Hydro Empowerment Network
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Our Work
    • Approach
    • Advocacy
    • Exchanges
    • Tools
    • Partnerships
  • Our Members
  • Blog
  • Contact

the flow

INDIA: GRAM VIKAS' INITIATIVE TO STRENGTHEN SPRINGS

10/7/2020

1 Comment

 
PictureWatershed being rehabilitated in Odisha, India. Credit: Gram Vikas.
The power output of micro hydro projects depends on the water flow and the head. The source of the flow is often a spring or a tributary of a river. Both types of sources depend on the watershed, which forms a catchment area for the micro hydro system. The terrain and forests of the watershed form the catchment area of the micro hydro system. 

In this regard, micro hydro is truly a nature-based solution. Healthy forested watersheds result in sustainable micro hydro systems, where the flow is consistent throughout the year and also resilient to climate change. In addition, healthy forests also help to control erosion during monsoon seasons, which can negatively impact both the micro hydro system and the community. Further, vibrant forests lend themselves to enhanced rural livelihoods, which in turn can benefit from access to electricity, e.g. local processing of agri-forest products.

Because of these linkages, we are connecting micro hydro practitioners to watershed experts.  Our network is fortunate to have a few members that focus on both. Gram Vikas, based in Odisha, India, is one such organization.  
​

In fact, the focus on watershed restoration goes beyond micro hydropower for Gram Vikas. Its flagship and award-winning water and sanitation program for rural and marginalized communities strongly highlights practices for watershed (ridge to valley) and springshed (valley to valley) strengthening. 

One of the several solutions in this area that Gram Vikas is pioneering is recharging springs. Read on to learn more!  For additional articles on watersheds and micro hydro, please see here.


​SPRINGS:  NATURE'S BOUNTY FOR WATER SECURITY

Sustainability of Springshed-based Water Sources

Mountain Springs are the main water source for most of the tribal population living in the Eastern Ghats range of Odisha. Many of the villages, in the region, are over the hilltops, in the form of scattered hamlets. They get little or no access to streams flowing down to the valleys. About 60% of the population in these hamlets depend upon spring water for basic needs like drinking, domestic use, and for agriculture and livestock.  Despite their significance, springs are drying up due to variations in rainfall patterns, changes in land use and reduction in forest cover. Many have become seasonal with low discharge. There are also apparent changes in the quality of water available. Only about 30% of the water sources are estimated to be functioning without any apparent decrease in water availability. ​
Picture
Barren hills due to felling of trees and slash and burn cultivation. Credit: Gram Vikas
Picture
Gram Vikas team assessing health of springs in Odisha, India. Credit: Gram Vikas
The Springs Initiative

The Springs Initiative aims to develop community-led efforts for springshed management, spring rejuvenation and establishment of water systems by harnessing the potential of perennial springs sustainably. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India and UNDP India support the initiative. Gram Vikas took up the initiative, in partnership with village communities and with technical support from ACWADAM, in selected blocks of Gajapati, Kandhamal and Kalahandi districts of Odisha.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Land treatment facilitated by Gram Vikas to increase springshed re-charge.  Credit: Gram Vikas

​​Spring Water Atlas

The Spring Water Atlas is an online repository of information on springs, spring-sheds and spring-scapes to strengthen springs management for addressing water scarcity issues for tribal communities in India.  The tool is GIS-based, providing maps, spring health, water quality, and discharge, among other properties.  The knowledge tool is hosted by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and UNDP India.   It can be access by the public here:  thespringsportal.org.
Picture
GIS-based data available on the Spring Water Atlas: https://thespringsportal.org/

