Abstract
Electrification programs are often justified on the basis of expected socioeconomic benefits resulting from “productive uses” of energy such as increased income and additional employment creation. Productive uses of energy (PUE) are important, not only because they act as the main channel for translating energy access into poverty reduction through increased employment and incomes, but also because of their role in securing the sustainability of electrification. However, public authorities, utilities, and development partners are still not systematically integrating PUE promotion in the design of electrification programs. This can partly be explained by a general lack of knowledge within electric utilities, energy ministries, and energy departments of donor institutions regarding issues not directly related to energy. This paper attempts to start filling the knowledge gap of those in charge of planning and implementing electrification projects about how PUE can be actively promoted. Based on a review of existing experience with PUE promotion, the paper (i) identifies and discusses five different PUE promotion approaches that have been used by governments, utilities, and development organizations and (ii) describes the institutions involved in PUE promotion as well as the roles they typically perform.
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Notes
- 1.
For more information on productive use of thermal energy, please refer to Brüderle et al. (2013).
- 2.
Experience with the PUE promotion activities in Peru between 2006 and 2011, which were supported by ESMAP, is documented in Finucane et al. (2012).
- 3.
Providing electricity to farmers free of charge is not recommended, because of the potential negative effects on the viability of the utility company and the risk of overuse of water for irrigation.
- 4.
For more information on this program, see Tuntivate and Barnes (2007).
- 5.
The NRECA experience with PUE promotion is summarized in NRECA International (n.d.).
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Attigah, B., Rammelt, M., Mayer-Tasch, L. (2015). Increasing the Impact of Electrification Through the Promotion of Productive Uses. In: Hostettler, S., Gadgil, A., Hazboun, E. (eds) Sustainable Access to Energy in the Global South. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20209-9_4
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