Category: Pakistan

WATCH: HPNET PRESENTATIONS AT global symposium on sustainable water and energy solutions

8/15/2022

HPNET members presented at the Global Symposium on Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions in Brazil and Paraguay, convened by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, hosted by ITAIPI Binancional, in partnership with Sustainable Water & Energy Solutions Network, June 13-15, 2022.

If you missed joining the event virtually, their presentations and others are now available at the links below!

Mr. Satish Gautam, National Programme Manager of the Renewable Energy for Rural Livelihoods initiative of Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) and the UNDP in Nepal, presented the drivers that led to the scaled dissemination of micro hydro in Nepal. Watch here (Apologies, the event organizer's link to this presentation no longer works).

Mr. Sherzad Ali Khan, Regional Coordinator of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Pakistan presented cases of community-driven enterprise solutions for micro and mini hydro sustainability. Watch here

Ms. Jade Angngalao, Indigenous People's Energy Access Specialist in the Philippines presented on the role of Indigenous Knowledge and governance traditions in climate resilient solutions for hydro mini-grids. Watch here

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GLOBAL SYMPOSIUM ON SUSTAINABLE WATER AND ENERGY SOLUTIONS

6/1/2022

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Sustainable water and energy solutions go hand and hand, as key cross-cutting factors that intersect with multiple Sustainable Development Goals. From June 13-15, 2022, the Global Symposium on Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions will be held in Brazil and Paraguay, convened by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, hosted by ITAIPI Binancional, in partnership with Sustainable Water & Energy Solutions Network. The main objective of the symposium is “to enhance the capacities of relevant stakeholders including governmental institutions to effectively manage the water-energy nexus and interlinkages with other SDGs covering the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development”.

Three HPNET members will be presenting at the symposium: Satish Gautam, National Programme Manager of the Renewable Energy for Rural Livelihood (RERL), a joint project of the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC) and UNDP in Nepal; Sherzad Ali Khan, Regional Coordinator of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Pakistan; and Jade Angngalao, Indigenous People's Energy Access Specialist for HPNET’s efforts in the Philippines. Satish Gautam will present in Session 2: Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions & Energy Case Studies. Sherzad Ali Khan and Jade Angngalao will both present in Session 7: Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions - Economic Interlinkages.

More information about this event is available at the website of the Global Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions Network at this link.

The event will be offered in a hybrid format. To join virtually, register in advance at this link.

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WATCH: STREAMSIDE CHATS - EDITION 3, COMMUNITY UTILITIES IN PAKISTAN

11/3/2021

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We’re excited to present the latest edition of StreamSide Chats -- our video podcast series featuring conversations with grassroots innovators and international experts of small-scale hydropower. The podcast facilitates deep-dive conversations with practitioners, bringing to light firsthand insights from the field, framed within multi-thematic analysis.

In Edition 3, we focus on Pakistan’s unique small-scale hydro sector, which has been scaled up over several decades. To date, over a thousand systems have been developed in Pakistan by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) and its regional partners, in partnership with rural communities.

We had the privilege to speak with Sherzad Ali Khan, the Coordinator of the Aga Khan Development Network (or AKDN) for the mountainous regions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral in northern Pakistan. Prior to his current role, Sherzad worked for AKRSP, at which time he further innovated the community ownership models for micro and mini hydro. AKRSP’s Community Utility Company model continues to generate positive outcomes, and serves as a model for women-centric approaches to governance and productive end use.

Referencing insightful and inspiring examples, Sherzad provides insight into AKRSP’s Community-Utility Company model and how it facilitates inclusive, sustainable energy access and community development. We discuss gender-aware planning, productive end use, successful management practices, grid interconnection, climate finance and more.

In case you missed it

Check out earlier editions of StreamSide Chats on our YouTube channel.

In Edition 1 we spoke with decentralized renewable energy specialist, Divyam Nagpal, and Director of Clean Energy at Winrock International, Bikash Pandey. We discussed the role of micro hydro in contributing to long term rural economic recovery and resilience in the pandemic era.

In Edition 2 Bikash Pandey spoke with Ashoka Fellow and micro / mini hydro developer Bir Bahadur Ghale from Nepal, where over 3000 small-scale hydro projects have been developed, supporting local job creation and economic resilience, even in the aftermath of the devastating 2015 earthquake.

Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to stay updated on future releases!

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WATCH: EXCHANGE EVENT VIDEOS

10/18/2021

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As part of the SEEED Accelerator, HPNET launched the SEEED cohort for the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Meghna, and Salween River Basins, in partnership with International Rivers, to advance community-scale hydropower in the region.

With support from TROSA and funding from the Government of Sweden and WISIONS, the SEEED cohort engaged in capacity building, multi-actor dialogue and peer-to-peer exchange, including through a two-day virtual exchange event.

You can find video recordings, session summaries, presentation slides, and other event resources at this link!

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EARTH VOICES: FROM KALASH, PAKISTAN

12/23/2020

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Our Earth Voices feature series explores how small-scale hydropower promotes ecological integrity and community well-being. Each edition highlights an indigenous community that practices environmental sustainability and conservation through community-scale hydropower.

In this edition of Earth Voices, environmental economist Mr. Hashim Zaman takes you to the Kalasha Valleys, in the heart of the Hindukush mountain range of Pakistan, where community-based mini hydropower (< 1MW) enables community-led initiatives and social enterprise development. For the indigenous Kalasha, this has helped build climate resilience as well as preserve their traditions and culture in one of the most isolated and inaccessible mountainous regions of Pakistan.

Note to readers: While our earlier Earth Voices case studies were developed using interviews, due to lack of direct access to the remote Kalash hydro communities at this time, we leveraged the next best option -- secondary research. We hope that you still find the article an insightful read on how community-scale hydropower has impacted the Kalasha.

