, och det finns ett behov av att föra andra än grid förlängning sätt på grund av de stora avstånden för de flesta av dessa samhällen från nationella elnät. Efter hållbar energi för alla (SE4ALL) initiativ av UN, har betydelsen av decentraliserade sol generationens system erkänt att uppfylla målen på landsbygden energi. Initiativet har också resulterat i ökande deltagande privata sektorn på landsbygden energi fältet för att öka projektgenomförande och leverans. För att utvärdera framgången med privata entreprenörer som arbetar på landsbygden energiprojekt har forskning föreslagit en ramverk för att utvärdera prestanda för operativa decentraliserade landsbygden solenergiprojekt hållbarhetsbedömning beslutsstöd. En elektrifiering av landsbygden projekt sägs att utföra ett hållbart sätt när det på ett tillförlitligt sätt säkerställer tillgång till sina tjänster för produktiva ändamål, samtidigt bedriva och få acceptans i samhället och som arbetar inom socioetiska normer behålla sin ekonomiska vinster samt att upprätthålla den lokala miljön. Baserat på denna definition och flera kriterier Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), har 15 indikatorer energi föreslagits för att utvärdera hållbarhetsprestanda av befintliga projekt. Dessa indikatorer är spridda över tre pelare strategi standard - fånga ekonomiska, sociala, miljömässiga dimensioner, tillsammans med bidrag från en fjärde etisk dimension hållbarhet. grupper Flera intressenter inklusive 16 projektplanerare, utvärderare, rådgivare och investerare har hörts vid tillämpningen av flera kriterier Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Organisationer som rådfrågats inkluderar University of Oslo, Aalto-universitetet, Institutet för energiteknik (IFE), Multi-Consult AS, Micro-Energy International, African Solar Designs (ASD), Sunergy AS, RVE.SOL, Styrelsen för internationellt utvecklingssamarbete (Sida), Foundation of Rural Energy Services (FRES), Alliance of Rural Electrification (ARE), och Fortum Corporation. Utfallet från två omgångar av undersökningar samråds har gett högsta prioritet åt ekonomisk dimension (33,18%), följt av social (27,55%) och etisk (23,17%) dimensioner och slutligen miljön (16,18) dimensionera. Med dessa prioriteringar har ramverket använts för att utvärdera landsbygdens decentraliserade solenergiprojekt i Kenya och Malawi. Resultaten av denna ramverket gav genomsnittliga resultat i Kenya och Malawi i den ekonomiska dimensionen - i Kenya drivs av ett konkurrenskraftigt O & M kostnader och leverans av projekttjänster till företag; och i Malawi genom en låg betalnings och förmåga att höja tullarna med inflation. Vid bedömningen av Kenya fallstudie ades en högre poäng i den sociala dimensionen hänföras till utbudet av tjänster som erbjuds resulterar i bättre medverkan av samhället i projektet jämfört med den malawiska fallstudie. Emellertid har ett begränsat antal tjänster i Malawi säkerställt en mer öppen och ansvarsfull förvaltning struktur resulterar i en högre poäng i den etiska bedömningen. För båda projekten har miljöprestanda varit genomsnittliga grund av brist på fasta principer för avfallshantering, slutanvändning återvinning av batterier och några inspelade negativa effekter på de lokala bio-diversity- Resultat av ramverket föreslå en tillämpning av ramverket för att ta itu oro flera intressegrupper inklusive projektplanerare, utvärderare, rådgivare och investerare att förstå operativa utmaningar på landsbygden sol projekt. Insikter från fallstudierna pekar mot styrkan i solar elektrifiering som ett medel snarare än det yttersta målet för landsbygdsutveckling, behovet av synergier ekonomisk och social hållbarhet under projektets drift och vikten av överkomliga priser energi och betalningsmetoder.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Mary C. Kingery-Page / Rural Kansas communities are almost entirely dependent on large energy corporations. These corporations, in turn, are almost completely dependent on fossil fuels for energy production. Three major implications exist within these dependencies: 1) the dependence of rural communities on large corporations reduces the potential of a local economy to support itself; 2) the dependence on fossil fuels has severe environmental impacts; and 3) fossil fuels are non-renewable resources and will inevitably be exhausted. A rural Kansas community has resources necessary to achieve and maintain energy independence in a renewable manner. The design of these systems in regard to economy, society, aesthetics, technology, and ecology will play a key role in sustaining these resources into the future. The intent of the project is to create a tool for rural communities to evaluate localized renewable energy potential using Washington, Kansas as an example. Several questions were addressed to determine the capacity and feasibility of each local energy resource: What renewable energy resources are available to a rural Kansas community and are they sufficient for the community to achieve energy independence? How can the resource or its production be designed and maintained in regard to its environmental impact and long-term viability? What are the implications of energy independence for the community’s identity? Because each question is dependent upon the answer to a previous question, a decision tree was the most viable method for the project’s analysis and development. Research into the technology and science associated with each resource provided a general knowledge of the definitions associated with and processes necessary to determine the feasibility of the resource. For resources receiving a positive feasibility rating, analysis continued with a basic cost/benefit analysis that compares potential costs involving implementation and maintenance with the payback, offsets, and incentives involved in utilizing each resource. Analysis of each feasible resource continued with site suitability analysis. The analysis of each resource resulted in resource maps showing potential implementation locations for three renewable resources studied: hydro, wind, and solar. The maps and accompanying graphics communicate the integration of renewable energy technologies into the existing community’s identity.