Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment
Funding information Reiner Lemoine-Foundation Recent efforts to measure energy poverty more compr... more Funding information Reiner Lemoine-Foundation Recent efforts to measure energy poverty more comprehensively attempt to redress the shortcomings of binary metrics that remain in common use. However, significant challenges remain both with the construction of the new measurement frameworks and their application. The paper presents an analysis of recent multidimensional measurement approaches and applications to draw inferences on the implications of applying these for the measurement of energy access and in informing policies aimed at improving it. The assessment suggests that despite progress having been made in capturing the multidimensional nature of energy poverty, the new measures are currently too complex to operationalize at the global level and too prescriptive to gain acceptance in diverse national contexts. Further efforts are thus required to consolidate and simplify the new frameworks for global tracking purposes, and to adapt and modify these to specific country contexts to inform national policy and planning. A subset of key energy poverty dimensions and uniform set of indicators need to be shortlisted for the purposes of global comparisons, while specific national tracking efforts can apply dimensions and thresholds most suited to accurately capture energy poverty and its drivers in a given context.
The paper builds on earlier observations using system complexity theory to explain the characteri... more The paper builds on earlier observations using system complexity theory to explain the characteristics of a swarm electrification approach using existing small, distributed renewable energy generation infrastructure integrated into a grid. The concept is based on swarm intelligence where information and electricity flow between neighbors to achieve a compounding network effect, in that they are linked together to form a microgrid but at the same time showing a high degree of resilience as each node/ household can also operate independently. The paper contrasts this approach with traditional stand-alone and minigrid systems in small island development states using the multi-tier framework of measuring energy access and taking into account the particularities that these have, especially with regards to infrastructure and geography. The authors make use of qualitative and quantitative results from first practical applications of swarm electrification in Bangladesh.
International Symposium for Next Generation Infrastructure Conference Proceedings
The study investigates a bottom-up concept for microgrids. Financial analysis is performed throug... more The study investigates a bottom-up concept for microgrids. Financial analysis is performed through a business model approach to test for viability when replacing a researched energy expenditure baseline in Bangladesh. A literature review compares the approach to current trends in microgrids. A case study of Bangladesh illustrates the potential for building on the existing infrastructure base of solar home systems. Opportunities are identified to improve access to reliable energy through a microgrid approach that aims at community-driven economic and infrastructure development by building on network effects generated through the inclusion of localized economies with strong producer-consumer linkages embedded within larger systems of trade and exchange. The analysed approach involves the linking together of individual stand-alone energy systems to form a microgrid that can eventually interconnect with present legacy infrastructure consisting of national or regional grids. The approach is likened to the concept of swarm intelligence, where each individual node brings independent input to create a conglomerate of value greater than the sum of its parts.
ABSTRACT In the past, fuel-based economies have led the way in economic growth, resulting in emis... more ABSTRACT In the past, fuel-based economies have led the way in economic growth, resulting in emissions that are now understood to cause climate change, with major impacts on developing countries. It has become clear that effective climate change mitigation and adaptation not only require restrictions on energy consumption in the developed world, but also a decoupling of economic development and Greenhouse Gas emissions in the South. But can developing countries take a less carbon-intensive path, even though its outcome is highly uncertain? In many scenarios for a sustainable future energy supply, decentralized solutions play a crucial role. Such solutions however, are characterized by various aspects that conventional research paradigms have given little attention, up until now. These research needs are reflected in the concept of Microenergy Systems, which serves as a theoretical basis for the Research Focus and PhD program at the Technische Universität in Berlin. It brings together academics from various disciplines to take a micro-perspective on decentralized energy supply. This paper summarizes the development of this relatively young research group - the experiences of engineers, social and political scientists, economists and planners partaking in joint research and education in the field of decentralized sustainable energy solutions. It will highlight their innovative attempt to establish an international Microenergy Systems scientific community amongst academics who are scattered throughout different institutes at numerous universities worldwide.