A jeep enroute to Kalash valley. Credit: Zindagi-zoq-e-Safar

Descendants of Alexander the Great

Tucked away in the mighty Hindukush range resides an ancient tribe known as the Kalasha. The indigenous communities of Kalash reside amidst the three mountain valleys of Bamburet, Rumboor and Birir, located in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of northern Pakistan. [1]

Kalasha girls celebrate during a festival. Credit: Kamal Zain

The Kalasha form the smallest minority community residing in Pakistan. They are a unique tribe with a distinct language, folklore, tribal customs, and a polytheistic religion. [2] The Kalasha believe that they are descendants of Alexander the Great, with some evidence suggesting that they originated in Syria. There are also traces of a possible history with the Indo-Aryans and the equestrian tribesmen, who roamed the Black and Caspian seas and migrated as far as South Asia. [1]

The way of life for the last of the Kalasha

Kalasha family in Rumbur Valley. Credit: Sanam Saeed

Many historians have expressed their concern over the declining Kalasha culture. Once large in number, the Kalasha population has dwindled down to nearly 5,000 inhabitants. [2] Preservation of local traditions and rituals has diminished, partly owing to locals exhibiting astounding interfaith harmony with surrounding regions. [1] Both forced and voluntary conversions to Islam, coupled with youth migrating to cities in search of better opportunities, has further exacerbated the issue. The majority still rely on traditional sources of livelihood including livestock, small-scale cultivation, and wage labour. [3] However, owing to growing tourism, the Kalasha have transitioned toward a cash-based economy and established local shops, restaurants and hotels. [2]

A local store in Bumburet Valley. Credit: Waleed Ahmad

Most infrastructure is still basic. Lack of energy access has promoted traditional wood burning, kerosene oil, lanterns, and candles across the Kalasha Valleys. [2] For decades, the locals have used firewood and kerosene stoves to cook food, leading to respiratory diseases such as chronic bronchitis and pneumonia. [4]

A Kalasha home in Bumburet Valley. Credit: Waleed Ahmad

Environmental degradation and glacial flooding

Forest products provide a major source of income for inhabitants of the valley. Wood, pine nuts, chilgoza, fruits, and medicinal plants are traded for much-needed income. [3] Moreover, the Kalasha see the forest as vital to their cultural survival and have fought to protect their rights to the land. For instance, from the 1980’s into the early 1990’s the Kalasha of the Rumbur Valley were involved in a 10-year court case to protect the forest for future generations. [5] A local who spearheaded the case stated that, “if we can turn the valleys into a reserve for future people, then the Kalash will survive for another 1,000 years”. [6]

Nature continues to be central to the Kalasha’s spiritual beliefs and plays an important role in their daily lives. [6] Deforestation for timber and fuelwood not only disrupts the health of the watershed but triggers climate induced disasters such as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF). Floods and erratic monsoon patterns lead to major destruction of crops and infrastructure, disruption in energy supply and loss of livelihoods. [7]

Kalasha harvest festival hats. Credit: Martin Jung

Bumburet River and autumn colors shine across the valley. Credit: Hassan Ali

Of the 3,044 glacial lakes in northern Pakistan, 33 are considered to be at high risk of bursting. [8] There have been GLOF events happening every year now, but the havoc wreaked by the floods of 2011 and 2015 remains unparalleled. Houses, bridges, orchards, hotels, water channels, shops, farms and roads were either completely or partially destroyed. [7] Recalling the loss and damage borne by the community, Shaheen Gul, a young Kalasha woman states “Our fields with corn and beans that were ready for harvest and fruit trees like walnuts and apricots are gone as they were near the nullah[stream]”. [7] A local farmer, Hussain claims, “Our culture was already under threat, and now these floods have destroyed our crops and orchards. We will have to buy food from the bazaar and store it if we are to survive this winter”. [7]

A broken bridge destroyed in glacial floodwater. Credit: Rina Saeed Khan

The civil works of the micro hydro system, water pipelines and the various irrigation channels of Rumbur, Gambak, and Brone villages were partially destroyed. [7] Moreover, the floods also destroyed the only primary school in the valley and the children were forced to study under an ad-hoc open roof environment for a long time. [7] The Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) motel was in ruins too, as the gushing streams turned into a surging river, destroying the wooden chalets and the garden of the motel. [7]

Glacial floods have changed entire landscapes, posing serious risks around soil erosion, species migration and food insecurity. A local resident attributes the origin of these floods to melting glaciers in the region, explaining, “There are around four glaciers high up above in these mountains overlooking the valley. Glacial floods came down along with rainwater, carrying large boulders and we even saw large chunks of black ice”. [7] However, a disaster risk reduction expert from Chitral felt that torrential rainfall was the main cause of the flooding. [7] Similarly, a climate change expert attributed the cause of floods to El Nino (periodic warming of the ocean), which leads to erratic monsoon rainfalls, accelerates snow melt and subsequently triggers glacial lakes. [7] A local blamed deforestation and attributed the intensity of these floods to climate change. He explained, “It was still warm by the end of September this year, while the summers would usually end in August.” [7]

Hydro mini-grids: A solution for climate resilience and energy access

Building climate resilience and ensuring sustainable development requires retaining biodiversity and investment in nature-based solutions. Hydro mini-grids are a nature-based solution because their functionality depends on healthy forests. Thriving forests result in resilient catchment areas that provide maximum flow and erosion protection to the hydro mini-grid.

An aerial shot of Rumbur Valley. Credit: M. Ansari

Sarujalik, a village amidst the Bumburet valley in Ayun local council, had always remained deprived of basic facilities. Having no access to main-grid electricity, the communities were using diesel generators, along with a rudimentary MHP which didn't meet the electricity demand. Moreover, being the hub of seasonal festivals, the village faced energy shortages throughout the year. [10]

Local households during a power breakdown. Credit: Shah Tahsin Anwar

The situation led to local communities approaching a reputed NGO called the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) for support in developing a community-owned mini-hydro system. In 2011, SRSP designed and constructed a separate 200kW mini hydro system to be operated by the Sarujalik community in partnership with SRSP. With the financial support of EU, the system was later upgraded in 2013-14, with improved and more efficient mechanical equipment, civil works and extension of transmission lines. The system uses two locally manufactured cross flow T-15 turbines and the total system cost was PKR 12.84 million.