Community Cadre

A community cadre of para-hydrologists, a mobile application and GIS technology converge to make the portal a rich storehouse of information on springs in India. Users can find information on the number of springs mapped and their health including water quality, discharge capacity and other physical, chemical and biological properties. 75 young men and women from 42 villages in 10 gram panchayats, have been trained and deployed as barefoot para-hydrologists, identify and map springs, and undertake measures for their rejuvenation and protection. Using the mWater application in their smartphones, these para-hydrologists collect data on the local hydrogeology and chemical properties of the spring source. This is then fed into the portal, Spring Water Atlas. The para-hydrologists were trained from November 2019 to February 2020.
The Springs Initiative works towards ensuring water security for remote tribal communities by changing the perception of springs from a ‘source’ to a ‘resource’. An integrated solution, the initiative will address the water needs of these communities for drinking, domestic and agriculture purposes. The harnessing of springs as sources of safe and adequate water, the initiative has the potential to improve the health, nutrition and livelihoods of these communities.
1 Comment

EARTH VOICES: FROM LUKU WINGIR, INDONESIA

10/6/2020

0 Comments

 
Our blog series Earth Voices presents the linkages between community-scale hydropower, indigenous-led conservation and sustainable development. The series presents case studies of how community-scale hydropower reinforces environmental traditions by incentivizing watershed strengthening, which in turn enable reliable and clean electricity.

In this edition of Earth Voices, we feature the micro hydro village of Luku Wingir, located on the island of Sumba, in East Nusa Tenggara province. Luku Wingir was selected as a pilot village for the Village Model Initiative for Gender Integration in Renewable Energy Sector program, which accelerates gender mainstreaming in the renewable energy sector in Sumba. Initiated by Hivos and the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, the multi-stakeholder program allows inter-sectoral collaboration, including government agencies (from village to national level), local communities, local NGO, and academics.

We sat  with Mrs. Rita Kefi from Hivos Southeast Asia, and local civil society representatives, namely Mrs. Trouce Landukara and Mr. Aryanto Umbu Kudu to learn more about the life of the Luku Wingir community and the socio-economic impact of its community-based micro hydro project.

The Indonesian translation of the article can be found here.

Picture
'Rumah Panggung' traditional home in Luku Wingir village. Credit: Hivos Southeast Asia
Energy access in Indonesia

​Indonesia is the largest archipelago country in Southeast Asia with a population of 250 million. Indonesia has high energy needs with challenging natural conditions. Even though the Indonesian government notes that the electrification ratio in Indonesia has reached 99%, in fact several regions in Indonesia still have difficulty in accessing energy. One of the contributing factors is the imbalance between urban and rural infrastructure development. There are still around 433 villages in Indonesia that have not yet been electrified (President Joko Widodo's speech 3 April 2020), including 325 Papuan villages, 102 West Papua villages, 5 villages in East Nusa Tenggara, and 1 village in Maluku. However, the definition of a village being ‘electrified’ varies.
Picture
Luku Wingir village landscape. Credit: Rita Kefi

​Getting to know the Luku Wingir community

Luku Wingir village, an area of 51.8 square km, has a hilly natural landscape with considerably dry land. To get to Luku Wingir it takes about 1.5 hours from Waingapu, the capital of East Sumba district.  Although since 2018 road conditions have improved for car and motorbike accessibility, the route is not traversed by public transportation and therefore access is still limited.

There are about 400 people living in Luku Wingir village, with almost the same ratio of men and women. Most households cultivate corn, cassava, vanilla and cashew nuts for selling to Waingapu. Apart from farming, some people raise pigs, cows, buffaloes, horses and goats. The agricultural and livestock systems there still use traditional methods, so the quantity and quality of farming and raising products are not optimal. Modern agricultural equipment has not yet entered the village, it is only limited to chemical fertilizers. “As for livestock, the villagers are not familiar with the livestock fattening method. If only they are trained and equipped with the knowledge about this, it will help to increase the meat production and increase their income” said Mr. Aryanto who has closely worked with the farmers in the village.