More than a billion people worldwide still do not have access to basic modern energy services suc... more More than a billion people worldwide still do not have access to basic modern energy services such as electric lighting in their homes. Most of these people live in remote rural areas, which makes extension of national electric grids to meet their needs prohibitively expensive. Several solutions involving solar photovoltaic electricity generation, such as solar lanterns, solar home systems (SHS), and solar (AC) mini-grids are being actively pursued to address the energy requirements of these people. These current solutions each have certain limitations, such as high cost for the cases of minigrids and solar home systems, or limited functionality and expandability in the case of solar lanterns. This work describes an approach to rural electrification – solar DC nano-grids – which attempts to address these limitations by providing basic energy services at lowest possible cost, while using a system architecture which is expandable and future-proof.
Bringing off-grid areas under grid quality electricity is one of the main challenges of the 21st ... more Bringing off-grid areas under grid quality electricity is one of the main challenges of the 21st Century. Renewable energy especially solar PV based rural electrification plays a vital role in the context of energy access challenge in the Global South. Among the available technologies, solardiesel hybrid decentralized grid systems are proven to be one of the suitable options for off grid electrification. Despite a world-wide application of hybrid mini-grids, these tend to use topologies based on alternating current. This paper discusses other options with direct current, giving an indepth overview of different topologies for developing DC grids for providing electricity to the off grid area depending on socio-economic and techno-economic perspective. Benefits and areas of application for the case of Bangladesh are elaborated on.
Measuring energy access through binary indicators is insufficient, and often, even misleading. In... more Measuring energy access through binary indicators is insufficient, and often, even misleading. In this work, the SE4ALL global tracking framework, and the recently introduced ESMAP multi-tier approach, is critically discussed analyzing questionnaire based primary data from rural Bangladesh. The performance of different energy interventions is evaluated using the new tier framework. The challenges in its application lie in reliable data collection, adequate gradation of indicators, and an effective algorithm for the tier assignment based on the specified set of attributes. The study showcases very high sensitivities to parameter changes, different algorithms, and data requirements. The results reveal a clear trade-off between capturing the multi-dimensionality of energy access and the simplicity of an easy to use global framework. Suggestions to improve the measuring approach are made and conclusions are drawn for possible implications of the tier framework for different energy servi...
ABSTRACT This paper conceptualizes the link between value chain theory and productive use (PU) fo... more ABSTRACT This paper conceptualizes the link between value chain theory and productive use (PU) focused energy projects based on microfinance mechanisms. Its main argument is that all PU of energy projects focusing on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) development can be interpreted as value chain upgrading attempts. It is argued that successful upgrading greatly depends on the MSMEs embeddedness in specific market contexts. For that reason, the context must be assessed to derive energy based intervention points that cause additional income for MSMEs and consequently development. Based on this rationale, a problem-centred value chain approach is proposed. A case study of the Philippine rice market illustrates the usability of the method by outlining some risks and opportunities the rice value chain context poses to energy based upgrading attempts of rice farmers.
Experts and industry professionals alike recognize the unprecedented success of the solar home sy... more Experts and industry professionals alike recognize the unprecedented success of the solar home system (SHS) program in Bangladesh. With close to 3 Million SHS installed, this is more than the rest of the world combined. Yet, for the program to maintain its momentum, and further market penetration to be achieved, the SHS program is at a point where innovations in payment and delivery models need to be adopted in order to achieve efficiency when working at such a scale.
Exploring energy SME Financing in Emerging and Developing Countries · Sustainable Business Instit... more Exploring energy SME Financing in Emerging and Developing Countries · Sustainable Business Institute (SBI) 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND KEY RECOMMENDATIONS Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) distribute solar photovoltaic-based energy solutions to low-income populations in developing and emerging countries. Like many SMEs, these “energy SMEs” face a financing gap, i.e. a systematic absence of funding (Beck & Demirguc-Kunt 2006; Thampy 2010). Using case studies and interviews with energy SME funders, we confirm the existence of the financing gap and explore its causes and impact, as well as potential mitigation approaches. Our results reveal the specific challenges to obtain funding: the financing gap is mainly caused by information asymmetries between energy SMEs and financial institutions, high working capital costs due to international sourcing of product parts, high upfront costs in establishing service infrastructure, and reduced liquidity for energy SMEs offering end-user fina...