Sarujalik Mini Hydro. Credit: SRSP

The 200 kW Sarujalik Mini Hydro system. Credit: SRSP

A healthy and connected community

The Sarujalik mini hydropower system has 592 domestic and 111 commercial connections, providing electricity to almost 6,000 individuals across the valley. [10] Previously, the lack of reliable electricity services deprived the Kalasha of basic facilities, with negative impacts on their health and education. [1] The communities that were earlier using candles are now using telephones, refrigerators, and Internet facilities. [2] The local general stores are stocking their supplies in refrigerators, while uninterrupted electricity supply has enabled local businesses, such as welding and tailoring shops, to operate more optimally. [3]

Kalasha festival dance. Credit: Kamal Zain

Local vendors operate through the evening using MHP electricity. Credit: SRSP

Kalasha women greet each other. Credit: Tahsin Shah

Apart from monetary benefits, Kalasha are now enjoying a relatively healthier life. As some vaccines are temperature-sensitive and require cold storage, refrigerators have made it possible to vaccinate the population, and ensure a healthier and happier community. [1] Communication has also improved, as people are able to charge their phones at home and stay connected with their families, as well as access information and news from across the world.

A Kalasha woman able to communicate via phone thanks to electricity access. Credit: SRSP

Education in a remote valley

In these times of a global pandemic, community-scale hydropower has not only enabled online-distance learning, but has paved the way for a more informed community in one of the most isolated regions on Earth. Previously, teachers had difficulty conducting classes due to insufficient electricity in the school. Now, with improved energy access, there is evidence of more effective knowledge transmission and learning amongst students. [9] According to a schoolteacher, “students access new knowledge on the Internet and not only they become more informed, but they also share that information with us, and we learn from them too”. [9]

Kalasha children. Credit: Tahsin Shah

The community-led hydropower has enabled schools to initiate an online enrollment system, allowing students to register for various national examinations. [9] Students are now able to access international research publications and supplement their existing knowledge with scientific and evidence-based research. [9]

Access to clean energy has also lowered the rate of rural migration to cities. A local woman feels “people used to leave the village as their studies suffered without electricity. When all their needs are met at home, why would they leave?”. [11]

Mini hydropower and Kalasha women

Community-scale hydro has been a blessing for the women across the valley. Traditional wood-burning stoves have been replaced by more efficient electric cookstoves, and other electric appliances have reduced drudgery from laborious housework. [1]

Kalasha women amidst the Hindukush mountains. Credit: Tahsin Shah

MHP-powered washing machine. Credit: SRSP

Earlier, women were mostly occupied with housekeeping, e.g. washing and cooking, but now invest their skills and energy in various productive end uses, such as operating their own shops and designing traditional items for sale to tourists. [1] According to the CEO of SRSP, Mr. Shahzada ul Mulk, “When we brought light to one village, one old lady said to me, ‘Son, you have just added 15 years to my life’”. [11]

Community-driven sustainability

SRSP’s bottom-up and community-driven rural development approach has helped the community build community-owned social enterprises, resulting in reliable income generation for the Kalasha. SRSP has ensured active community decision-making at all stages of MHP projects, from identifying potential sites and developing community structures, to keeping the system operational and participating in the cost-benefit sharing of the system. For long-term access to clean and green energy, committees have been set up to evaluate and provide connections to households, collect fees and ensure periodic maintenance of units. [10]

SRSP has implemented 353 community-scale hydropower systems with a total installed capacity of over 29 MW, providing electricity to an estimated 900,000 individuals mostly in off-grid mountainous regions. [10] The founder of SRSP Mr. Masood ul Mulk says, “We do not see ourselves as energy generators but as an organization that gives hope to people who have been devastated by conflict and floods. Electricity is a way to harmonize and bring communities together. Providing light is just the beginning of the process of building up communities.” [11] Learn more about SRSP’s award-winning work in this video.

Ayun MHP construction. Credit: SRSP

As the global pandemic persists and we enter the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, climate-resilient and nature-based solutions become imperative. The role of community-scale hydropower in enabling clean energy access, uplifting livelihoods, and ultimately building resilience is vital in the context of the global climate crisis. We can learn from and be inspired by the resilience of indigenous local communities such as the Kalasha, and strive towards a more equitable and a sustainable future.

Kalasha girls looking out of their traditional home. Credit: Tahsin Shah

References:
[1] http://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/zh/960841551256802132/pdf/Indigenous-Peoples-Planning-Framework.pdf
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4570283/pdf/main.pdf
[3] http://kp.gov.pk/uploads/2019/04/IPPF_Pub_Disclosure3.pdf
[4] h ttps://cmjournal.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s13020-018-0204-y.pdf
[5] http://www.icwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CVR-27.pdf
[6] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/south_asia_kalash_spring_festival/html/3.stm
[7] https://climate.earthjournalism.net/2015/12/03/kalash-valleys-struggle-to-survive-post-floods.html
[8] https://www.pk.undp.org/content/pakistan/en/home/projects/Glof-II.html
[9] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDFCdius3KQ&feature=emb_logo
[10] http://www1.srsp.org.pk/site/alternate-energy-new/
[11] https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/jun/12/pakistan-electricity-village-micro-hydro-ashden-award

Developed by Hashim Zaman, Environmental Economist
Content support from Atif Zeeshan Rauf, Sarad Rural Support Programme
Editing support from the HPNET Secretariat

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"HIDDEN NO MORE": AN INTERVIEW WITH A MINI HYDRO SHAREHOLDER, HASANA FATIMI

12/10/2020

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Our Hidden No More series features women micro hydro practitioners who have transformed gender barriers to generate energy access for marginalized communities. While our past interviews focused on women who facilitated micro hydro as members of the implementing organization, in this edition we have the rare opportunity to feature a woman leader from within the community, Ms. Hasana Fatimi.