Most households rely on traditional biomass stoves for cooking, while a few have been provided biogas stoves by the government. For lighting, several houses are equipped with solar panels, some of which have been funded by the village government.
​

Before Christianity arrived in Sumba, the Anawaru tribe in Luku Wingir followed the local religion, namely Marapu. Marapu adherents worship the spirits of their ancestors, and they practiced religious rituals that are closely related to nature. For example, there are prayer ceremonies in the forest, near the springs and near old trees to respect their ancestors and nature. Even though this ritual has now disappeared, people still have a close spiritual relationship with nature, and embrace values ​​that are in harmony with nature.

Micro hydro and economic opportunities

Due to inadequate infrastructure problems, Luku Wingir is one of the villages of Sumba that has difficulty accessing energy. The community had been relying on kerosene/ oil lamps until 2015.

Life in Luku Wingir has changed when it started receiving electricity  from a 26 kW micro hydro system installed in the neighboring village of Waimbidi village. The project was funded by the  regional government budget. In the construction and development process, both Waimbidi and Luku Wingir communities were directly involved. They were both also provided with training for maintenance. Thus, there is a sense of shared responsibility among the two villages to maintain the micro hydro. For instance, during a flood the two communities worked together to rehabilitate the micro hydro plant.

Women were not involved in the construction phase nor the regular maintenance of the micro hydro. Women are more actively involved in the utilization and operation of micro hydro. For example, in Luku Wingir’s village-owned enterprise (BUMDes), there is a women-led business unit called the energy and natural resources unit which is responsible for collecting electricity fees and directing the funds to the village cooperative. This fund will be used to cover the operational costs for technicians and micro hydro’s maintenance.

In the last four years, electricity access has been relatively stable for 24 hours. In the village itself, there are 25 households that are not yet connected to the micro hydro due to their location being far from the center of the village.  Even though not all households can enjoy access to electricity evenly, the micro hydro has benefited the village economy. Households can carry out productive activities at night. In addition, the quality of education has also improved because children's learning time outside of school hours has also increased.

​​The impacts of climate change and how society adapts

Climate change has had a real impact on the lives of the Luku Wingir community. Corn planting that normally could be done in December, now has shifted to February or March. Moreover, because the supply of native Sumba seedlings has decreased, the farmers were forced to use seeds from outside Sumba (e.g. hybrid plants) that are not adaptive to the Sumba’s natural environment. This affects the quality of crop production, and consequently impacts farmers' income.

Climate change, however, has encouraged the community to adapt. Due to the threat of unstable food supply, households use their backyards to grow food crops for their own consumption and for sale within and outside the village. Being self-sufficient in food supplies also helps the community to thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given its location, the Luku Wingir communities have limited contact with big cities and tourists. So far it is relatively safe and trade activity remains as usual. 
​

In addition, the traditional Sumba weaving group has been reactivated, as a new business to support income generation. Sumba weaving is still handmade in the traditional way. The dyes used are also natural dyes from leaves, roots, and fruits.

PictureCollective community contribution. Credit: Rita Kefi
Recommendation to address challenges to the economic development 

Luku Wingir is a fairly developed village compared to five other villages in the surrounding area. There are several factors driving this development. Luku Wingir benefits from its location in a sub-district village. Moreover, since it was selected as a gender-energy model village, it received attention from the government. Furthermore, it also benefits from  the formation of OPD (Regional Apparatus Organization) in East Sumba and the supporting program that aims at accelerating the village's economic development.

However, there are still challenges that hamper Luku Wingir’s economic growth. In our conversation, Mrs. Trouce and Mr. Aryanto proposed a couple of recommendations to address these challenges. 

  • Equitable and inclusive energy access
    Equitable access to energy for all houses in the village is fundamental for inclusive economic growth. Not only will this ensure  all families have access to electricity and clean cooking, but it will also enhance farming, agri processing and market activities.. Providing electricity to the 25 un-electrified households requires extending the distribution line of the existing micro hydro system. This would mean creating a road, which will also enhance transportation and logistics routes, opening additional market access routes. 