What's moving the off-grid world? A status quo analysis. At the beginning of the 21 st centur... more What's moving the off-grid world? A status quo analysis. At the beginning of the 21 st century, the global energy landscape is changing profoundly. Rapidly improving technologies for decentralized electricity generation are challenging the centralized topology and markets of the energy sectors– and not only in the Global North. They also provide new perspectives for access to modern energy in the Global South. In the World Energy Outlook 2011 the International Energy Agency presented a scenario for universal modern energy access by 2030. In this scenario 70% of rural areas are either connected with mini-grids or with small, stand-alone off-grid solutions. In the past decade, we have seen a surge of interest globally in this topic of energy access, among academics as well as practitioners, investors, and politicians. This could be seen in the small symposium our California-Germany team planned this past April at UC Berkeley, which quickly turned into a fully-fledged conference ev...
As distributed renewable energy (DRE) systems expand rapidly as a means of electrification for th... more As distributed renewable energy (DRE) systems expand rapidly as a means of electrification for the off-grid population, the debate over the relative merits of AC- versus DC-based systems has intensified. Given that most of the DRE generators as well as batteries deliver DC power and that the majority of appliances being used in rural areas (can) run on DC, it follows that DC-based microgrids are a logical and efficient choice as a solution for electrification. This hypothesis is analyzed in detail for a developing country setting applying the new multi-tier methodology for measuring energy access as introduced by ESMAP. Further, a case study is conducted on an innovative DC nanogrid in Bangladesh as a real world test of practicability. Results show that a re-evaluation of current safety concerns is needed as both theory and commercial practice are superior for DC systems. Further, system performances and efficiency results as well as higher affordability of DC-based microgrids, lead...
2014 3rd International Conference on the Developments in Renewable Energy Technology (ICDRET), 2014
This paper outlines a bottom-up concept for microgrids. A case study for Bangladesh illustrates t... more This paper outlines a bottom-up concept for microgrids. A case study for Bangladesh illustrates the potential for building on the existing infrastructure of solar home systems and underlines the strength of the approach: it aims at economic and infrastructure development created from the communities themselves. Individual stand-alone energy systems are linked together to form a microgrid that can expand towards and eventually interconnect with national or regional grids. This approach can be likened to the concept of swarm intelligence, where each individual node brings independent input to create a conglomerate of value even greater than the sum of its parts.
Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment
Funding information Reiner Lemoine-Foundation Recent efforts to measure energy poverty more compr... more Funding information Reiner Lemoine-Foundation Recent efforts to measure energy poverty more comprehensively attempt to redress the shortcomings of binary metrics that remain in common use. However, significant challenges remain both with the construction of the new measurement frameworks and their application. The paper presents an analysis of recent multidimensional measurement approaches and applications to draw inferences on the implications of applying these for the measurement of energy access and in informing policies aimed at improving it. The assessment suggests that despite progress having been made in capturing the multidimensional nature of energy poverty, the new measures are currently too complex to operationalize at the global level and too prescriptive to gain acceptance in diverse national contexts. Further efforts are thus required to consolidate and simplify the new frameworks for global tracking purposes, and to adapt and modify these to specific country contexts to inform national policy and planning. A subset of key energy poverty dimensions and uniform set of indicators need to be shortlisted for the purposes of global comparisons, while specific national tracking efforts can apply dimensions and thresholds most suited to accurately capture energy poverty and its drivers in a given context.
The paper builds on earlier observations using system complexity theory to explain the characteri... more The paper builds on earlier observations using system complexity theory to explain the characteristics of a swarm electrification approach using existing small, distributed renewable energy generation infrastructure integrated into a grid. The concept is based on swarm intelligence where information and electricity flow between neighbors to achieve a compounding network effect, in that they are linked together to form a microgrid but at the same time showing a high degree of resilience as each node/ household can also operate independently. The paper contrasts this approach with traditional stand-alone and minigrid systems in small island development states using the multi-tier framework of measuring energy access and taking into account the particularities that these have, especially with regards to infrastructure and geography. The authors make use of qualitative and quantitative results from first practical applications of swarm electrification in Bangladesh.