Hasana is a local hero amidst the most isolated and remote valley of Chitral, Pakistan. Her journey is embedded in the thriving community-based and women share-holding models that have transformed micro and mini hydropower (MH) development across the most inaccessible, yet the most beautiful valleys across Pakistan. This approach to MH has been developed by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) as a part of its community-owned utilities initiative.

Special thanks goes out to our Board member Meherban Khan, AKRSP's Coordinator for Utility Companies, for helping to make this interview possible.

Hasana Fatimi. Credit: H.Fatimi

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I am Hasana Fatimi. I belong to a small village of 200 households called Bang, located in Yarkhun Valley, of Upper Chitral District in Pakistan. I am one of the few women in this valley and the only female in my family with a master’s degree.

Currently, I work as a sales officer in the Yadgar Utility Public Limited Company, our community-owned utility that supplies electricity to 1200 households (in 24 villages, including Bang) using electricity generated from a 800kW mini hydro system. I’ve been working here for the last three years.

How did your education, i.e. master’s degree, help you in your professional life?

We belong to a very isolated area in the northern part of ChitraI. I enrolled in Abdul Wali Khan University in Chitral for the master’s program and graduated in 2017. My village and the university were 150 km apart, connected through a broken road, and hence I lived at my relatives place which was close to the university. The knowledge gained during my university life has helped me immensely in my professional career.

Bang village, Chitral. Credit: AKRSP

Bang village, Chitral. Credit: Google Earth

How do you identify yourself -- a women entrepreneur, a community leader, or an energy practitioner?

In this valley, women haven’t had a lot of opportunities to work and contribute to their household. After completing my education, I started my career as a teacher in a private school but that felt insufficient, as I wanted to do something for the women in this area. I then decided to be an entrepreneur, as I always wanted to be an inspiration for the women in my region. I wanted to show them that everything is possible, to dream big and to aspire for more meaningful things in life.

Hasana Fatimi working at the Yadgar Utility Company. Credit: H.Fatimi

How did mini hydropower arrive in Bang village, and how were women involved?

Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) has formed and mobilized village organizations that are led by both men and women. They are combined to form a cluster known as Community Organization (CO) of which all men and women of the village can become a member. The CO put in a request to AKRSP for a 800 kW mini hydro plant. Before that they had a 50 kW and 100 kW plant constructed by AKRSP, which were only used for lightning purposes and didn’t equip us in cooking or business ventures.

Yadgar Utility Company mini hydro powerhouse. Credit: AKRSP

On the basis of this resolution by village men and women, AKRSP started work on the design, site selection, feasibility, fund arrangement etc. The women were present in all meetings, dialogues and identification areas component. Women were involved in the construction phase, and were part of the supervisory and management committee of the cluster board. However, they didn’t take part in the design phase, as it is technical work and women are not educated enough to carry out that task.

How is AKRSP facilitating mini hydro efforts in Yarkhun valley?

AKRSP is a community-based development organization. It is focused on integrated rural development in Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral (GBC) region of Northern Pakistan.The Water and Energy Security (WES), funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by AKRSP, is the program that supports mini hydro development in this valley.

AKRSP, the implementing partner for our mini hydro project, had prior experience of establishing over 200 micro hydro plants and thousands of water development projects that were operated by local communities. The project was framed to transform the traditional community-based approach to manage small scale micro hydro, into modern utility companies. The project followed an ambitious, market-based financing plan, raising 20% equity, 50% donor funding (i.e. SDC), and 30% bank loan to be offset later from the carbon income [yet to materialize] and tariff collection.

Yadgar Utility Company site. Credit: AKRSP

AKRSP has a major role in the development of this area. It has worked in every important aspect of living and improved the living standard of the people in this valley. Basic needs like providing clean drinking water to electricity, health, education, agriculture development, roads, and every aspect of life have been improved due to the role of AKRSP.

AKRSP supported the construction, operational phase, and funding for our mini hydro project. They invested and made us shareholders for the sustainability of the project. Until the project becomes self-sustainable, AKRSP supports us with the maintenance and running costs of the plant.

Penstock and powerhouse of the Yadgar Utility Company's mini hydro system. Credit: AKRSP

They also provided technical support to our utility company, e.g. train operators and connect households to the company. They continue to assist in locating investors for the sustainable development of other mini hydro in the valley. So basically AKRSP is providing support to communities in terms of skills building and finance for the long-term sustainability of electricity in the valley.

How did the local community become involved in the mini hydro project?

We underwent the usual protocol of AKRSP, which consisted of dialogues, in which the communities established the need for electricity and the willingness to engage in a micro hydro project. The communities contributed in the construction, and eventually they became shareholders and now they are the owners in this venture. The project started around 2012, but due to financial constraints, it was delayed till 2015. It was a hybrid model of financing. Initially, it entailed a grant, followed by obtaining a loan, and ultimately it was sustained by investment from the community, who eventually became the shareholders in the project.

The money that is usually collected through community mobilization for the formation of a maintenance fund, was later on transformed into equity. The initial minimum contribution per household was fixed around PKR 6000 to contribute to maintenance funds. The minimum contributions were set by AKRSP at PKR 10 Million for the community as a maintenance fund or community contribution for the project, which is an equivalent of approximately 5% of the project cost. With the transformation of the unit into public limited companies, the initial investments/contribution of the community members were converted into shares and transferred to individual persons as share capital. The value of 1 share was set at PKR 100. Furthermore, the minimum investments were reduced to PKR 1500 for women, so that the women members of the community could also participate as shareholders/members of the company.

How many women are involved in this project and what is their background?

More than 400 women are shareholders in this mini hydro project. A small portion of the women are educated and most of them are housewives, but many of them have started their own businesses at household level. In this mini hydro project, we have obtained a loan and our sales are not high enough to meet the loan repayment, given the high operational and maintenance costs. But we are moving in the right direction and by 2023, we will hopefully repay the entire loan and then the company will receive profits, and we will receive shareholder dividends.

What was it like for the women in the area before the mini hydro project?

We had everything in terms of natural resources, but we didn't have electricity to ensure basic facilities and sustainable development in the valley. There were no diesel generators and everyone used kerosene lamps.

