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 sdmast.jpg (21763 bytes)
Linkages Home ball.gif (204 bytes) Sustainable Developments


Empowering People and Transforming Markets
 4-8 December 2000, The World Bank

 

 

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Visitors to the Solar Village, the World Bank.


On Monday, 4 December, the Village Power 2000 participants met in five overlapping workshops focusing on:

  • micro-enterprise/introduction of technology to indigenous peoples;
  • rural telecommunications and digital technologies;
  • Village Power models – computer-based analysis for rural energy development;
  • solar technician training and certification; and
  • long-term world energy scenarios and the role of renewable energy.


Each workshop involved a number of expert presentations, as well as discussion of the issues among the participants.

 

 

Workshop: Introducing Technology to Indigenous Peoples and the Role of Micro-Enterprise

THE ISSUES

Speaking on affordability and income generation, David Kittleson of NRECA stressed the need to understand the interplay between spiritual, cultural, political, health-related and economic aspects of the lives of people in rural communities. He said that to succeed with rural development, poverty alleviation and electrification, an understanding of what the people targeted want is essential.

 

THE EXPERIENCE

Jagan Nath Shresta of the Nepal Solar Energy Society spoke on the market potential of photovoltaic technology in Nepal. He presented examples of successful implementation of solar systems for telecommunication, water pumping, drip irrigation, education, as well as activities generating income through provision of services related to: rural telecommunication services; cordless telephone systems; photocopying; and internet access.

MODELS FOR MICRO-ENTERPRISE

DiPal Barua, of Grameen Shakti (Grameen Energy) in Bangladesh provided a slideshow on the activities of the Grameen Bank. The bank started as a loan system in the 1970s, and now has 2.4 million clients among the landless poor. On Grameen Shakti, DiPal Barua highlighted its solar energy programme, which involves local technician training and active maintenance.

 


 

Workshop: Rural Telecommunications & Digital Technologies

Overview of Telecommunications and Information Technologies for Rural Development

Juan Navas-Sabater, World Bank, addresses the workshop on the use of telecommunications and information technologies in rural development. "Rural communities are a key element for economic and social development."

Experiences and Lessons Learned From Rural Deployment of Telecommunication and Information Technologies

Maria Kendro, National Telephone Cooperative Association, discusses the role of rural telecenters.

Remote Power Systems for Deployment of ICT Systems in Un-electrified Rural Areas

Charles Hanley, Sandia National Laboratories, on off-grid power systems for rural distance education. He spoke on considerations in the selection of power systems and end-use equipment, and technical assistance to implementing agencies.

Taking the Initiative: Examples From Different Organizations

William Howley, Winrock International, leads a discussion on challenges to integrating ITC into rural development programs. He says the productive use of renewable energy is a key to rural market strategy.

 

Discussion on the Intersection of Rural Energy and Rural Deployment of ICT Systems

Marie-Louise Caravatti, US Department of Energy, moderates a panel on public-private partnerships. Panelists include representatives of the Discovery Channel Global Education Fund, E-Bay Foundation, Lucent Technologies, SunGuard, ICSI and SolarQuest.

 

 

Workshop: Village Power Models: Computer-based Analysis for Rural Energy Development

Doug Danley, Orion Energy, presents Nsol, a program for sizing PV systems.  The program uses a complex mathematical algorithm to incorporate the critical factors.

 

 

Workshop: Solar Technician Training & Certification

Mark Fitzgerald, Institute for Sustainable Power, describes how training and certification programs promote the quality of power practitioners globally while creating local jobs, assisting the finance community and improving quality and reliability in the industry.

 

 

Workshop: Long-term World Energy Scenarios and the Role of Renewable Energy

Walter Short, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, concludes that smart policies can reduce US carbon dioxide emissions at little or no net cost by fostering improvements in energy efficiency and encouraging further development of wind resources.

 

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