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Authors
Warwick Franklin
Issue Date
30/01/2015
Type
Language
en
Keywords
Energy
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Abstract
Chambamontera area. The Eastern slopes of the Andes in North Peru are among the least developed parts of the country with the majority of people living in remote villages with little or no access to grid electricity. Whilst high rainfall supports a diverse range of agricultural activities, the lack of access to grid electricity makes life a daily struggle for survival and severely restricts economic development of the region. As a result a high proportion of the population leave the area in search of better opportunities. The usual strategy adopted to address the lack of access to essential electricity is to extend the national grid. However with over five million people living without access to electricity in the Andean areas of Peru where grid extension is an unrealistic option, there is an urgent need to find effective alternatives. Practical Action has been at the forefront of searching for and investing in an alternative that provides access to essential electricity as well as addressing the high levels of poverty in the region. Since 1992, through their Renewable Energy Promotion Fund, Practical Action has been actively promoting micro hydro-power as the most effective source of electricity for the region, given the high rainfall and the extensive network of rivers and streams. To date the scheme has installed 47 micro-hydro stations producing a combined capacity of 1568 kW of electricity. This provides metered electricity to an estimated 5,044 families (30,000 people). Practical Action hopes to extend the scheme to eventually include parts of Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia where lack of access to essential electricity is a daily reality for many.
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