Women cooking using kerosene lamps. Credit: AKRSP

There was a rare case of a kerosene stove for cooking, but it was destroying the food quality due to the smell. Most of the locals in the valley were using firewood and cutting down the precious forests of the valley.
We would spend most of our time gathering fodder for the livestock, fetching fuelwood for heating purposes, and using indigenous techniques for threshing grains, which was very tough and time-consuming.

According to you, what has been the overall impact of the mini hydro project in Bang village?

Bang village consists of 200 households and the mini hydro plant is 7 km away from the households. Community-based hydro has been operational here since 1995 when AKRSP first constructed the 50 kW micro hydro system, but it only fulfilled the basic needs of lighting for the households across the valley. So there were various restrictions in place for using electric appliances such as rods, heaters, rice cookers, and ovens, which didn’t fulfill our basic needs.

After the completion of the 800 kW mini hydro project, the majority of households started using electric appliances for cooking meals, chapati, tea making and heating purposes. This has not only resulted in increased output and productivity, but has also helped us to focus on our children because it saves us time and energy.

Woman cooking using electric stove. Credit: AKRSP

Before the mini hydro, women in the area spent a major chunk of their day washing clothes and making butter manually, as households have a good number of livestock in the valley. Now use of the washing machine and butter churner will save us a lot of time, which are used for productive purposes. In addition, use of electricity for cooking will also save time, as cooking meals with fuel wood not only required more time but the smoke was hazardous for health too.

Woman working at a utility store in Bang village. Credit: AKRSP

New businesses are also propping up as a result of the additional electricity, which have improved the living standards in the valley. In fact, it has been amazing to see that women who didn’t have formal education, have also started opening up their own businesses, due to the availability of electricity in the area.

Moreover, people have started educating themselves at night, due to the availability of internet facilities. This wasn’t possible before, as there wasn’t enough electricity, but this is a huge change now, which will have a positive impact on the literacy rates and livelihoods of the valley.

A mother and a son studying at night using electricity from the mini hydro system. Credit: AKRSP

Before this mini hydro project, there were no hospitals or lab facilities in the valley. Thanks to the electricity now, we have hospitals that not only have maternity services available, but also have birthing centres to ensure safe and healthy child births in the valley. Moreover, we can see that the health of the locals, especially the women, has improved due to the hospital and the easy access to it now. The general diseases in the area have also reduced, and the eye problems in particular have reduced considerably.

The scope of this mini hydro project is very diverse and it has been a blessing for the people of this area. All in all, the scope and impacts of mini hydro are very positive and diverse, and it has had a life changing role for our society.

Tell us about your first encounter with the mini hydro project, and what are your daily responsibilities?

I participated in an interview for the position of a sales officer in the Yadgar Utility Company and was selected. When I started my job, I got the opportunity to interact with people in the mini hydro sector, and also with the community directly on a daily basis.
My daily routine involves selling prepaid electricity units and collecting cash in return. I look after the Vending Point System, where consumers come and top up their prepaid cards in return for electricity. Everyday I meet 7-8 women, who visit the Vending Point System and I guide them in starting their own micro-business.

Hasana Fatimi at the Vending Point System selling pre-paid electricity. Credit: H.Fatimi

I also link the customers to the training section of the utility company, which provides training in business management, bookkeeping, business planning etc. Moreover, I connect the locals who are seeking loans to set up their own businesses, with the most suitable institutions.

How does the Vending Point System work and how accessible are they?

The Bang village spans across an area of 16 kilometers and it is divided into four areas. Every person has to travel 1km to reach the Vending Point System.

A transaction at the Vending Point System. Credit: AKRSP

We have four Vending Points Systems, in which 5-6 villages are connected to each other. There are only two Vending Point System managers in the entire valley of 1200 households. Out of these four Vending Point Systems, two are managed by women, and two are closed. This is very inspirational for women in the valley, as it indicates that women are not only able to operate this technology, but are entrusted with this very crucial component of the mini hydro system. The Vending Point System means that there is a prepaid system in place, where each person has a card. The locals come to the Vending Point System and tops up their cards with kW units, by paying cash and loading the kW into their respective electricity meters.

What kind of impact do you see from your role of advising the enterprise for women?

Earning money and contributing to the household makes the women independent. My guidance and support to the women in my valley has helped them start their own household businesses and they are now able to contribute to their household finances. They now have a chance to highlight their local products in the national and international markets too. This includes learning skills, such as the sewing machine and embroidery, that results in beautiful clothes for the women.

A woman ironing clothes using electricity from the community mini hydro system, while her child looks outside. Credit: AKRSP

Women are also now more aware and preserve their excess food, such as milk and chicken, in the refrigerators due to the availability of electricity. This includes apricot, pear, cherry, peach, apple and other fruits. The fruits are then further made into various jams using the electricity, mainly in the months of september and october, when the fresh fruits are available. The jams are used in the household, and also sold in the nearby households across the valley. In order for these jams to be sold in the market, we need machinery and a sustainable business model, with proper training in packaging and marketing. That would lead to an increased income generation and improved livelihoods across our valley.

Was there difficulty at the start to convince the women to do business?

Initially, it was a challenge to mobilize them. They were afraid to start their own businesses, as they were afraid of failing and losing their hard earned money. This idea was and is still being complemented by the men, who blame them for failing and hence, they’re a little hesitant now.

AKRSP is providing these women with soft loans now, and this is a great incentive for women to take risks now. This has led to women giving back to their household and has earned them great respect in the community now.

Hasana, did you yourself face any challenges because you're a woman, at any time during university, or education, or during your project?

Being a woman, I had to face the patriarchal attitudes of the people in the valley. I also need to account for the societal pressures and geographical limitations that are imposed on women. Moreover, it was a great challenge to fund my university education and then finding a job after graduating, was another uphill battle that I fought. I now have to keep a fine balance between my job and the household chores.

