Olade presents the rural electrification projects developed through the Workbook 2017, Access to Energy Services Through Renewable Sources in Latin America & the Caribbean, published by Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) and the Inter-American Development Bank
This workbook presents case studies on access to clean energy in Latin America and the Caribbean. The publication includes the experiences developed by Olade in Guatemala, Bolivia and Guyana, countries where the Methodology for Rural Energization was applied, whose results favored access to energy, as well as the local development of the participating communities.
In Guatemala, the pilot project consisted of a small hydroelectric power plant of 90 kW that provides power to 800 inhabitants, from three communities in the town of Batzchocolá. The inclusion of the analysis of social variables, the empowerment of community members, the participation of different actors, including the private sector, and the implementation of productive projects for the use of electricity in trades such as carpentry, cardamom dryer, microcredit fund and a technology center, achieved that the energy project achieves long-term sustainable development for the beneficiary communities.
In the case of Bolivia in Charagua Norte, three communities are beneficiaries of the developed projects. The Espino community has a micro grid, a photovoltaic system for residential energy, and productive projects such as poultry farms, powered by photovoltaic systems.
The analysis of social variables also includes the issue of gender, so that women and young people in the communities strengthen their capacities to manage long-term productive projects.
In Guyana, photovoltaic solar energy has been the ideal option to generate development in three communities: Shulinab, Powaikoru and Morakaibai. The productive projects in these communities consist of the cooling of fishing and hunting products, solar dryers for fruits and equipment of community houses for guests.
According to data from Olade, at the moment Latin America and the Caribbean, have reached an electrical coverage higher than 96%. In addition, the IDB indicates that the region has the conditions to achieve universal access by the year 2030. However, there are still around 21.8 million Latin Americans without access to energy, which becomes a challenge that must be carried out jointly with governments, communities, international organizations and private entities.
Olade, as part of this effort, makes available to its Member Countries the Methodology of Management of Rural Energization Projects, including Social Variables and Corporate Social Responsibility, whose objective is to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of rural communities, using energy as a tool for
the achievement of an integral rural development in the long term, through the establishment of the alliance between several actors, especially with the organized communities that have been strengthened in their capacities, to manage the supply project of electric power for your own consumption. With a focus on sustainability and implementation of productive ventures, and local socio-economic development of the energy system implemented.
The document of ARE and BID can be found at the following link: https://www.ruralelec.org/sites/default/files/2017-12-15_are_best_practices_latam.pdf
