Energy enterprises for development in rural areas: the case of clean cooking – project in progress

We at IEI’s Bangalore branch are demonstrating an example of a rural energy-development model that we have designed (referred to in our quarterly newsletters in March ’07 and June ’07).  The demonstration is being supported chiefly by the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, Germany (through its third round of Sustainable Energy Project Support).  The main purpose is to deliver clean and efficient cooking fuel to rural families, including the poorest, and sustain this delivery with employment and income generation.  While one village demonstration will take place during the project period of a year, it could facilitate larger-scale replication in the future.
 
On the basis of suitability criteria drawn up during the initial stage of the project and a survey of several villages, one village (Chikkana Devara hatti) in the state of Karnataka has been selected for the demonstration.

The construction of the dairy and the biogas plants is in progress.  The dairy construction, consisting of four large cattle-sheds and a small office, is nearly complete.  Water supply for the dairy is also being arranged.  Simultaneously, construction of the biogas plants, to be shared between adjoining households, is under way.  [Click here for a pictorial summary of progress, September 2007].  Meanwhile, arrangements are being made for the selection and purchase of cows.  People from the village have been employed for construction labour, and will later be involved at the dairy and biogas systems.  Once the system is in operation, every home in this village will be supplied with biogas (generated from cow dung) for cooking.  This fuel supply will be sustained through linkage with the dairy whose revenue from milk sales will accrue to the co-operative of village families.  The project will therefore facilitate the use of fuel that will be beneficial for the health of the people exposed and for the environment, and also improve the livelihood of the village families.

Energy for Sustainable Development (ESD), the journal of the International Energy Initiative

From the 1^st of April 2007, the Regional Energy Initiative – Asia has been directly involved with the production of IEI’s journal Energy for Sustainable Development (ESD).  This includes editorial processing, publishing, web site management, and circulation.  ESD has been supporting IEI’s activities, by being a medium for information exchange, for conveying the results of analytical and training efforts, and for sharing the lessons learnt from field projects.

A new web site www.esd-journal.org has been developed.  It is dedicated to the journal and contains all 49 issues published, accessible at www.esd-journal.org/esd-issues.html.  A search facility assists in location of articles from the archives www.esd-journal.org/esd-search.html. 

The most recent issue is a general issue with special sections on direct solar energy conversion and on transport and energy, (Vol. XI, No.3, September 2007), available at http://www.esd-journal.org/vol 11_issue3.html