Smart villages in Asia

Concept of Smart villages is a global modern approach for off-grid communities. Vision behind this concept is to assist the policy makers, donors and socio-economic planner for rural electrification worldwide, with special focus on Asian and African countries. Smart villages concept is engaged in efforts to combat the real barriers to energy access in villages, particularly in developing countries with technological, financial and educational methodology. Since 20th Century Electricity has become a vital part of our lives, though we can survive without electricity but cannot progress and enjoy the benefits of science. World’s large oil companies have predicted that by 2050, one third of the energy will need to come from Solar, Wind and other renewable resources, therefore adoption of renewable resource in place of fossil fuel is the best approach that can be developed through off-grid systems or communities.

Off-grid systems and off-grid communities

Access to un-interrupted and low cost reliable electricity is vital for social and economic development all over the world. Achieving universal access to electricity requires a combination of grid-based and off grid solutions. Without this approach, increasing demand and decreasing supply cannot be stabilized for the mankind on this planet. Nearly 60% of the additional generation required to achieve universal electricity access needs to come from off-grid solutions – both stand-alone and mini-grids. IRENA’s work on Renewable Power Generation Costs concludes that renewable energy technologies are increasingly cost-competitive and are now the most economic option for off-grid electrification in most rural areas. 80% of people of the world living in rural areas do not have access to electricity in addition to lack of employment which force them to migrate to urban areas.

The term “Off-grid” itself is very broad and simply refers to “not using or depending on electricity provided through main or national grids and generated by main power infrastructures. The term is also used to describe a particular lifestyle which is embodied by autonomous structures. Off-grid systems have a semi or autonomous capability to satisfy electricity demand through local power generation. The term off-grid systems cover both mini-grids for serving multiple users and stand-alone systems for individual appliance or users. In spite witnessing use of fossil fuel for power generation by mini or individual off-grid system, it is broadly defined that off-grid systems are actually based on renewable energy resources. The terms “micro-grid, nano-grid and pico-grid are used to differentiate different kinds of mini-grids with size thresholds under off-grid approach.

Off-grid communities in Asia

According to a publication written for the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in 2012, Asia has the largest off-grid population in the world, with 55% of the global off-grid population, and 798 million people having no access to electricity. As per estimates about 700 million or 90% were located in rural Asia. However, research studies reveal that South Asian and Sub-Saharan African countries have been unable to expand their electrification rate. Whereas electrification progress in regions such as Latin America and East Asia (China) indicates a rapid growth. Central Asian countries are blessed with sufficient resources and export their extra electricity to neighboring countries.

Smart village/off-grid communities

Electrification is highly desired by all rural communities. Different international, national and local organizations use different indicators for measuring and reporting mini-grids or stand-alone systems. South Asian countries have been focusing on off-grid electrification of current trend for Rural Electrification (RE) at regional level. India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal have shown good results for RE through off-grid communities.

Eastern Asia/East Asia

About 38% of the population of Asia and 22% in the world, live in East Asia.

Wind farm in Xinjiang, China

China According to IRENA report China in 2013, besides wind farms, had roughly 60,000 diesel and hydro mini-grid systems, most of them connected to the centralized grid. It has further installed 118 GW of solar Photovoltaics systems, of which 500 MW was installed in off-grid systems.

Japan Off-grid or grid divorce is becoming rather big in Japan and the main driver for this trend is the nation’s distrust of its utilities after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Alternative energy technologies have become standard in newly constructed homes. Sekisui House Ltd, a famous Japanese house building firm pointed out that 80% of single-family homes were constructed with alternative energy technology such as solar panels and fuel cells. Reflecting the nation’s mood, Executive Director of Sekisui Company states that “If you’re going to use electricity, you might as well make it yourself.”

Malaysia Acknowledging Solar as green technology, Malaysia has been encouraging solar power for rural electrification and reaffirmed its support of research into off-grid electricity through alternate energy. Malaysian Government also considering potential of smart villages and each village would differ according to the needs of its population.

Indonesia People of Indonesia living in rural areas have been facing low electrification and using fossil fuel for power supply. Additionally many remote communities still lack access to any power at all with little expectation of being supplied on-grid power by the state-owned electricity company (PLN). In the recent past Indonesian government has initiated a properly developed, constructed and sustainable community-owned renewable energy plan to raise the quality of life in rural communities, and under this project plants should be owned, managed and maintained by the rural communities. In 2013 EnDev Indonesia was awarded first prize in the category “Community-based Off-grid”, with its project on micro-hydro power in Lembah Derita, Sumatra Barat.

Philippines With more than 2,000 inhabited islands, it is difficult in Philippines to extend electrical grid to communities in remote areas. In a documentary presentation, CEO of Hybrid Social Solutions Inc. indicated distribution of solar products that have been delivered to poor communities across the Philippines with a future plan of building an ecosystem to support standalone solar energy devices for use by the rural communities. They have also considered it essential to ensure the sustainability and future growth in remote areas with community based solar projects.

