UN Division for Sustainable Development

Case Study Detail Record

Organization type:	Intergovernmental Organization

Name of Organization:	The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP)

Name of Focal Point:	Binu Parthan

Initiative Title:	Amazonia Energy Initiative

Internet links:	http://www.reeep.org/index.cfm?articleid=1412&parentid=915 http://www.winrock.org/fact/facts.asp?CC=5649&bu=9054

Scope:	National: - Brazil

Status:	Ongoing

Timeframe:	Start: 2006 End: 2007

Lead Institution:	Winrock International, Institute for Agricultural Development – Brazil Office

Stakeholders/Partners:	REEEP

Relevent issues:	- Increasing access to energy for the poor

Objectives/Challenges:

Objectives:
Design and start the Amazonia Energy Initiative (AEI) aimed at increasing energy access for isolated communities in the Amazon region while promoting productive and efficient energy use.
Challenges:
• Having concessionaires buying power produced by the PRISMAs and distributing it to their captive consumers within the target communities in their concession area
• Acquiring land ownership documentation. In the Amazon, residents of isolated communities usually do not have any legal document that proves land ownership, which is required
• Proposing more flexible power quality standards and other technical requirements
• Strengthening stakeholder engagement towards the establishment of the Energia da Amazonia market agent

Lessons Learned:

Institutional models and facilitating policy environment is critical to solving energy access issues.

Financing and access to finance is a key barrier to energy access.

Policy Options:

Development of an institutional model - RENOVE to facilitate rural electrification and access.

Summary:

Amazonian rural traditional communities are either not served by electricity or rely on poor-quality unsustainable power generation systems, typically running on diesel. Aggressive targets of the Luz para Todos Programme (Brazil Government Programme aimed at providing universal access to electricity by 2008) require innovative financing, regulatory and institutional approaches. Winrock is working in cooperation with local partners, supported by the Ministries of Mines and Energy (MME) and Science and Technology (MCT),REEEP and USAID, in the design of the PRISMA Model and the Amazonia Energy Initiative is aiming to create an adequate framework for community-managed, independent power production using small-scale renewable energy systems. Productive and efficient energy use that supports the development of selected value chains is also promoted, contributing to local development and to the sustainability of the energy enterprise.
A local NGO (PRISMA) was designed and is being tested to own and operate a power plant and selected productive uses to serve a typical remote Amazonian community. Nationally, a new regional market agent will be proposed/designed to balance the relationship between the small independent power producers (PRISMAs) and the big players. The regional organisation will also guarantee that technical assistance, commercial and financial instruments and tools are available for wide replication of the PRISMA Model.