  • Skills-building for agri-processing
    Developing the villagers’ skills will help to increase the value of their agricultural products Luku Wingir has great economic potential that can be developed, such as processing cashew nuts, bamboo, or creative economy (such as ikat weaving for example). However, the limited skills of the community prevent the village from developing added value to the products it produces.
​
As a pilot village, Luku Wingir has successfully set an example of how energy access using community-based micro hydro has helped to enhance the local economy, and encouraged two villages communities to work hand-in-hand, while preserving nature and respecting the local values of gotong royong (collective actions). 

While every village has its own challenges and requires a tailored solution, the best practices from the case of Luku Wingir may be adopted elsewhere, especially for neighboring villages that can mutually benefit from a micro hydro project.  


Content provided by Lina Noviandari and Rita Kefi at HIVOS Southeast Asia
Composed by Cherika Hardjakusumah, with editing support the HPNET Secretariat
0 Comments

"HIDDEN NO MORE": AN INTERVIEW WITH IBEKA'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TRI MUMPUNI

10/2/2020

0 Comments

 
Our Hidden No More feature series spotlights women change-makers who have transformed gender barriers, and made impactful contributions to energy access for marginalized communities. 

In this edition, we spoke with Tri Mumpuni, the Executive Director of IBEKA (Institut Bisnis dan Ekonomi Kerakyatan), who has been engaged in rural development work in Indonesia for more than 30 years. Together with her husband and her team, they have implemented more than 60 micro hydro and pico hydro projects across the archipelago. For her dedication, she has won various international awards, including WWF Climate Hero in 2005, Ashden Awards 2012, and ASEAN Social Impact Award in 2018. 

Tri Mumpuni, also known as Ibu Puni, shared with us her journey as a female micro hydro practitioner in Indonesia and her work to prepare the next generation in micro hydro and social development sectors.

PictureTri Mumpuni at Cinta Mekar MHP. Credit: T.Mumpuni
When and how did you start your career in micro hydro?

I started in 1996. My husband, Pak Iskandar, started way earlier. He is an engineer and he has the expertise in micro hydro technology.  

We work together as a team. He focuses on technical aspects, and I focus on the social aspects.  

For a long time, people who live in the remote areas have been relying on diesel gensets or as a quick solution when they need electricity. Unfortunately, this is not stable nor sustainable. It brings profit to some people, but we can’t rely on it in the long run. That’s what we’re trying to change. But first, what we need is to change the people’s mindset.


Statistically, the electrification ratio in Indonesia is high (99%). How is the reality in the villages?
​

There is a misunderstanding in the definition of electrification ratio. The electrification ratio that has been used in the statistics counts by the number of villages or sub-district, not by inhabitants. So if there is one house in a sub-district that has electricity, it is counted that the whole sub-district is electrified.
​

This electrification ratio does not factor in the quality of the electricity itself. Based on my observation, there are many villages in Indonesia that only have electricity only from 6 to 10 pm. For example, in Aceh, Kalimantan, and Molucca Island. Ideally, if we are talking about electricity, then it should be available for 24 hours.

'Gotong Royong' or collective action in the village. Credit: T. Mumpuni
'Gotong Royong' or collective action. Credit: T. Mumpuni
MHP Powerhouse in Toraja, Sulawesi. Credit: T. Mumpuni
MHP Powerhouse in Toraja, Sulawesi. Credit: T. Mumpuni
What inspired you to get involved in community development and energy access?
​

I find rural areas in Indonesia have a lot of economic potential. Unfortunately, the lack of energy access has become one of the biggest challenges in rural economic development.

‘Energizing villages’ in literal sense means to enable access to energy, more specifically electricity. However, that is not enough. To develop the economy, we also need humanitarian energy.

To do all these, we need somebody who has concerns, passion, and a genuine heart to think of how to allow this energy to flow to the villages in need. Somebody who could bring ‘light’ as in electricity, but also somebody who can ‘enlighten’ the people and the communities in the villages with the know-how to to develop their economy. 


You have to be brave and courageous to bring such a change. How do you play your role here?