North Korea has been focusing on modern technologies for overcoming its chronic energy shortage. Utilization of alternative energy sources in place of fossil fuel consumption is being considered to satisfy the socio-economic requirements of its people

South Korea In June, 2015 Smart Villages (New thinking for off-grid communities worldwide) has conducted a workshop in Seoul to familiarize the people of South Korea about the fast evolving technology moving towards off-grid communities and its support for bright ideas and entrepreneurial efforts in the field of rural energy access

Western Asia/West Asia and Middle East

Geographical marking in the Western Asia consists of 19 countries/territorial states. 5 countries of Asia from this region hold strong financial stability and resources for social development. In this region three countries, According to population demography Turkey, Iraq and Yemen stand at 10th, 13th and 20th position respectively

Turkey With a substantial potential for the renewable energy resources, Turkey holds seventh position in the world (and first in Europe) in terms of geothermal energy. It has also planned to further increase its hydro, wind and solar energy resources. Turkey envisages producing 30% of its electricity need from the renewable by 2023.

Iraq Ten years after the war, the power supply was short of demand. But in April, 2013 Oil Ministry of Iraq highlighted its plan stating that: "By the end of 2013, the crisis will be over for households with supply of electricity around the clock across the country. By the end of 2014, Iraq would have met industrial demand as well”. However, political instability and role of terrorism by the terrorists in Iraq reliable and neutral assessment is still a hard job

Yemen Prior to Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen in Yemen, energy and power supply scenario reveals that 93% Yemenis rural population was using gas canisters as their primary source of fuel. They also spent 55% of their income on food, water and energy. Power supply, where available, comes from government-run plants, the majority of which run on diesel. New capacity additions were slow with poor transmission network

Northern Asia

Russia Covers largest part of Asia with a 17,098,242 km² area in the Northern sub-region of Asia. Russia is the world's fourth largest electricity producer after the USA, China, and Japan. Russia exports electricity to countries e.g. Latvia, Lithuania, Poland etc. However, import and export reversal has also been reported due to cost of production.

South Asia

Afghanistan With its insufficient power supply infrastructure covers its electricity demand through import from electricity-exporting countries i.e. Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Iran, these countries mostly sell their surplus electricity to Afghanistan. Above 4 billion US dollars have so far been disbursed to build power supply infrastructure in Afghanistan but deficiencies not only to its rural/remotes areas but country’s capital needs more considerable help from developed countries for supply of electrification to whole Afghanistan One of the largest solar power project funded at a cost $18 by the government of New Zealand has started functioning for supply of energy to 2,500 households, businesses and government buildings in central Bamyan Province of Afghanistan.

Bangladesh According to a World Bank document, about 62% of Bangladesh's population had access to electricity in 2013, indicating 90% and 43% wide disparity between urban and rural areas. Bangladesh while standing at 134th out of 144 countries on the quality of electricity supply, Renewable Energy for Rural Economic Development (RERED) Project sought to raise levels of social development and economic growth by increasing access to electricity in rural areas. Under REFED notable contribution to social and economic outcomes in rural areas by extending access to electricity through off-grid Solar Home Systems (SHS), has been witnessed and noted with significant increase in Household appliances. The World Bank report envisaged that Off-grid systems can accelerate the benefits of “lighting” in a cost-effective manner, to populations that face uncertain waiting periods for grid-based electricity, or are unlikely to obtain grid-based electricity due to remote or inaccessible locations. Report also focus the role of off-grid communities based on public-private partnership model for off-grid electricity services to the deprived population of Bangladesh.

India With mini-grids and off-grid applications, India is a leading country. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) is its main policy initiative to promote solar energy, including off-grid power development. International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank collaborate with various stakeholders for global off-grid lighting market for reliable electricity to people who have no access to national grids. A neutral, independent, not for profit association called Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA) was conceived out of a joint World Bank/IFC Lighting Africa and private sector effort in 2012. India is the first Asian lighting programs for IFC. Lighting Asia/India program was planned to enable access of two million rural Indians to off-grid lighting solutions by 2015. The program is designed with a series of interventions to alter market behavior by removing specific barriers, for example, the market spoilage created by poor products, lack of information on quality products and on distribution channels, lack of financing for companies and consumers, lack of awareness that quality solar appliances are affordable and viable

Solar cells

Maldives President of Maldives has already launched an initiative to make the Maldives a solar power stronghold to provide rooftop solar panels in the rural and remote areas of the country. Under this project together with a plan to achieve carbon neutral Maldives by 2020, first solar energy panels was installed in one of the school in Villimale district of Male that accompanied the inauguration of the project. However, Maldives needs more concentration over electrification demand of its people especially in rural and remote areas.

