Task 9 Status Report - Annual report 2001

Task 9 Status Report
Deployment of PV technologies: co-operation with developing countries

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Last updated: 24 November 2002

Overall objective

The conventional grid will not reach the estimated two billion people in developing countries without access to electricity in the foreseeable future. Renewable energy, and in particular PV, is uniquely attractive as a source of electricity for basic services and to contribute directly to the alleviation of poverty. PV systems can provide power for a wide range of applications including: systems for use in social services such as health clinics (refrigeration for vaccines, sterilization and lighting), schools and community centres; domestic solar home systems (50-100 Wp) that provide electricity for 4 or 5 lights and low power appliances such as a radio; community battery charging units; and water-pumping for provision of water for drinking, livestock and in some cases irrigation requirements. In many areas the technology is already cost-competitive with traditional alternatives, such as kerosene lamps and small diesel generators. The objective of Task 9 is to increase the rate of successful deployment of PV systems (i.e., the rate of rural electrification) in developing countries. This will be promoted through enhanced cooperation and flow of information between the IEA-PVPS Programme and developing countries, development banks, multilateral and bilateral aid agencies, and other targeted groups within developing countries. Task 9 draws upon other similar existing programmes and networks and builds upon these to provide an effective and efficient programme that addresses the needs and potential of developing countries, multilateral and bilateral donor agencies and development banks.

Fig. 1 - Participants at Renewable Energy Seminar in Jakarta, March 2001.

In order to achieve its objective, the collaborative work is organized into three Subtasks with the following objectives:

Subtask 9.10: Deployment infrastructure: contributes to overcoming the critical barriers to widespread PV deployment and implementation through the development, dissemination and application of a series of Recommended Practice Guides (RPGs) to promote the necessary infrastructure requirements in developing countries.
The objective of this subtask is to develop, disseminate and apply a coherent series of Recommended Practice Guides (RPGs) to promote the necessary infrastructure requirements in developing countries to help overcome the critical barriers to widespread PV deployment and implementation.
Subtask 9.20: Support and cooperation: stimulates awareness and interest amongst the multi- and bilateral agencies, NGOs and other target sectors on the technical and economic potential, opportunities and recommended practice of PV systems. This will enable decision makers to obtain the expertise and knowledge that is required for appropriate PV system deployment.
The aim of Subtask 9.20 is to stimulate awareness and interest amongst the target sectors on the technical and economic potential, opportunities and recommended practice of PV systems. This will enable decision-makers to obtain the expertise and knowledge that is required for appropriate PV system deployment
Subtask 9.30: Technical and economic aspects of PV in developing countries: identifies the various technical supply options available and consider the issues relating to the preparation, design and implementation of PV deployment programmes.
The Experts appointed to the Task cover a broad range of experience, including technical PV experts, development economists, and other renewable energy technologists. The Task also includes representatives of the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Development Programme, and developing country representatives are being encouraged to participate.
The aim of subtask 9.30 is to investigate the techno-economic aspects and potential of PV systems in developing countries. The objectives are to identify the various technical supply options available and consider the issues relating to the preparation, design and implementation of PV deployment programmes.

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Fig. 3 - Solar home system in Indonesia

