INTEGRATION has developed a unique ‘QUALITY ELECTRICITY PLUS’ strategy which represents a new approach to conventional electric supply strategies in rural areas. It aims to increase the poverty alleviation impact of rural electrification by adding components or activities which enable rural poor households to participate in the productive or leisure use of electricity. ‘QEP’ stands for regular and stable supply of electricity, good maintenance services at affordable prices and special tariffs for poor households.

The positive impacts of electricity use on rural households in general and especially on poor households can be enhanced by a broader and more comprehensive view and concept of rural development and its interrelations and linkages with electricity supply and consumption. This broader view applies for initial electrification as well as for network improvements of rural areas with a certain number of poor households.

In order to build a coherent pro-poor rural electrification approach, several steps are necessary before implementing the QEP strategy, e.g. a  “Pro-Poor Policy” decision by the responsible Government bodies, potential demand and opportunities analysis, integration of QEP packages into the ‘village development plan’.

INTEGRATION offers to implement QEP according to four principal approaches.

1. Improvement of the use of Quality Electricity
2. Quality Electricity PLUS credits and loans
3. Quality Electricity PLUS training
4. Quality Electricity PLUS additional infrastructure

Productive Use Approaches

There are four principle alternative situations in rural electrification observed which will determine the options and activities of promoting rural development through the productive use of electricity.

• The extension of the public grid in rural areas;
• The electricity supply by an IPP to the public grid;
• An isolated or stand-alone local grid in remote rural areas or in single villages;
• An individual household electricity supply situation.

As to those four rural electrification situations several approaches of the RESCO, the public energy supplier or concerned government agencies could be considered to enhance the productive use of electricity.

Productive use of electricity is closely related to the promotion of small and micro business promotion to create employment and introduce income-generating activities.
The services of INTEGRATION include activities such as

• Implementation of rapid appraisal of rural business potentials and markets;
• Accessing small investment opportunities (pre-feasibility studies);
• Establishment of micro credit facilities or small investment loans;
• Demonstration of appropriate technologies in local / regional trade fairs or road shows;
• Others, such as compilation of technology catalogues, marketing support, etc.

Not all those opportunities might necessarily use electricity, but most of them are closely linked. (Processing of agricultural or forest products, repair or other services such as restaurants, accounting, transport, etc.).

INTEGRATION project examples:

• BRAZIL: Energy Program Brazil, Component ‘Rural Electrification’ (2009 – 2012)
• AFGHANISTAN: Energy Supply in Rural Areas of Afghanistan (ESRA) (2008 – 2010)
• CHINA/TIBET: Renewable Energy, Rural Development and Qualification in Tibet (2006 – 2010)
• CAMBODIA: Rural Energy for Productive Use and Income Generation (2006-2010)
• INDONESIA: Strategic and Conceptual Support for the “Self Sufficient Energy Village Program” (2008 – 2009)
• TANZANIA: Promotion of Renewable Energy in Rural Areas (2005 – 2008)
• AFGHANISTAN: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Rural Areas (2005 – 2007)
• CHINA/TIBET: Rural Infrastructure and Vocational Training (2001 - 2006) )
• LAOS/VIETNAM: Rural Energy Initiative for Productive Use of Renewable Energies (2003 – 2004)
• CHINA: Rural Electricity Supply Study (2001 – 2004)