Furthermore, it was not easy to equip the local community. I mobilized the women and explained to them the dynamics of the area. During my professional life, people would sometimes come in the evening and ask to charge their card, and this is not easy for women to manage. Men would come to the Vending Point Systems after 6 o'clock to top up their cards, and in some instances, I’ve had to go to the point after office hours, and top up their cards.

Do you see both young and old women interested to start their own businesses?

Educated women are more focused on their education, and are trying to get out of the valley in search of better opportunities. Other women who are enrolled in post-graduate degrees, are starting their own businesses too. However, unmarried women are preferring jobs as they have to shift to other areas after getting married, and hence might not be able to work then. This is because they know that after getting married, they might have to relocate to possibly even more remote areas or go into more conservative families - where they might not find a job or be able to work respectively. In this area, we have 10-15 businesses that have been started by women, out of which, 10 have been started by older women.

If the women weren’t involved in this mini hydro project, what do you think would have been the outcome?

Without the women, the result will only be 30% of what we have now. The demand for electricity by women is very high, as they’re using electrical appliances at home. Most importantly, we’re now shareholders in the project, and are a major part of the decision making process. They're part of the discourse now, are negotiating their demands and are discussing important issues such as prices and tariff-designs. They're debating on the frontline now, and this is very encouraging for the women community across our valley.

What impact has the mini hydro project have on you/how has your knowledge and experience developed?

Dealing with a diverse group of people has definitely broadened my view of the world. Moreover, supporting conflict resolution in the community has enhanced my skills greatly. In the beginning, I was a little hesitant to engage with the community, but I adjusted eventually. Now I’m extremely motivated to spread awareness and solve the issues of the community.

What other programs can support women? What kind of solution do you think can help?

Equitable business opportunities, vocational training, and household level decision making are extremely vital in the upliftment of the women in our society. If the women in my valley become more financially independent, then they’ll be able to exercise greater power in the household decision making.

Vending Point System operator. Credit: AKRSP

What is your hope to improve women's lives in your community?

Financial support by the NGOs and the government, women empowerment, vocational training and motivating women to start their own businesses will be extremely essential to uplift the women in our valley. We need to attract them to entrepreneurship, and help them learn the necessary skills to promote their local products and culture to the world.

Yarkhun Valley in Chitral, Pakistan. Credit: Google Earth

For more insights on AKRSP's work, be sure to check out our program case study Evolution to Inclusive Social Enterprise.

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PAKISTAN: EVOLUTION TO INCLUSIVE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

9/30/2019

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This quarter, HPNET has sought to shed light on the linkage between inclusive local social enterprise and mini-grid sustainability. Based on collective research and lessons-learned within the Network, it has become evident that local social enterprise is critical for sustaining hydro mini-grids over the long-term. Moreover, an inclusive, women-centric approach should be implemented in order to improve sustainability and maximize social impact.

To facilitate a closer look at the far-reaching benefits of an inclusive, enterprise-based model, we reached out to Mr. Meherban Khan, Coordinator of Electric Utilities at the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) and HPNET's Board of Representative member for Pakistan.

Based in Pakistan, AKRSP is a project of the Aga Khan Foundation, which is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). In the following article, Meherban sheds light on AKRSP’s participatory, multi-faceted approach to development, providing insight into the Programme’s success in developing women-led social enterprise.

Overview

ARKSP’s work on hydropower began in 1986 with a research and demonstration programme that resulted in engagement in the hydropower sector in the 1990s with micro and mini hydropower plants (MHPs) between 25 and 300 kW providing electricity for lighting. The major focus of AKRSP’s MHP engagement was directed towards the peripheral off-grid areas of Chitral where the community demand had been greatest. Besides improved quality of life and health, and increasing savings with the MHPs, AKRSP targets poverty alleviation through the establishment of organizational, managerial and technical skills as well as through improving options to generate capital. Up to 2010, AKRSP had constructed 225 micro- and mini-hydro projects (177 in Chitral, 48 in Gilgit-Baltistan) with capacities up to 800 kW and a cumulative capacity of 16.4 MW. Out of the 177 units in Chitral, 147 are still functional. For its efforts in regard to community based MHPs, AKRSP has repeatedly gained international attention and awards.

Chitral District in Northern Pakistan

District Chitral has the lowest population density of 25 people/ km2 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KPK). It is composed of a wide variety of ethnic groups. These include Chitrali (or Khowar), Pashtuns, and other ethno-religious minorities such as the Kalash.

Chitral is the most linguistically diverse area of Pakistan and more than 10 languages are spoken in the district in 35 major valleys. About 35 % of the families live in Pacca (brick) houses of which some 30% have access to electricity and piped water, predominantly in the few main towns of the District. 90% of the population lives in rural settings with an average household of 8 persons.

Most of the population lives in the southern Union Councils where the natural conditions and the natural resources (forests, arable lands in the valleys, irrigation infrastructure) are the best. In the northern Union Councils and more mountainous valleys, natural resources are scarce and limited to vast shrub pastures and small plots in the valleys for agri-/horticulture. In these areas, livestock including a few local sheep and goat breeds, is important for the subsistence households. But due to remote location and limited development interventions, opportunities for diversifying subsistence farming and linked livelihoods are almost negligible. This makes them extremely vulnerable to external stresses by natural hazards or socio-economic instability.

Evolution to Social Enterprise

Over time, the MH projects implemented by AKRSP have grown in size and impact. Initially, systems were relatively small, providing electricity solely for lighting and small appliances, and often operating only for night-time use. Today, much larger systems are being implemented, with implications for community development that go beyond basic electrification. This development is the result of a decision to shift to a community enterprise approach.

The community-based mini hydropower utility companies (CBMHPUCs) can be understood as “community enterprises” with both commercial as well as social aims and objectives, i.e. “to create sustainable wealth for the community; and to create social benefit for the community”. This means to deliver fairly priced quality services in a sector that neither the public nor other private sector covers. In comparison to other models (e.g. trusts and co-operatives) the organizational functions and operating style are driven by business methods and practices. Furthermore, its regulatory and other reporting requirements are more robust. Thus they distinguish themselves from the otherwise rather informal operating patterns of community-based organizations or maintenance committees mostly applied in regard to micro and small MHPs. Nonetheless, the central feature of the CBMHPUCs set up by AKRSP remains the same as with other community-based organizations: they are basically owned and controlled by people who live in a defined locality, who constitute a community of interest and who, in this case, may share the rights over the water used for the electricity generation.