It’s God’s calling. I never dreamt of working in the micro hydro sector.

My husband is a micro hydro technology expert, but he cannot do everything alone. When we go to the field, I help him to engage with the local community. We face numerous bureaucratic/ administrative hurdles, and in some areas we have to deal with rackets (preman). 

It’s not an easy task. We are doing this for the local people, but we also face challenges imposed directly or indirectly by them. The local values of gotong royong (collective action) have vanished due to corruption in different layers of the government - which does not only hinder our projects, even worse, it hinders rural economic development.


You have been involved in more than 80 micro hydro projects in Indonesia, from Aceh to Papua. What other realities do you see in your MHP journey? 

​There is one experience that struck me the most. It was in Aceh. Around 20 km from where we worked, we found somebody doing another micro hydro installation but it was badly engineered, had a very poor civil construction. It didn’t function and didn’t serve its purpose.

This is the result of a project that was handled by people who are not experts in MHP. This thing happened because the government used a public tender system for MHP projects, and the company that won this tender, subcontracted the work to several other companies. In the end, the project didn’t meet the quality standard and didn’t benefit the local community.


Who are the people in your team? Are there women who support you on this?
​

I have a very solid team at IBEKA who are young and well-trained. We also have a woman who is a gender-expert in our team. 

Women’s participation in micro hydro remains limited. Generally, women are not yet involved in project initiation or development. The interest in this is still low.

They are more involved in the energy utilization aspect. In Sumba for example, we work closely with women who have a home industry.


How do you ensure the sustainability of your MHP projects?

What I do with the IBEKA team is community-based development. Before we construct anything, we firstly prepare the local communities. For 3 months up to 1 year, we teach them the basic knowledge of MHP, and then we train them to operate and to maintain it so that they can be self-sufficient. This is what we call people-driven development. 

​
We are in close touch with the communities that we are working with. Technology makes it easy now for us to communicate by text/ Whatsapp. We also regularly hold review meetings online.
Picture
Receiving the Ashden Award from the British Government. Credit: T. Mumpuni

​What does it take for you to become the person who brings this ‘light’ to the people in the rural area?

First of all, I am passionate about what I’m doing, and that is important. In my role, apart from convincing myself, I have to convince others. I am highly committed to my work, and I really hope that there will be regeneration. This is the legacy that I’d like to leave to the younger generation.

What keeps you motivated?

This journey makes me addicted. I cannot stop doing good for others. When we were in the field, completed our construction, and switched on the energy supply for the first time in one evening; people screamed happily and some even sobbed. This happy energy motivates me to keep doing this and go further.

What message would you like to share to readers especially for the next generation of women micro hydro champions?

For us who work in community development, we need to create a driver, not an enabler. I’ll use a mountain bike as an illustration. A person can go to the top of the mountain by biking. Without a bike, this person can still go to the mountain by hiking. 

​
This is how I picture driver and enabler. Micro hydro is a tool for human empowerment, it is not a tool for creating profit. If we do well, profit will follow, but it also has to make a social impact.
0 Comments

MEMBER PROFILE: NEPED HYDROGERS IN NE INDIA

10/1/2020

0 Comments

 
We are glad to have HPNET member Mr. Takum Chang from the Nagaland Empowerment of People Through Energy Development (NEPeD) share about NEPeD’s pico hydro approach.

PictureCredit: http://surveying-mapping-gis.blogspot.com/
Introduction

Nagaland is one of the seven sister states of northeast India.  The region is rich in biodiversity and natural resources.  There are many villages in Nagaland that have access to small rivers and streams.  These rivers have enough hydro power potential to meet the electricity demand of the entire state. 

Since 2007, NEPeD’s mission has been to educate and empower people to help maintain biodiversity and vital ecosystem services, while simultaneously ensuring equitable access to adequate clean energy supply. 

NEPeD manufacturers and installs pico hydro systems called Hydrogers, a term coined by NEPeD, joining the words hydro and generator.  It refers to the type of pico hydro system developed by NEPeD. 

