HORIZON INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS SITE

Problem Overview:

Inadequate energy supplies and services, with reliance on unsustainable fuelwood and diesel energy sources.

Rural areas of Kordofan State in Sudan faced inadequate energy supplies and services while they relied primarily on fuelwood and diesel as energy sources. These methods proved to be unsustainable as fuelwood contributed to higher levels of deforestation and diesel pumps were costly in their operation and maintenance. The high cost and scarcity of petroleum products, low coverage of the electricity grid and increasing scarcity of traditional wood fuels due to deforestation created an energy deficit situation in Kordofan. Fuelwood and petroleum products did not meet local energy needs which include: transport, public power generation and water supply, private electricity, water pumping for irrigation and village use, mills for grinding grain, domestic and public lighting (i.e., schools, homes, and hospitals).

Much time, particularly that of women, is spent collecting fuelwood, drawing or fetching water and in hand-milling grain. Human energy is substituted for more efficient alternatives, severely limiting the availability of human resources to perform tasks beyond subsistence.

Insufficient health care can also be attributed to inefficient, unsustainable energy production and distribution; most health facilites lack communication systems and refrigeration to store vaccines for immunization.

Without a renewable and adequate energy source, rural areas of Kordofan State would face an accelerated rate of environmental degradation and desertification; continuing degradation of existing energy infrastructure due to lack of resources for maintenance; limited and diminishing productive capacities (human and natural) to support household economies and income generation; fewer opportunities for gainful employment, and a growing volume of young untrained urban and rural inhabitants.

Background:

The Rural Solar Energy Development Project (RSED) is a direct offshoot of the Area Development Scheme Kordofan (ADS)and was developed as a means of catalyzing renewable energy technology distribution, implementation and commercialization. The goal of RESD is to provide viable solar energy technology to satisfy basic energy needs of rural communities both domestically and publicly; develop a private sector infrastructure for installation and maintenance to support communities; and, institute measures to promote a more favorable climate for market growth.

RSED has accomplished many of its goals. First, solar technology has supported and improved health, education, and water supply services in Kordofan. Second, small-scale enterprises, built on well-trained managerial and operational staff, function profitably to install, service and maintain rural solar energy systems. And finally, these national and regional initiatives have provided a framework for the larger acceptance of solar technology in rural areas.

Photovoltaic (PV) technology was installed in schools and learning centers to encourage literacy programs, structured homework sessions, and better teaching methodology. PV technology was also used to power refrigeration systems, lighting, and communication systems in health centers, thus offering extended health coverage. Finally, PV technology has also been used in generating income in other sectors of the economy, such as water pumps for agricultural use and grain grinding mills.

The implementation of the Rural Solar Energy Development Project provided a framework to introduce effective and sustainable use of solar energy resources in Kordofan to improve services and to strengthen the economy of poor rural communities in the State. In the context of this project, sustainable implies the need to develop policies for technology promotion and creation of entrepreneurial capacity to manufacture (some components), install and service the proposed systems, in addition to the direct input of energy systems in rural villages to meet defined energy needs.

Photovoltaic (PV) technology, such as water pumps for irrigation, lighting, battery charging, and grain grinding, was installed in 50 communities in schools, learning centers, health centers, economic and agricultural structures to promote income generation. At the small-enterprise level this meant that personnel from mechanical workshops in Kordofan were trained to manage installation and maintenance programs of PV systems and to manufacture components. At the national level, a series of initiatives were introduced to improve the future market potential for viable PV systems. The principal beneficiaries of the program are the members of the rural communities in Kordofan, and in particular, women and children.

The provision of energy to health units and schools increased literacy rates and improved the health of these vulnerable groups. Women were encouraged to utilize and manage the solar energy technology to produce food and generate revenue to enhance food and water security.

Implementation:

The implementation of the project was broken down into three immediate objectives. The first was to establish sustainable solar technology in at least 50 rural communities in the State of Kordofan by establishing a project team, procuring and installing project equipment, training personnel in operation and management of technology, establishing credit opportunities to finance the project, and motivating the individuals and associations to operate and manage the system. The second direct objective was to strengthen the capacity of public and private institutions in the provision of "after sales service" and marketing of PV systems, such that they are able to survive economically, and contribute technically, after the end of the project. And the final objective was to encourage commercialization of solar technology through policy development which promotes sustainable and profitable expansion of solar technology application.

Supervision of project implementation was provided on three levels. The first was through a steering committee comprised of high level State officials and project managers to oversee the overall implementation and ensure that activities are coordinated with other State development efforts. The second was through a technical committee composed of technical experts, which offered more technical advice on implementation issues, feasibility, solar technology enterprise development, credit arrangements, and contracts. The third level was through close cooperation at the local level with management of other UN projects operating in Kordofan, in particular, Vocational Training for Income Generation and the Integrated Women's Project.

The El Ga'a brine processing plant provides an example of the successful introduction of low cost solar technology in Kordofan. The use of solar evaporative processes in the village of Ga'a greatly reduced fuelwood consumption for the village and outlying communities and improved the profitability of the process. Potable water was also produced through evaporation and reduced the need for costly transport of drinking water.

Status:

The program has been implemented since 1990 in 50 communities at the community level in schools, health units, grain mills, water pumps, and domestically.

Follow-up:

The project was subject to tripartite (TPR) review by representation of the Government, Cooperating Agency and UNDP at least once every 12 months. Based on the TPR review on 15 December 1997, the outputs pertaining to technology introduction, namely those on technical capacity, training, enterprises involvement in installation and community support, were satisfactorily attained, except that on the establishment of community-based credit system. Within the institutional framework of the project, policy makers were fully exposed to the solar energy technology, namely technology transfer, adoption, local manufacturing and maintenance.The evaluators, however, did note that the DC solar system in water pumping remains inefficient.

The project has also shown a number of indicators ascertaining a strong likelihood of its sustainability. These can be indicated as follows:

a) individuals and communities willing to pay for PV energy-based services;
b) the presence of a perpetuated public awareness;
c) federal and state governments and utility company representatives realized the key role that PV can play in economic development and environmental protection;
d) a positive perception of the local private sector of the present and potential markets for the solar systems;
e) institutional capacity to train local technicians on the design, installation and maintenance of the PV systems has been acquired by the ERI; and organization of communities in the PV user groups that can receive credit, purchase PV systems and receive services at lower costs, yet to be linked to financial institutions.

Submitted by:

Clare Parker
Email: cparker@rona.unep.org
Address: United Nations Environment Programme, 2 UN Plaza,Rm. DC2-803, NY, NY, 10017

NOTE:          

Resources on Energy, Global Climate Change, and the Environment: Links with detailed information are available on the Horizon Solutions Site.

Information Date: 1998-07-01
Information Source: "Sustainable Development Success Stories," The United Nations Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development