International Symposium for Next Generation Infrastructure Conference Proceedings
The study investigates a bottom-up concept for microgrids. Financial analysis is performed throug... more The study investigates a bottom-up concept for microgrids. Financial analysis is performed through a business model approach to test for viability when replacing a researched energy expenditure baseline in Bangladesh. A literature review compares the approach to current trends in microgrids. A case study of Bangladesh illustrates the potential for building on the existing infrastructure base of solar home systems. Opportunities are identified to improve access to reliable energy through a microgrid approach that aims at community-driven economic and infrastructure development by building on network effects generated through the inclusion of localized economies with strong producer-consumer linkages embedded within larger systems of trade and exchange. The analysed approach involves the linking together of individual stand-alone energy systems to form a microgrid that can eventually interconnect with present legacy infrastructure consisting of national or regional grids. The approach is likened to the concept of swarm intelligence, where each individual node brings independent input to create a conglomerate of value greater than the sum of its parts.
ABSTRACT In the past, fuel-based economies have led the way in economic growth, resulting in emis... more ABSTRACT In the past, fuel-based economies have led the way in economic growth, resulting in emissions that are now understood to cause climate change, with major impacts on developing countries. It has become clear that effective climate change mitigation and adaptation not only require restrictions on energy consumption in the developed world, but also a decoupling of economic development and Greenhouse Gas emissions in the South. But can developing countries take a less carbon-intensive path, even though its outcome is highly uncertain? In many scenarios for a sustainable future energy supply, decentralized solutions play a crucial role. Such solutions however, are characterized by various aspects that conventional research paradigms have given little attention, up until now. These research needs are reflected in the concept of Microenergy Systems, which serves as a theoretical basis for the Research Focus and PhD program at the Technische Universität in Berlin. It brings together academics from various disciplines to take a micro-perspective on decentralized energy supply. This paper summarizes the development of this relatively young research group - the experiences of engineers, social and political scientists, economists and planners partaking in joint research and education in the field of decentralized sustainable energy solutions. It will highlight their innovative attempt to establish an international Microenergy Systems scientific community amongst academics who are scattered throughout different institutes at numerous universities worldwide.
More than a billion people worldwide still do not have access to basic modern energy services suc... more More than a billion people worldwide still do not have access to basic modern energy services such as electric lighting in their homes. Most of these people live in remote rural areas, which makes extension of national electric grids to meet their needs prohibitively expensive. Several solutions involving solar photovoltaic electricity generation, such as solar lanterns, solar home systems (SHS), and solar (AC) mini-grids are being actively pursued to address the energy requirements of these people. These current solutions each have certain limitations, such as high cost for the cases of minigrids and solar home systems, or limited functionality and expandability in the case of solar lanterns. This work describes an approach to rural electrification – solar DC nano-grids – which attempts to address these limitations by providing basic energy services at lowest possible cost, while using a system architecture which is expandable and future-proof.
Bringing off-grid areas under grid quality electricity is one of the main challenges of the 21st ... more Bringing off-grid areas under grid quality electricity is one of the main challenges of the 21st Century. Renewable energy especially solar PV based rural electrification plays a vital role in the context of energy access challenge in the Global South. Among the available technologies, solardiesel hybrid decentralized grid systems are proven to be one of the suitable options for off grid electrification. Despite a world-wide application of hybrid mini-grids, these tend to use topologies based on alternating current. This paper discusses other options with direct current, giving an indepth overview of different topologies for developing DC grids for providing electricity to the off grid area depending on socio-economic and techno-economic perspective. Benefits and areas of application for the case of Bangladesh are elaborated on.
Measuring energy access through binary indicators is insufficient, and often, even misleading. In... more Measuring energy access through binary indicators is insufficient, and often, even misleading. In this work, the SE4ALL global tracking framework, and the recently introduced ESMAP multi-tier approach, is critically discussed analyzing questionnaire based primary data from rural Bangladesh. The performance of different energy interventions is evaluated using the new tier framework. The challenges in its application lie in reliable data collection, adequate gradation of indicators, and an effective algorithm for the tier assignment based on the specified set of attributes. The study showcases very high sensitivities to parameter changes, different algorithms, and data requirements. The results reveal a clear trade-off between capturing the multi-dimensionality of energy access and the simplicity of an easy to use global framework. Suggestions to improve the measuring approach are made and conclusions are drawn for possible implications of the tier framework for different energy servi...