Clean and green energy through NEPeD’s efforts, however small, could contribute to the mitigation of global climate change concerns in the Eastern Himalayan region as it de-couples the dependence on traditional fossil fuels.

Picture
Remote village in the Sanglekong mountain range, in Tuensang District of Nagaland. Credit: NEPeD
Picture“Made-in-Nagaland” Hydroger for pico hydro developed by NEPeD. Credit: NEPeD
Local Technology Development

The most interesting aspect about Hydroger Systems is that they are not imported from elsewhere but are indigenously manufactured in Nagaland itself.  NEPeD established the Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy Studies (CERES) to manufacture hydro technology locally, making it available easily in the region.  NEPeD, in collaboration with the Nagaland Tool Room and Training Centre (NTTC), Dimapur, ventured into the indigenization of the Hydroger system.  The first funding towards mass production of Hydroger was supported by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) under Rural Innovation Fund (RIF). 
​

The Hydroger model manufactured in CERES has been successfully tested and certified at the Alternate Hydro Energy Centre (AHEC) at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee.  CERES is the only known centre to solely focus on mass production of Hydroger technology.   CERES is also the hub of knowledge dissemination.  Many trainings were provided to small hydro engineers, technicians and practitioners in the region.  NEPeD is also supporting a private entrepreneur under its entrepreneurship development programme for research and development of the Electronic Load Controller (ELC).

Local Capacity Building

To maintain the Hydroger Project’s sustainability and continuity of efforts in the long run, it is key to have a cadre of skilled rural engineers on-site.  NEPeD has trained more than 50 engineers to oversee and manage the sites’ operation.  NEPeD has also prepared them to help up-scale the Hydroger installation in the future. They will provide hands-on support, ranging from site selection, maintenance, to installation of higher capacity modules. Employing rural engineers and technicians will not only help to generate income but also to grow the rural economy.
Community members installing the penstock. Credit: NEPeD
Community members working on the distribution line. Credit: NEPeD
PictureCommunity training on pico hydro and watershed management. Credit: NEPeD
Socio-Environmental Governance

There are many dimensions to the Hydroger Project.  Not only does it help to address basic electricity needs of people living in the villages, but it also has impacts on the environment, social and economic sectors.  Most of the NEPeD’s Hydroger installations are owned and managed by the communities.  Communities with Hydroger systems undergo capacity building and conservation of environmental ideas is deeply ingrained as part of this training. Each project site is also capacitated and facilitated to evolve their own revenue model.

Hydroger being a clean and alternative source of renewable energy has made an impact through energy delivery.  NEPeD while introducing and promoting this technology, has also encouraged the villagers to maintain the upland catchment areas to ensure a sustainable supply of water. 
​
​

Targeted Impact

Setting up of Hydroger projects have been done following a model that is holistic and integrated.  It is designed to be easily replicated.  The common sectoral impacts as registered by the existing Hydroger Project sites are as listed below. 

Social
- Community ownership
- Revitalized social dynamics-greater community bonding and interaction
- Health sanitation related impacts
- Empowerment and involvement of women in the decision-making process

Economic
- Source of revenue generation for the community
- Employment of individuals
- Increased man hours industries such as handicrafts

Environment
- Generation of clean sustainable energy
- Decreased dependence on fossil fuels
- Spreading/ creating awareness on environmental fronts
- Community commitments to conserve and protect catchment areas and biodiversity
​
Replication across NE India

The benefits have also been appraised by the neighbouring States that want to replicate this model.  The low cost, light weight, accessible operation and versatile utility of the Hydroger systems have allowed widespread adoption.  Besides Nagaland, the Hydroger is used in Meghalaya, Sikkim, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Jammu & Kashmir.   NEPeD has has installed over 50 units across northeast India, mostly in Nagaland.  Another 50+ units will be installed in partnership with the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority, where NEPeD will also train technicians in each village to install, manage, and troubleshoot.  There has also been an interest to develop Hydrogers commercially.
Next Phase Vision

The Hydroger Project has successfully evolved into a model for a sustainable and community-owned electricity generation in rural areas.  It is improving their quality of life, improving their livelihoods, creating unprecedented awareness, community participation, and most importantly developing governance at a decentralized level. 

