Lessons from the World Bank’s solar home system-based rural electrification projects (2000–2020): Policy implications for meeting Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030

The main objective of this review paper is to examine the lessons learnt from 16 solar home system (SHS)-based World Bank projects implemented between 2000 and 2020 in the remote rural areas of developing countries. This study emphasises the role of SHS as a technology option in providing electricit...

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Main Author: Chian-Woei Shyu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-12-01
Series:Energy Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352484723001361
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author Chian-Woei Shyu
author_facet Chian-Woei Shyu
author_sort Chian-Woei Shyu
collection DOAJ
description The main objective of this review paper is to examine the lessons learnt from 16 solar home system (SHS)-based World Bank projects implemented between 2000 and 2020 in the remote rural areas of developing countries. This study emphasises the role of SHS as a technology option in providing electricity to the remaining 10% of the world’s population without access to electricity. This study identifies three major internal factors and two external factors that may affect the successful implementation. The internal factors that emerge within the project and arise primarily during its design and implementation include financial barriers (barriers on subsidies and investment support, risk management and commercial viability, credit services and support, and partnerships with the local banking sector and micro-finance institutions), technical barriers (barriers on effective operation, maintenance and after-sales technical service, qualified technical entities and professionals, product quality assurance and monitoring, and the availability and feasibility of other complementary energy technology applications) and project design and implementation barriers (barriers on the monitoring, evaluation and sustainability of the project, the development of local capacity, and clearly defined project objectives). The external factors that have emerged outside the project and are already existing in the societal context include political and institutional barriers (barriers on the institutional framework and its sustainability, and political support and commitment from the community and local political leaders) and social and cultural barriers (barriers on building trust, relationships, confidence and partnerships among stakeholders, the sociocultural perceptions of SHSs, maintaining ongoing dialogues, coordination and cooperation among stakeholders, and adapting to changing international and local conditions). Subsequently, this study considers policy implications that are valuable for the current and upcoming challenges of rural electrification in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 – electricity for all – by 2030.
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spelling doaj.art-6c372d1e706345639ec7ac116e01ed222023-07-13T05:29:25ZengElsevierEnergy Reports2352-48472023-12-01928202838Lessons from the World Bank’s solar home system-based rural electrification projects (2000–2020): Policy implications for meeting Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030Chian-Woei Shyu0Department of Political Science, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, TaiwanThe main objective of this review paper is to examine the lessons learnt from 16 solar home system (SHS)-based World Bank projects implemented between 2000 and 2020 in the remote rural areas of developing countries. This study emphasises the role of SHS as a technology option in providing electricity to the remaining 10% of the world’s population without access to electricity. This study identifies three major internal factors and two external factors that may affect the successful implementation. The internal factors that emerge within the project and arise primarily during its design and implementation include financial barriers (barriers on subsidies and investment support, risk management and commercial viability, credit services and support, and partnerships with the local banking sector and micro-finance institutions), technical barriers (barriers on effective operation, maintenance and after-sales technical service, qualified technical entities and professionals, product quality assurance and monitoring, and the availability and feasibility of other complementary energy technology applications) and project design and implementation barriers (barriers on the monitoring, evaluation and sustainability of the project, the development of local capacity, and clearly defined project objectives). The external factors that have emerged outside the project and are already existing in the societal context include political and institutional barriers (barriers on the institutional framework and its sustainability, and political support and commitment from the community and local political leaders) and social and cultural barriers (barriers on building trust, relationships, confidence and partnerships among stakeholders, the sociocultural perceptions of SHSs, maintaining ongoing dialogues, coordination and cooperation among stakeholders, and adapting to changing international and local conditions). Subsequently, this study considers policy implications that are valuable for the current and upcoming challenges of rural electrification in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 – electricity for all – by 2030.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352484723001361Access to electricityRural electrificationSolar home systemWorld BankSustainable development goal
spellingShingle Chian-Woei Shyu
Lessons from the World Bank’s solar home system-based rural electrification projects (2000–2020): Policy implications for meeting Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030
Energy Reports
Access to electricity
Rural electrification
Solar home system
World Bank
Sustainable development goal
title Lessons from the World Bank’s solar home system-based rural electrification projects (2000–2020): Policy implications for meeting Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030
title_full Lessons from the World Bank’s solar home system-based rural electrification projects (2000–2020): Policy implications for meeting Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030
title_fullStr Lessons from the World Bank’s solar home system-based rural electrification projects (2000–2020): Policy implications for meeting Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030
title_full_unstemmed Lessons from the World Bank’s solar home system-based rural electrification projects (2000–2020): Policy implications for meeting Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030
title_short Lessons from the World Bank’s solar home system-based rural electrification projects (2000–2020): Policy implications for meeting Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030
title_sort lessons from the world bank s solar home system based rural electrification projects 2000 2020 policy implications for meeting sustainable development goal 7 by 2030
topic Access to electricity
Rural electrification
Solar home system
World Bank
Sustainable development goal
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352484723001361
work_keys_str_mv AT chianwoeishyu lessonsfromtheworldbankssolarhomesystembasedruralelectrificationprojects20002020policyimplicationsformeetingsustainabledevelopmentgoal7by2030