ABSTRACT This paper conceptualizes the link between value chain theory and productive use (PU) fo... more ABSTRACT This paper conceptualizes the link between value chain theory and productive use (PU) focused energy projects based on microfinance mechanisms. Its main argument is that all PU of energy projects focusing on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) development can be interpreted as value chain upgrading attempts. It is argued that successful upgrading greatly depends on the MSMEs embeddedness in specific market contexts. For that reason, the context must be assessed to derive energy based intervention points that cause additional income for MSMEs and consequently development. Based on this rationale, a problem-centred value chain approach is proposed. A case study of the Philippine rice market illustrates the usability of the method by outlining some risks and opportunities the rice value chain context poses to energy based upgrading attempts of rice farmers.
Experts and industry professionals alike recognize the unprecedented success of the solar home sy... more Experts and industry professionals alike recognize the unprecedented success of the solar home system (SHS) program in Bangladesh. With close to 3 Million SHS installed, this is more than the rest of the world combined. Yet, for the program to maintain its momentum, and further market penetration to be achieved, the SHS program is at a point where innovations in payment and delivery models need to be adopted in order to achieve efficiency when working at such a scale.
Exploring energy SME Financing in Emerging and Developing Countries · Sustainable Business Instit... more Exploring energy SME Financing in Emerging and Developing Countries · Sustainable Business Institute (SBI) 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND KEY RECOMMENDATIONS Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) distribute solar photovoltaic-based energy solutions to low-income populations in developing and emerging countries. Like many SMEs, these “energy SMEs” face a financing gap, i.e. a systematic absence of funding (Beck & Demirguc-Kunt 2006; Thampy 2010). Using case studies and interviews with energy SME funders, we confirm the existence of the financing gap and explore its causes and impact, as well as potential mitigation approaches. Our results reveal the specific challenges to obtain funding: the financing gap is mainly caused by information asymmetries between energy SMEs and financial institutions, high working capital costs due to international sourcing of product parts, high upfront costs in establishing service infrastructure, and reduced liquidity for energy SMEs offering end-user fina...
What's moving the off-grid world? A status quo analysis. At the beginning of the 21 st centur... more What's moving the off-grid world? A status quo analysis. At the beginning of the 21 st century, the global energy landscape is changing profoundly. Rapidly improving technologies for decentralized electricity generation are challenging the centralized topology and markets of the energy sectors– and not only in the Global North. They also provide new perspectives for access to modern energy in the Global South. In the World Energy Outlook 2011 the International Energy Agency presented a scenario for universal modern energy access by 2030. In this scenario 70% of rural areas are either connected with mini-grids or with small, stand-alone off-grid solutions. In the past decade, we have seen a surge of interest globally in this topic of energy access, among academics as well as practitioners, investors, and politicians. This could be seen in the small symposium our California-Germany team planned this past April at UC Berkeley, which quickly turned into a fully-fledged conference ev...
As distributed renewable energy (DRE) systems expand rapidly as a means of electrification for th... more As distributed renewable energy (DRE) systems expand rapidly as a means of electrification for the off-grid population, the debate over the relative merits of AC- versus DC-based systems has intensified. Given that most of the DRE generators as well as batteries deliver DC power and that the majority of appliances being used in rural areas (can) run on DC, it follows that DC-based microgrids are a logical and efficient choice as a solution for electrification. This hypothesis is analyzed in detail for a developing country setting applying the new multi-tier methodology for measuring energy access as introduced by ESMAP. Further, a case study is conducted on an innovative DC nanogrid in Bangladesh as a real world test of practicability. Results show that a re-evaluation of current safety concerns is needed as both theory and commercial practice are superior for DC systems. Further, system performances and efficiency results as well as higher affordability of DC-based microgrids, lead...
2014 3rd International Conference on the Developments in Renewable Energy Technology (ICDRET), 2014
This paper outlines a bottom-up concept for microgrids. A case study for Bangladesh illustrates t... more This paper outlines a bottom-up concept for microgrids. A case study for Bangladesh illustrates the potential for building on the existing infrastructure of solar home systems and underlines the strength of the approach: it aims at economic and infrastructure development created from the communities themselves. Individual stand-alone energy systems are linked together to form a microgrid that can expand towards and eventually interconnect with national or regional grids. This approach can be likened to the concept of swarm intelligence, where each individual node brings independent input to create a conglomerate of value even greater than the sum of its parts.
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Papers by Sebastian Groh