The new approach of AKRSP for formation and regulation of the community based Utility Companies in Hydro power is to register with Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) under Companies Ordinance (1984). The objective of the CBMHPUCs is “to establish a financially viable and sustainable hydro power business by providing affordable and reliable electricity with improved service quality and profitability”.

Three of the main CBMHPUCs designed with this new enterprise-based approach approach are CBMHPUC Yadgarh (800 kW), Shandur (500 kW) and Ozhor (500 kW). These plants have been operational since January 2017 and were designed to provide enterprise opportunities for small industries and to eradicate poverty. The CBMHPUC Yadgarh was initially planned to cover some 14 settlements, which by now has increased to 17, with some 1127 households or 8404 people to be serviced. The CBMHPUC Shandur covers three villages or 16 settlements and some 854 to 1161 households or around 6,043 people.12 CBMHPUC Ozhor covers some 21 settlements and 1200 households or 9208 people (see table 1). The electricity generated through the MHPs is distributed via village-scale mini-grids.

Inclusive Ownership: How it Works

The MHPs were established through hybrid financing, i.e. a combination of “donor model” and “cash model”. The costs for large parts (including the technology, T&D system) were covered by donor money – in the case of the CBMHPUC Yadgarh and CBMHPUC Shandur, from the Swiss Development Corporation (SDC), and in case of the CBMHPUC Ozhor from the PPAF. This was complemented by equity from AKRSP and the communities. Community households contributed between PKR 6000 and 9000 and the minimum contributions per community were set at PKR 10 Mil. for each project. With the transformation of the units into public limited companies, the initial investments of the community members were converted into shares and transferred on individual persons. The value of 1 share was set at 100 rupees.

Accordingly, the CBMHPUCs still follow the “cooperative model” in the sense that the community members (partially) own the MHP. Now each CBMHPUC has between 1000 and 1600 shareholders from the community.

Micro Hydro Success Cases

Case Study 1 - Electricity Utilization

Ms. Amina Sher using electric cook stove. Credit: AKRSP

Ms. Amina, wife of Babu Sher, listed electrical appliances in her household, explaining that“in my household we use electric oven, heater for cooking, electric geyser, iron and TV regularly using MHP Power”.

Before the new MHP became operational Ms. Amina and her family were using electricity solely for lighting purposes, and were paying Rs.300 fix bill. But now they are using many electrical appliances and are paying the average Rs. 500 amount.

In summer season Ms. Amina’s average monthly electricity bill is 250 while in winter season the bill goes up to 500 due to increased use of geyser. However this bill amount is negligible as compared to the electricity usage and facilities she is availing. Ms. Amina stated that “this electricity has saved our time and lessened our work burden, and has created ease particularly for women in the area”. To the question “how” she explained that whenever she wants to cook bread, she t urns on the oven, puts bread in for cooking and does other household work she has to do. When she comes back after completing other household work she finds ready bread in the oven. Secondly, due to electricity access Ms. Amina’s community has an opportunity for small scale business that was not available before. She explained that, overall, energy access improved their standard of living and reduced poverty.

Case Study 2 - The Blacksmith

Blacksmith Muhammad Nasir. Credit: AKRSP

Thirty years old Muhammad Nasir is the eldest son in his family and is a resident of Raman Laspur. He is living with his father, mother, 3 brothers, a daughter and a son. His son is a student in CBS School in a playgroup class.

His father is pensioner in Chitral Scout.is one younger brother is in the army and the other is in Chitral Scout. His youngest brother is doing labour work.

Before Muhammad was going to other districts for labour work, but when AKRSP started construction of MHP in the area, his father asked him to come home. When he came home, his father sent him to Gilgit to learn some skills; Muhammad got training on stove making, tool sharpening and welding.

When the new MHP became operational he came to the village of Raman and opened a shop where he started welding, stove making and tool sharpening. Muhammad sells his one stove at Rs. 3500 and sharpens one tool at Rs. 50. He said “I feel very satisfied and happy about my profession and what my father has decided for me”.

With his earnings, he buys all the raw materials like welding rods, sheet teen and coal for heating up different tools in forge. In the start he was using a manual method for blowing coals in the furnace, but now he has bought an electric blower and electric wheel sharpening stone.
With his income, he also pays his son’s school fees and helps his father in buying food and other necessities. After deducting all the expenses, he is getting net profit of Rs. 8000. Muhammad is also providing job opportunities for the unemployed in this area. He said due to electricity access, our standard of living improved and we can see that poverty is reducing gradually.

Social Inclusion

One of the basic rationales for rural electrification is that it enables households to switch from lower quality and especially from carbon-based fuels such as fossil and bio-fuels to electricity for various energy services. This switch is expected to generate a range of social, environmental and economic benefits, not least if the electricity stems from renewable energy sources. Essentially, benefits from rural electrification through renewable energy resources are obvious. Common links between (renewable) energy use and components of poverty are beneficial effects on health, education, the environment and income.

For example, the use of electricity may lead to health benefits, such as reduced exposure to hazardous pollutants and reduced air pollution; eliminating drudgery associated with collecting fire wood may improve the health condition, above all of women and children who most often carry out this task; access to electricity may enable vaccination and temperature-adequate medicine storage (through refrigerators).

The use of electricity may also involve educational benefits, by reducing drudgery and thereby freeing up time for study: enhanced lighting can enable to studying at night; furthermore, electricity may also assist to narrow the digital divide through Information Communication Technologies (ICTs).

Environmental benefits may encompass a reduction in the consumption of fossil fuels and biomass; reduced use of wood for fuel may lead to a mitigation of deforestation; application of renewable energy promotes climate protection.

