​At the United Nations SE4ALL Forum in May 2015 there was much good discussion on mini-grids.  Anytime the mini-grid technology was specified, it was assumed to be solar PV.  However, there are other -- unsung but proven mini-grid technologies that have long provided electricity -- such as micro hydropower, biomass gassifiers, and small-scale wind.  Needless to say, during the four-day event attended by 2000 persons and a multitude of speakers, we were ecstatic to hear at least one member of a high-level panel highlight micro hydropower!  The panelist was from the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), working across 30 countries on an array of sustainable development projects.  

AKDN's evolution began with the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) established in 1982.  Since then, AKRSP has been committed to the remotest (and likely some of the most beautiful) high altitude regions -- the Northwest Frontier (Chitral) and Baltistan -- where living conditions are harsh and communities are resilient.  AKRSP has blazed trails in this region, literally.  With ample glacial melt waters in the region and little electrification, community micro hydropower became a flagship of AKRSP's multi-faceted, participatory rural development approach, focusing on social, economic, and institutional development.  AKRSP's approach and achievements have justifiably won the prestigious Ashden Award and the Global Development Network's Japanese Award for Most Innovative Development Project.​

​Scalability using a Participatory, Iterative Approach
 
AKRSP's guiding philosophy has been that marginalized communities have an innate potential to manage their own development.  In fact, AKRSP was the first to facilitate community-owned and managed infrastructure in Pakistan, including micro hydropower, irrigation channels, and roads.  In its earliest projects, AKRSP observed the gap between public sector services and village households.  Thereof, at the core its approach has been the development of village-level organizations (VOs) that are capable of interfacing with local government agencies.  As AKRSP's lead Miraj Khan writes, "VO's, when informed and empowered, can negotiate and better bargain for these [public] services on behalf of their members, than otherwise fragmented and powerless rural societies."  Khan attributes its achievement of nearly 200 community-based micro and mini hydropower projects to community organizations.  He also attributes the scaled success to a "living design" and "learning by doing" between AKRSP and the communities, where the program was iteratively  improved based on the lessons of each project. 

​When AKRSP's model proved its success at scale, it was not long until mainstream development actors requested AKRSP's support to replicate the model.  For example, the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP), also an Ashden awardee, came into being when USAID and the Pakistan government partnered with AKRSP.  Such replication has further scaled up AKRSP's model, with VO's still at its foundation.

Leveraging the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
 
While the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is one way for community-based decentralized renewable energy (DRE) projects to become financially viable, in practice few DRE developers have been able to meet the complex application requirements and the institutional bundling of smaller, kilowatt projects into substantial megawatts.  In 2009, AKRSP became one of the few to successfully leverage CDM using a community-based approach, initiating a 7-year program involving 90 micro hydropower projects with a total capacity of 15 MW for rural electrification.  The program, costing USD 17.42 million, has started to build AKRSP'S Community Development Carbon Fund, approved under the CDM efforts of Pakistan.  For this AKRSP has an Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement (ERPA) with the World Bank. The CDM project will generate an estimated 612,342 tCO2eq (ton carbon dioxide equivalent) of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) in the first 7-year crediting period, with the option of renewing for two additional 7-year periods. As of now, 42 projects are in operation and 10 have been commissioned this year, all generating CERs.  For the remaining 38 projects, AKRSP is seeking support for capital costs.   Further details on the program can be found here.

From Micro to Mini-Grids
 
Based on the overall progress of micro and mini hydropower in Pakistan, AKRSP has observed that most of the investment in the sector, particularly for the peripheral villages, focuses only on power generation, without addressing the issues of diversified demand of downstream users that has resulted from the change in economic conditions.  AKRSP's sees great opportunity in linking increased power generation with economic and commercial activities in the main load centers for creating greater socio-economic development of the area. The productive use of energy by communities, with special focus on enterprise and income generating activities, will lead to the rapid growth of the local economy.

To address this, AKRSP has concluded that although scattered and small villages with sufficient water flow and feasible sites naturally provide an easy option to construct a small unit for each village, in some villages the power generation is merely enough for lighting purpose.  Yet in other villages, due to availability of more water, the units generate more power than needed. This situation has pushed AKRSP to think about developing a new system for improved power management and more productive use of energy created by micro hydro project with varied capacities. AKRSP’s new hydro development strategy entails increasing power output (capacities and efficiency) and connecting multiple small units for stable supply of electricity into a mini-grid, thereby creating greater economic opportunities by using micro hydropower.  Similar efforts have been initiated in Indonesia, Myanmar, and Nepal.  This video from Nepal explains technical aspects.

AKRSP estimates that 2.3 MW of micro hydropower can be transformed from micro to mini-grids, benefiting 24 villages in two valleys of northern Pakistan.  AKRSP has recently installed two mini hydropower units, of 500 kW and 800 kW, in Laspur and Yarkhun valleys of Chitral District, along with establishing two local utility companies for the operation and maintenance of these systems.  AKRSP will conduct a feasibility study  for connecting these units into a mini-grid that can provide power to more communities.  The Laspur and Yarkhun valleys also include smaller mini-hydro units, ranging from 100-300 kW, where feasibility studies are being conducted for both mini-grids and grid inter-connectivity.  
 
