Renewable Energy in Less-Developed Economies:Roles and Potentials

Increasing the renewable energy share in national energy mix remains one of the major energy policy goals across many economies. This paper assesses the roles and potentials of renewable energy sources in less-developed economies while citing Nepal as an example. Renewable energy has a significant role to play in the electrification of rural areas in developing economies and contribute towards sustainable development. Realizing full potentials of renewable, however, requires addressing both the associated demand-side and supply–side constraints. Innovative subsidies and tax incentives, adequate entrepreneurial support, strengthening institutional arrangement and promoting local community-based organizations such as the cooperatives are the necessary factors in promoting the green technologies in countries like Nepal. International factors such as large scale investment and adequate technology transfer are equally crucial to create a rapid spread and increase affordability of decentralised renewable energy technologies in less-developed economies.

Keywords: renewable, electrification, research and development

JEL – Codes: Q42; Q01; O33

Please follow the link below to read this full length research article:
http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/31878/

Globalising Electrification

Jimmy Carter once said that ‘globalisation is a policy and not an act of god’. Assuming his witticism holds true; the benefit of globalisation should largely accrue to those with the ability to implement timely and problems-focussed policy making in the economy. The electricity sector remains no exception to it either. Increasing cross–border flow of electricity and the creation of regional energy trading blocs has been one of the hallmarks of modern globalizing economy. Those who joined the bangwagon have largely gained in terms of competitive power prices, increased security of supply and overall socio-economic development as evidenced from several European, Latin American and Asian countries like Bhutan. If so, are we letting yet another opportunity pass by?
The inability of Nepal to develop its own hydro resources as anticipated and the subsequent problems facing the power sector is well-known among the masses. Most notably, around 88% of the national energy demand is met through traditional sources explaining limited opportunities for rural development coupled with environmental degradation. Per capita electricity consumption remains one of the lowest at 89 KWh due to supply limitations under rising electricity demand. The need to expand access to reliable electricity in affordable manner remains the prime challenge.
To read the rest of the article published in 'The Kathmandu Post'; please follow the link below:
http://www.ekantipur.com/2011/06/28/oped/electric-trade/336419.html