Accomplishments for 2001

Subtask 9.10: Deployment infrastructure
- Activity 9.11: Information compilation and analysis
  A draft of a document highlighting the issues pertinent to the large scale deployment of PV in developing countries has been prepared: PV Deployment in Developing Nations: An Overview. The document provides an overview of the issues to be considered when a developing country PV deployment programme is being developed. A series of case studies will provide supporting information. The issues are dealt with more thoroughly in the individual Recommended Practice Guides being developed in Activity 12. Nine case studies have been prepared by the Task Experts covering PV experience in China, India, Kenya, Kiribati, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, the Sahel and Zimbabwe.
- Activity 9.12: Recommended practice guides
  The drafting of five following Recommended Practice Guides is under way. Initial drafts were presented at the 4th and 5th Experts’ meetings.
  1. RPG: Institutional and Infrastructure Frameworks
  2. RPG: Capacity Building
  3. RPG: Deployment Models, Financing and Investment Mechanisms
  4. RPG: Financing SHS in Developing Countries
  5. RPG: Quality Assurance
- Activity 9.13: Dissemination and promotion of recommended practice guides
  This activity had not commenced in 2001.
Subtask 9.20: Support and co-operation
- Activity 9.21: Support to multilateral and bilateral donors and development banks
  Task 9 organized a number of workshops in 2001 in collaboration with external organizations:
  - A Renewable Energy Promotion Seminar, March 2001 - coordinated by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and Task 9 for the ASEAN Centre for Energy in conjunction with the 4th Experts Meeting in Jakarta.
  - Financing Solar Home Systems in Developing Countries, March 2001 – coordinated by ISES and Task 9.
  - PV in Rural Electrification Workshop for CIDA, September 2001. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is a major bilateral donor. The workshop was targeted at CIDA staff with an interest in energy, environment and rural development and who are involved in the design and management of projects for rural areas of developing countries.
  - PV Horizon – PV Hybrid Systems Workshop, September 2001. PV Horizon was organised by the Photovoltaic and Hybrid Systems Program of the CANMET Energy Diversification Research Laboratory (CEDRL) in collaboration with Task 3.
  The work of Task 9 was also presented at PV conferences in Germany, Korea and Mongolia.
- Activity 9.22: Co-operation with REWP and IEA/OECD
  Task 9 prepared a paper on behalf of the PVPS ExCo, which was submitted to the G8 Renewable Energy Task Force in October 2000. The PVPS submission to the G8 Task Force was well received and clearly influenced the first Final Report, which was presented to the G8 Heads of Government at their Summit meeting in Genoa in July 2001. Task 9 was mandated by the ExCo to make a proposal for an Executive Conference provisionally titled: Renewable Energy for Rural Services. An initial proposal was drafted and submitted to the ExCo in February 2001. However, it is now unlikely that the Conference will take place as initially envisaged and alternatives are being investigated. One option being pursued is to combine this with the Village Power Conference, which is generally hosted by the World Bank and organized by the USA.
Subtask 9.30: Technical and economic aspects of PV in developing countries
Following a delay in identifying a leader for Subtask 30, the subtask is now on schedule with a revised work plan under the leadership of the USA. The subtask now has the following 2 activities:
- Activity 9.31: Programme Design and Implementation
  Activity 9.31 is considering the issues relating to the preparation, design and implementation of PV deployment programmes: the various technical supply options - stand-alone systems, diesel hybrid village/ mini grid systems and grid-connected systems; and the availability and use of new analysis tools. This will provide guidance for programme planners on the various rural electrification approaches and the technical supply options available. A draft version of the Recommended Practice Guide, provisionally titled, "Programme Design and Implementation:, was prepared in 2001.
- Activity 9.32: Proposal Preparation
  Activity 9.32 will provide guidance on the potential sources of finance for PV deployment programmes and the processes involved in accessing this finance. The processes by which finance can be obtained from the World Bank Group, bilateral donors, utilities etc will be identified and summarised in a Recommended Practice Guide, provisionally titled, "Proposal Preparation". The first draft of the guide has been prepared.

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Activities planned for 2002

Subtask 9.10: Deployment infrastructure
Final drafts of the Recommended Practice Guides, Case Studies and Overview Document will be produced for presentation at the 6th Experts Meeting in Mexico.
The documents will be published on the Internet in Autumn 2002 and will be launched at an international workshop to promote the guides to as wide an audience as possible. Further dissemination of the documents will be through the internet and activities in Subtask 20. Any feedback received will be incorporated into revisions of the RPGs.
Subtask 9.20: Support and co-operation
A series of further workshops are planned over the next three years. Two workshops are planned for 2002:
- Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency.
- Asian Development Bank
The following agencies have also been identified as host institutions for further workshops:
- World Bank Group, Washington
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), New York
- Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila
- Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in-country-office in a Latin American State
- African Development Bank (AFDB), Abidjan
- European Commission (EC), Brussels
In particular, identification of a suitable event to act as a vehicle to launch the RPGs will be carried out. The aim of such an event would be to act as a high profile event to launch the RPGs to promote them to as wide an audience as possible.
Subtask 9.30: Technical and economic aspects of PV in developing countries
The first drafts of the two Recommended Practice Guides will be produced for presentation at the 6th Experts Meeting in Mexico. The documents will be published in Autumn 2002 and will be launched, with the RPGs from Activity 10, at an international workshop. Further dissemination of the documents will be through the Internet and activities in Subtask 9.20.

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Participating countries, key participants in 2001 and their organizations

Current participants and experts supporting them are listed in Task 9 participants.
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Meeting schedule (2001 and planned 2002)

4th Experts Meeting, 26-27 March 2001, ASEAN Centre for Energy, Jakarta, Indonesia.
5th Expert Meeting, 12-13 September 2001, Ottawa, Canada.
6th Experts Meeting, 26-28 February 2002, Oaxaca, Mexico
7th Experts Meeting, September 2002, Manila, Philippines

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