Скачать или смотреть Overview of Rural Electrification Research in Kenya and India

Catherine Wolfram, UC Energy Institute
Rural electrification remains a critical development challenge in low-income countries - one that promises great social benefits while simultaneously risking substantial environmental damage. Given that conventional energy systems rely heavily on fossil fuels, increasing access to electricity for the 1.3 billion people still living without it could lead to very large increases in local and global pollution. To date, there is very limited evidence regarding the impacts of electrification in low-income countries, although these are the households that will drive most of the medium-term growth in global energy consumption. Our challenge, then, is to determine how best to harness the benefits of rural electrification while minimizing environmental costs. This talk will summarize ongoing research that aims to shed light on both sides of this critical trade off.