Other HPNET members have identified grid inter-connectivity and inter-linking multiple micro hydropower projects into mini-grids as prime priorities for sustaining the work of local practitioners. Local developers fuel local economies and provide better post-installation operation and maintenance services.  HPNET looks very forward to learning from AKRSP's vision and firsthand experience to connect micro hydropower units at the sub-valley level, then at the valley, and finally with the national grid.  While this is a common sense goal, most governments and international donors in the region are not familiar enough with its significance, especially as a viable alternative to destructive and inequitable, central-grid based power sources, such as coal and large hydropower, for rural electrification.
 
No doubt, in time, AKRSP will prove the viability of its vision for interconnected micro hydropower mini-grids, and HPNET will be ready to assist in transferring its know how to the region.   More information and research on AKRSP's work can be found here.
 

By Nauman Amin and Dipti Vaghela

In the realm of integrated approaches to community-based micro hydro, we take inspiration from SIBAT, a country-wide Filipino network and people's organization advancing community-based renewable energy applications, sustainable agriculture techniques, and water access solutions.

Organization Evolution

SIBAT's Filipino name, Sibol Ng Agham At Teknolohiya, translates as a wellspring of science and technology.   In 1984, several non-government organizations, including science and technology leaders  of the country, synergized to help alleviate the struggles of rural communities with the use of appropriate technology   The endeavor established SIBAT as a network to coordinate capacity building for organizations that develop technology for rural areas.  Over the next decade SIBAT led the country's movement for sustainable agriculture, in empowering communities to return to organic farming with improved techniques.  In 1994, SIBAT began capacity building work on rural energy and water solutions.  

Challenges

With 30 years of commitment to rural communities, SIBAT's work faces the following challenges and opportunities:

Practice-to-policy

In the late 90’s and onward, SIBAT joined efforts for policy development on sustainable  agriculture.  It participated in the crafting of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Organic Agriculture Law which took effect in 2012. While the law is in place, it lacks mechanisms to strengthen the small-scale, organic farmer.  SIBAT faces a similar uphill in reforming the country's renewable energy law, so that small and community-based power producers are part of the national strategy. To scale community-based energy projects, SIBAT seeks to change the current Renewable Energy policy. Towards this goal, it has taken the lead in facilitating partnerships and exchange events among practice, policy, advocacy, and academic stakeholders.

Factors for Success

In today's era of SE4ALL and other initiatives with ambitious rural electrification targets, let's take a hindsight look at the factors that led to Nepal's ability to scale hydro mini-grids.

Long-term and Appropriate Funding

Often, multi-lateral donors  for energy access work are forced to spend large funds in a relatively short period of time.  This structure and culture of funding is perhaps inherited from the developed world's notion of infrastructure development, e.g. large projects that require big money, fast.  However, in the world of well-established decentralized renewable energy, the pace of funds utilization exponentially grows.  If in the initial phases, funds are carefully invested into developing local capacities, then later the implementation progress climbs fast. 

This has been the case in Nepal.  Exponentially over the last 20 years, multi-lateral donors have supported Nepal's micro hydropower development with $54 million.  As shown on the HPNET Nepal fact sheet, the initial funding came in lesser amounts and with longer duration. 

Iterative Policy Design

With each wave of funding dedicated to micro hydropower, AEPC has examined the results of the previous policy, in order to identify modifications for the next iteration.  Rather than a one-off policy design not amenable to changes, Nepal's program designers continue to create better financing mechanisms for improved micro hydropower.  With each iteration and its challenges, new partners have been established, such as Energising Development (EnDev) Nepal's work on developing debt financing, and the Clean Energy Development Bank's (CEDBL) support for grid-connected micro hydro.  Further, the iterative process of policy design has made it possible for the government and private sector to innovate technology, e.g. connecting multiple projects into a mini-grid.

The Road Ahead -- Resilience in Action

Among other factors, Nepal's impressive ability to organize multi-actors to give life to a professional, rural energy private sector -- and iteratively improve it as the context requires -- reflects it is more resilient than ever to overcome the vast devastation left behind by the earthquakes, as well as contribute insight towards development of the region.

Rehabilitation

The earthquakes caused nearly 100 micro hydro projects to be shut down, with nearly 250 others being impacted.  The well-established organizations (mentioned above) are identifying and addressing near and medium term rehabilitation needs for micro hydro projects.  This rapid assessment of damaged projects also include a failure analysis to recommend changes for future micro hydro projects.  This work is in addition to their immediate relief work.  With basic needs for food and shelter, impacted communities in coming months will start re-building their micro hydro systems with support from AEPC and partners. 

Regional Exchange

The highly experienced practitioners, policy makers, and program administrators  in Nepal are committed to exchanging with regional contexts -- to both contribute and learn from them.  In 2010, US AID established the Regional Centre for Excellence in Micro Hydro (RCEMH) to strengthen the sector both in Nepal and regionally.  HPNET also serves as exchange platform to bring in the hindsight of the Nepal micro hydropower context to less developed regions, e.g. practice-to-policy exchange in Myanmar.  For more on Nepal's micro hydro progress, check out UNDP's video here.

