Studies
Solar power. Domestic energy N/A
Feasability study of a 100 000 Solar Home Systems programme for ASEAN islands Promotion of photovoltaic based rural electrification in India (European initiative)
| Country : | India. . |
| Client : | European Union . European Union |
| Start Date : | 1995 |
| Completion Date : | 1996 |
| Value of services : | N/A |
| Funder : | N/A |
| Associate/Partner : | N/A |
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| Description : |
India is a country which has massively invested in the area of photovoltaics, with 8 MWp installed in 1995 and a strong national production base, but where the sustainability, both technical and financial, of installations in rural areas, remains a major preoccupation. The objective of the project is to propose a framework and role for players in the implementation of large scale sustainable solar photovoltaic based rural electrification programmes and to identify areas of possible collaborations between Indian and European industry. The project is executed in collaboration with the following Indian counterparts: the MNES (Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Sources), IREDA (Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency), the REC (Rural Electrification Corporation) and a number of other relevant institutions involved in rural development at the State level. It also involves close interaction with financial institutions and private sector operators. IED is co-ordinator of this project in which major European and Indian industrial corporations of the sector are involved. |
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| Description of the Actual Services Provided | The objective of the first phase is to learn lessons from past projects and in particular: * from a technical and industrial angle, specifically issues of quality standards, system design, networks of rural installers and after sales service networks. State of the art of national industry and the regulatory framework is also looked into, * analysis of market potential, looking at available funding sources (both institutional and private) as well at end-user service requirements (basic lighting, security lighting, health, community centres, ...), taking into account existing incentives (depreciation, public procurement programmes...). The second phase aims at testing some of the conclusions of the first phase by in field project development for different types of end-uses: * Orissa : basic rural electricity services for tribal villages; * Andhra Pradesh: market based dissemination of solar home systems supported by the rural banking sector; Karnataka and Rajasthan : integration of photovoltaic pumping as an option for providing water to rural population. |