Nepal Hydro power and solar resources are sufficient enough to satisfy the electricity demand of the Nepal. However, most of the country’s current energy needs are met with inefficiently used biomass, including firewood (75%), agricultural residues (4%) and animal waste (6%). The rest is met by commercial sources, including petroleum, coal and electricity. Only about 12 percent of the country’s population uses electricity derived from water, wind or sun.In Nepal above 50% households mostly in urban or semi-urban areas are connected to the national grid. Its 80% population is rural. Government of Nepal has launched National Rural and Renewable Energy Program in 2012 with subsidize strategy in an attempt to electrify long-deprived areas. Per Nepal Living Standard Survey 2011 estimates 96% urban 63% rural population has access to electricity. With a total capacity of 107 kW, Nepal’s first mini-grid of its kind was set up in 2012 connecting the micro-hydro plants in Rangkhani, Paiyuthanthap, Sarkuwa and Damek. Besides UNDP is encouraging to put the community at the center of the planning, installing, and operating processes of micro-hydro plants.

Jhimpir Wind Farm

Pakistan Geographically is located to a place where exploitation of solar energy is most conducive, as it is 6th country in the world in terms of solar irradiance where sunshine availability is 8 to 10 hours per day in its most parts. Mini wind farming projects (1-50 kWatts) along with small solar farms scattered over remote inaccessible areas. Use of solar energy in rural villages of Pakistan with solar panels is growing day by day on off-grid concept with community systems is growing considerably. In Pakistan the growth of micro hydro power projects has been led by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme and the Sarhad Rural Support Programme, who have both received the prestigious Ashden international award for their work. They worked with rural support programmes and local village organisations to help communities build micro-hydropower projects across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit–Baltistan, Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir districts. Communities contribute time and labour (known as “sweat equity”) which creates a sense of ownership and helps sustain the projects. The projects typically generate between 5-100 KW of power. By 2015, the Sarhad Rural Support Programme had constructed 166 micro-hydropower projects and brought power to around 275,000 people. Similarly, the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme has supported 191 micro-hydro schemes producing 14.35 MW of power. The government and NGO's provide initial financial and technical support but the hydropower plants are maintained by the communities in the long run for the benefit of future generations. There are several barriers that are keepng Pakistan from nationwide off grid electrification. There is enough wind, water and sun to poweroff grid communities in Pakistan but the rate of conversion from no energy to alternative energy remains slow.

Light Ladies: According to the World Bank Study, almost 44% of Pakistani households have no access to grid based electricity. 80% of this deprived population resides in remote and rural areas. Seeing this, Buksh Foundation, a Lahore based non profit organization in collaboration with the Energy and Resources Institute of India has launched a program "Light Lady" in which two women per village in different rural areas have been trained to utilize solar charging station in their homes, under Lighting Million Lives Project. Two ladies from each focused village provides solar powered lamps to users in their native community on rent. However, this project still requires help from donors and assistance from Government to satisfy the need of rural electrification

900MW Lakvijaya Power Station

Sri Lanka Off-grid electrification schemes are still operating in Sri Lanka in spite 89% systematic grid expansion projects carried out by the Sri Lankan government to national grid. Most of the Village Hydro Schemes (VHS) in Sri Lanka are aided by RERED project funded by World Bank and Global Environment Facility (GEF) these initiatives have established 100-150 Village Hydro Schemes in the country with capacities ranging from 3-50 kW. However, off-grid generation is a diminishing component on the supply side. This is a result of the fast expanding national grid, which now serves more than 90% of all homes.

Awareness competitions in India and Pakistan

Access to reliable and uninterrupted electricity is a chronic demand in villages all over the world. The best solution for overcoming this problem is utilization of alternative energy with modern advancement with implementation of off-grid system.

India

In India competition for all enthusiastic entrepreneurs, individuals and organizations running energy access programmes and businesses in rural villages in India has also been launched and is about to close in November-2015. The participants were asked to highlight close sustainable examples where off-grid system is being practiced providing a platform for "energy entrepreneurs" to discuss the ways for achieving off-grid systems. This competition has also good rewards for successful winners i.e. Cash Prize of I million Indian Rupees, a trip to world Sustainable Development Forum to showcase their business on the main stage, etc.

Pakistan

In Pakistan the Agha Khan University Examination Board in October-2015 launched a "Poster Competition" with the title "when ideas flow villages grow" as an initiative to introduce the idea of Smart Villages among young students and to evaluate best measures for its implementation.The most outstanding poster presentation from across the country will get a chance to visit the University of Cambridge, UK, besides other good prizes.

500px

A female student of Aga Khan Higher Secondary School, one of the participant of the competition conducted the survey from her home place to villagers in remote areas by making connections with them through social media and cellular phones. According to her survey 50% of the people were found not satisfied with the rural electrification rate of PEPCO and other power distribution companies. They also believe that off grid system is now a need for the villages of Pakistan. Majority of the people were in favor of installing solar panels and wind turbines for energy generation in remote areas of Pakistan to boost up the development in energy sector of the country. Pie chart of survey depicts the result of question and their answers.

See also

• Renewable energy in Asia
• Renewable energy in developing countries