By HPNET Members Madhushudhan Adhikari (AEPC) and Dipti Vaghela

Things progress quickly at Tonibung, and by March 2015, we had a site selected for crossflow implementation in a remote Murut village of the Bornean interior called Saliku. Pulling once again from HPNET’s wealth of knowledge and resources, we contacted a legendary (and prominently open source) turbine designer, Owen Schumacher, whose 20+ years working in Afghanistan yielded the implementation of hundreds of community micro hydro sites. Owen graciously afforded us personal, in-depth design guidance, recommending a crossflow design branded the “Traditional Mill Turbine”, or TMT, by his organization, Remote HydroLight.

Fabrication of Tonibung’s first crossflow turbine for real-world application began with the TMT-100 (so named for its 100mm effective width) in late April 2015 and continues to this time of writing, with fabrication expected to be completed by July 2015. You can stay informed about CREATE’s crossflow fabrication, and all other Tonibung activites, on their Facebook page. The open source nature of Owen’s simple TMT design allows for, and necessarily encourages, modification by workshop technicians around the world according to their local context and conditions. A complete list of Remote HydroLight’s open source turbine offerings can be found here, and their contribution to the field of open source Electronic Load Controllers (ELCs) can be found here.

Certainly, there is not enough space in a single blog post to identify all, or even most, of the influencers who have blazed the trail for me to pursue community micro hydro, but suffice it to say that my experience and good fortune has depended principally on the kindness of mentors, peers, and role models to help me find each new rung of the ladder. If one thing is certain, Laurent’s assurance to me lo those 5 years ago still holds as true today as it ever did. “All are welcome in this field -- the technology is built for everyone. There are many people who will guide you along the way, if only you show the dedication.”


By Patrick Pawletko, HPNET member

• We eagerly await to see whether SHPAM's requests are answered by the agencies involved -- particularly the World Bank, as it is assisting the Myanmar government to design its SE4ALL program this month!  We are hopeful that micro hydro and other renewable energy mini grids are equally prioritized with mainstream but disenfranchising electrification paths being considered by the government and international financiers (including the World Bank).

This evolution is an example of how ground-truthing and in-person exchange can rapidly lead to new developments.  Without REAM's study of the field situation and multi-actor dialogue, the local micro hydro practitioners in Myanmar would have remained invisible to the government and the World Bank, during a very critical phase in Myanmar's energy planning.  And without the Myanmar practitioners' visit to Indonesia, their confidence to form an association to lobby for solutions to improve their work would not have quickly transpired.

We will keep you posted on how the micro hydro (r)evolution in Myanmar continues. :)


By Dipti Vaghela, HPNET Coordinator

On Feb. 2-6, 2015, HPNET's 2nd Annual Gathering of Micro Hydro Practitioners was  held at the ASEAN Hydropower Competence Centre (HYCOM), supported by WISIONS of Sustainability, and coordinated by Janathakshan, PT Entec Indonesia, Bandung Hydro Association (AHB), EnDev Indonesia, and IBEKA. HYCOM is a knowledge centre, offering training as well as facilitating research and development for micro, mini, and small hydropower sectors. In addition to a variety of targeted training activities, HYCOM supports the hydro industry in developing, testing, and improving their product at the national, regional, and international level.

HPNET consists of practitioners with various backgrounds from public sector, private companies, and grassroots organisations.The gathering was attended by 34 practitioners from 11 countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand), making it one of the most international and diverse MHP-dedicated gatherings in Indonesia in many years. Site visits to mhp installations and electromechanical component manufacturers allowed participants to see closely how the industry has grown in Indonesia. These visits also served to excite participants’ ambitions in their home countries.

As part of the agenda, intense discussion sessions were organized to refresh the Network’s vision and working plan for the coming year and beyond. Technology transfer, knowledge sharing, and policy advising remain some of the main focus areas adopted by HPNET, but the importance of community involvement and local capacity building received special emphasis.

HPNET emphasizes overall sustainability by putting community empowerment as the core, ultimate goal. Forest and water conservation, productive use of energy, as well as technology innovation also will be strongly pursued by the Network, which has agreed that joint collaborations on transnational MHP initiatives are a vital mechanism to maintain and enhance the momentum of MHP development.

Gerhard Fischer, the holistic expert behind HYCOM, with over 30 years of experience in MHP development, thought the event to be very beneficial for all participants: “I am quite convinced that for these small power plants – maybe up to 100kW – the knowhow should be there where the site is. It should be accessible for the villages. That’s why the success of these things in Nepal, Indonesia, and other countries like Pakistan is connected with the local fabrication of the equipment. We need networking. Each country has its own development. To look what is working where and to coordinate this knowhow and to make it available is a very important thing.”

Fischer went on to explain the value of HPNET in linking institutions with similar targets. “We should work together,” Fischer added, “and also take seriously into account what others have done to develop the technology.”

By HPNET members Amalia Suryani (EnDev Indonesia) and Patrick Pawletko (Tonibung)