The initiative is based on the realization that the availability of energy is vital for sustainable development and poverty reduction efforts.  Energy affects various aspects of development - social, economic, and environmental - including livelihoods, access to water, agricultural productivity, health, population levels, education, and gender-related issues.  NEPED also seeks to further develop state level capacity to manage the environment and natural resources; integrate environmental and energy dimensions into poverty reduction strategies and state level development frameworks; and strengthen the role of communities and of women in promoting sustainable development.

At the same time, NEPED understands that sustainable energy security initiatives have multiple dimensions.  By focusing on micro/mini hydropower as a reliable renewable source for providing energy security in a difficult terrain where grid connectivity is available erratically, NEPED also intends to create replicable models for watersheds in Nagaland, other North-eastern states, and the Himalayan sub-region.
PictureHydro resource in eastern Nagaland. Credit: NEPeD
Recommendations

1.  Transition from pico to micro hydro
Over the years, the energy demand of rural communities has increased.  They require reliable, uninterrupted, and sufficient energy supply.  They require higher capacity than the current 3kW Hydrogers produce.  Although some villages have access to the central grid, electricity from the Hydroger is more cost effective then the central grid.  Therefore communities have been demanding Hydrogers of higher capacity.  Farmers have expressed the need for energy to add value to their agricultural processing.  NEPeD will strive to leverage the resources for installing higher capacity hydro power systems and hopes to achieve its objective to integrate the environmental and energy dimensions into rural economic development strategies.  NEPeD’s aim to transition from pico to micro hydro systems is a natural progression given the large energy demand-supply gap in Nagaland.
  

2.  Access to subsidy and credit
For NEPeD and also for many other small hydro practitioners in North East India, the only source of funding is the Ministry under Government of India (GOI).  However, most of the funding from the Ministry must go through its state-level nodal agencies.  It is not easy for other departments or practitioners to access funding from the Ministry.  To address this challenge, special consideration or arrangement of funding processes for other departments and practitioners will accelerate prospects of small hydro systems.  Private practitioners and implementers have to be encouraged, especially in Nagaland, to pick up the pace for development of small hydro in the state.  Credit facilities from banks and other financial institutions could be another option for the communities to get resources for setting up small hydro systems of capacity as per their total energy requirement and also meeting the energy requirement for productive use.

​


0 Comments
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Afghanistan
    Africa
    Bangladesh
    Bhutan
    Cameroon
    Context Profile
    Earth Voices
    Electronic Load Controllers
    Environmental Impact
    Ethiopia
    Events
    Finance
    Gender Equity
    Germany
    Gram Vikas
    Grid Interconnectivity
    Hidden No More
    India
    Indigenous Community
    Indonesia
    Integrated Energy Planning
    International Rivers
    Knowledge Exchange
    Knowledge Tools
    Load Management
    Local Fabrication
    Madagascar
    Malawi
    Malaysia
    Member Profiles
    Mini Hydro
    Myanmar
    Nepal
    Nicaragua
    Pakistan
    Philippines
    Pico Hydro
    Podcasts
    Practice To Policy
    Practice-to-Policy
    Practitioner Profile
    Productive End Use
    Rehabilitation
    Research
    SEEED
    SIBAT
    Sri Lanka
    StreamSide Chats
    Toolkit
    Training Centers
    Videos
    Watersheds
    Webinars
    Yamog

    Archives

    December 2024
    February 2023
    January 2023
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    March 2017
    September 2016
    July 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    June 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015

HOME
ABOUT US
OUR WORK

OUR MEMBERS
BLOG
CONTACT
© 2015 - 2023
​Hydro Empowerment Network

Proudly powered by Weebly