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Sustainable energy technologies are widely sought-after as essential elements in facing global challenges such as energy security, global warming and poverty reduction. However, in spite of their promising advantages, sustainable energy technologies make only a marginal contribution to meeting energy related needs in both industrialised and developing countries, in comparison to the widespread use of unsustainable technologies. One of the most significant constraints to their adoption and broad diffusion is the socio-economic context in which sustainable energy technologies are supposed to operate. The same holds true for community-based energy projects in developing countries supported by the WISIONS initiative. Practical strategies dealing with these socio-economic challenges are crucial elements for project design and, particularly, for the implementation of project activities. In this paper experiences from implementing community-based projects are reviewed in order to identify the practical elements that are relevant to overcome socio-economic challenges. In order to systematise the findings, an analytical framework is proposed, which combines analytical tools from the socio-technical transition framework and insights from participative approaches to development.
The energy potential of agricultural residues in Tanzania has so far not been evaluated and quantified sufficiently. Moreover, the scientific basis for estimations of the sustainable potential of wastes and residues is still very limited. This paper presents an attempt to evaluate the theoretical and technical potential of residues from the sisal sector in Tanzania with regards to energy recovery through anaerobic digestion. The characteristics and availability of sisal residues are defined and a set of sustainability indicators with particular focus on environmental and socio-economic criteria is applied. Our analysis shows that electricity generation with sisal residues can be sustainable and have positive effects on the sustainability of sisal production itself. All sisal residues combined have an annual maximum electricity potential of 102 GW h in 2009, corresponding to up to 18.6 MW of potential electric capacity installations. This estimated maximum potential is equivalent to about 3 % of the country's current power production. Utilizing these residues could contribute to meeting the growing electricity demand and offers an opportunity for decentralized electricity production in Tanzania.
This paper attempts to assess whether renewable energy self-sufficiency can be achieved in the crop production and processing sector in Tanzania and if this could be accomplished in an environmentally sustainable manner. In order to answer these questions the theoretical energy potential of process residues from commercially produced agricultural crops in Tanzania is evaluated. Furthermore, a set of sustainability indicators with focus on environmental criteria is applied to identify risks and opportunities of using these residues for energy generation. In particular, the positive and negative effects on the land-use-system (soil fertility, water use and quality, biodiversity, etc.) are evaluated. The results show that energy generation with certain agricultural process residues could not only improve and secure the energy supply but could also improve the sustainability of current land-use practices.
In many developing countries large parts of the population are negatively affected by the lack of access to clean and affordable energy. Providing sustainable energy services to these people has been acknowledged as a key component to reduce poverty. One form of development assistance to address the needs of the energy-poor at the local level are small-scale renewable energy projects. Like all development interventions, these energy projects are not intended to produce short-term outputs, but to create long-term impacts. Thus, it has become increasingly important to evaluate and accurately assess their sustainability. But despite the widely recognized need to identify successes factors and explain failure only few studies exist that address the sustainability of small-scale of energy development efforts post implementation. Against this background the paper presents the results of a post-evaluation of 23 projects supported via the Sustainable Energy Project Support (SEPS) scheme of the WISIONS initiative run by the Wuppertal Institute. The analysis provides insights on the influence that socio-economic, environmental, geographic and gender factors can have on the sustainability of small-scale renewable energy projects in developing countries.
Access to sustainable and affordable energy services is a crucial factor in reducing poverty in developing countries. In particular, small-scale and community-based renewable energy projects are recognized as important forms of development assistance for reaching the energy poor. However, to date only a few empirical evaluations exist which analyze and compare the impact of these projects on local living conditions and their sustainability ex-post implementation.
To better understand the impacts and the conditions that influence sustainability of these projects, the research presented in this paper evaluated 23 local development projects post implementation. By applying an standardized evaluation design to a cross-sectional sample in terms of renewable energy sources (solar, wind, biomass, hydro), user needs (electricity, food preparation, lighting, productive uses), community management models, finance mechanisms and geographical locations, the review results provide valuable insights on the underlying conditions that influence the success or failure of these small-scale local energy interventions. The empirical evidence suggests that the sustainability of small-scale energy implementations (≤100 kW) in developing countries is determined by the same factors, independent of the socio-cultural, political and ecological context. These findings allow to better predict the long-term success of small sustainable energy projects in developing countries, this can help to improve project designs and increase the certainty for future investment decisions.
The CO2 utilisation is discussed as one of the future low-carbon technologies in order to accomplish a full decarbonisation in the energy intensive industry. CO2 is separated from the flue gas stream of power plants or industrial plants and is prepared for further processing as raw material. CO2 containing gas streams from industrial processes exhibit a higher concentration of CO2 than flue gases from power plants; consequentially, industrial CO2 sources are used as raw material for the chemical industry and for the synthesis of fuel on the output side. Additionally, fossil resources can be replaced by substitutes of reused CO2 on the input side. If set up in a right way, this step into a CO2-based circular flow economy could make a contribution to the decarbonisation of the industrial sector and according to the adjusted potential, even rudimentarily to the energy sector.
In this study, the authors analyse potential CO2 sources, the potential demand and the range of applications of CO2. In the last chapter of the final report, they give recommendations for research, development, politics and economics for an appropriate future designing of CO2 utilisation options based upon their previous analysis.
Im Rahmen der Diskussion über die Verknappung fossiler Energieträger, Klimawandel und der notwendigen Transformation unser Energiesysteme in Richtung nachhaltige Energieversorgung, hat moderne Bioenergie in den vergangene Jahren weltweit vermehrt Aufmerksamkeit erfahren. Gleichzeitig ist das Wissen über Potentiale, nachhaltige Nutzungs- und Produktionsformen und den damit verbundene Risiken jedoch begrenzt. Insbesondere der Energiepflanzenanbau birgt beträchtliche Gefahren für Ernährungssicherheit, Klima und Umwelt. Aus Nachhaltigkeitsgesichtspunkten sollten daher Nutzungspfade die biogene Reststoffe- und Abfälle zur Strom- und Wärmeerzeugung einsetzen in den Ländern des südlichen Afrikas Priorität haben. Bisher fehlt es jedoch (a) an länderspezifischen Untersuchungen zum nachhaltig verfügbaren Potential und (b) an fundierten Grundlagen, um politische Endscheidungen über die Einbindung in langfristige Bioenergiestrategien treffen zu können.
In diesem Werk werden diese Wissensdefizite für das Untersuchungsbeispiel Tansania adressiert, indem zunächst eine detaillierte Potentialanalyse zu theoretischen und verfügbaren Reststoff- und Energiepotentialen durchführt wird und im Anschluss mögliche Strategien zur Nutzung dieses Potentials entwickelt und im Hinblick auf ihre Nachhaltigkeit verglichen werden. Die Bewertung der Nachhaltigkeit möglicher Nutzungsstrategien erfolgt mit Hilfe von Multikriterienanalysen (MCA). In der MCA werden die Präferenzen verschiedener Endscheidungsträger mit Hilfe von unterschiedlichen Gewichtungen modelliert. Die Bewertung der Nutzungsstrategien erfolgt im Anschluss mit den Bewertungsregeln, SAW, TOPSIS sowie PROMETHEE I und II. Die Ergebnisse der MCA zeigen, dass die Strategie mit der umfangreichsten Reststoffnutzung unabhängig von der Gewichtung mit Abstand am empfehlenswerten ist, damit bestätigt sich, dass Agrarreststoffe als Baustein in eine nachhaltige Transformationsstrategie für den Energiesektor in Tansania integriert werden sollten.