Lastly, income benefits may mean, among others, increased productivity and profitability of agricultural methods leading to better farm/household revenues; enterprise development through electrification can create jobs; mechanization in industry can lead to higher productivity and lower consumption costs; small-scale energy systems in rural areas may generate local industry or enterprises; the use of more efficient electric appliances.

Women-Centric Approach

The typical workload of women in the Chitral region is extreme. Apart from caring for the children and the households, they look after the animals and assist their husbands in crop husbandry. If collecting firewood is substituted by an electric oven women may save 1 h/day; if washing is electrified (eventually in a village bath and washing house) they may serve 1- 2 hrs/day; and if wool weaving is outsourced to a collective unit, they may save up to 3 hrs/day. With some electrical appliances in the households for cooking, for heating/cooling (which could be facilitated by some better insulation of 1 – 2 rooms or refrigerators) and for home maintenance, as well as collective ventures for women in washing and ironing, weaving or of processing of milk and gardening products etc. the women’s workload can be considerably reduced.Moreover, saved hours in the household could be used for improved education and socio-political activities (which AKRSP investigates & supports in MH projects).

Most importantly, women will receive equal benefit from the project in terms of dividend, they will be part of the governing body and involved in decision making (i.e tariff designing, investment plan, etc). In AKRSP supported projects, women are involved as investors, shareholders and owners of the plant.

More information can be found in AKRSP's recently released video on micro hydropower in Chitral:

Guest blog post written by Mr. Meherban Khan, Coordinator for Utility Companies - Hydro Power Development at Aga Khan Rural Support Program and HPNET Board of Representative member for Pakistan.

He can be reached at meherbanakrsp@gmail.com or meherban@akrsp.org.pk.

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THE GENDER-ENERGY NEXUS: INCREASING WOMEN LEADERSHIP LEADS TO LONGER-LIVED HYDRO MINI-GRIDS

7/8/2019

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Last month, I had the opportunity to talk about the gender and energy nexus at the Asia Clean Energy Forum 2019. My talk was based on the experiences of incorporating gender into the micro hydropower projects (MHPs) of the UNDP Renewable Energy for Rural Livelihoods (RERL) project at the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) in Nepal and the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) in Pakistan.

Both Nepal and Pakistan have a rich history of MHPs -- with over 3000 projects in Nepal and over 1000 projects in Pakistan. Therefore, the countries make for good cases to look at how we could involve women in the MHPs to not only empower women but also to contribute towards the financial sustainability of the mini-grids.

When we talk about gender and energy nexus, we find a lot of papers and discussions that circle around household energy. It does make sense as energy-poverty in households is commonly gender-biased, with women mostly gathering the firewood and cooking on smoky fireplaces and men having relatively easier and more access to resources such as land, credit, and education. This access to resources also supports their position as the decision-maker of the family. Similarly, when new electrical appliances are bought, they are designed to meet the demands of the men, although women are the ones doing most of the labor-intensive chores in the household. Nevertheless, apart from household energy, another important aspect is the productive activities of women. When we look at the MHPs in Nepal and Pakistan, one of the biggest challenges is the lack of cost recovery tariff and low load factor. To tackle this challenge, it is important to recognize the productive activities of women and integrate them as potential customers. Also, promoting women-led productive activities provides an additional stream of income for MHPs – ultimately resulting in sustainability of the MHPs.

Looking at the MH projects from a gender lens, we see that women are already involved in energy projects: during the construction phase, they supply the required physical labor and during the post-installation phase, women are represented in the MHP communities but mostly as token women. They oftentimes have no decision-making authority and the productive end use activities are also mostly owned by men. So, it is clear that women are already involved as of now, but the question is how to involve them further so that it benefits the projects financially and also empowers the women. Based on the experiences from Nepal and Pakistan the following ways are proposed.

Knowledge Empowerment of Women: Apart from the physical labor, women should also be consulted for their resource knowledge. For example, women are better able to tell when the water level is high or low in their village and also know about their forest, land, local customs, etc. Involving women in MHP planning also empowers them as they see that their knowledge is valued. In countries like Nepal where there is a high outflux of men and youths to cities and abroad for work, training women as operators ensures that your trained manpower stays in the MHP site. This reduces the cost of training the operators again and again. In Pakistan, experiences showed that when women are involved in MHP activities like running the loading center or tariff collection, there are less absences as compared to men. The customers also appreciated the fact that women were more reliable and accountable as compared to men.

Women Ownership of the MHP – In Pakistan, women are the shareholders of the MH system. After involving women as shareholders, it was observed that women were more accountable for the MH plant. For example, they would take initiative for the repair and maintenance of the MHP, which was previously lacking. As a board member, they were also involved in tariff setting and paid special attention to making MH tariff affordable for other female entrepreneurs.
Therefore, involving women increases their accountability towards the MHP and also leads to better and more inclusive management – ultimately leading to sustainable MHPs.

Women-Owned Productive End Uses (PEU) - The Government of Nepal provides a subsidy to every female-owned business. This has encouraged women to run their own businesses in Nepal. Currently out of 2500 PEU, 474 are owned by women. Also training such as bookkeeping and management is provided to help them run the business. In Pakistan specific productive end use training is provided to women such as sewing, jam making, milk seller, freezer facilities and carpenter. This helps to boost their confidence as well as their household income.

Gender integration is a gradual process and will not happen overnight. The MHP implementation and operation & maintenance are dominated by men and the work itself is seen as men’s department. This hinders the participation of women, especially in terms of involving women into the operation of the MHPs. The prevailing gender norms in South Asia also make it difficult to ensure equal participation of women. The powerhouses in many cases are located in rural far-off sites which makes it difficult for women to travel, due to security issues. Thus, it is necessary to dive deeper into these issues and design specialized solutions for each case. Also, it might be difficult to involve women in the beginning, but experiences have shown that when people see empowered women, more women are inspired to follow suit. Therefore, gender integration should be treated like a long-term process and not a checklist on the MHP installation.

By HPNET member Ranisha Basnet
basnetranisha@gmail.com

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HPNET-WISIONS DEEP DIVE AT THE ASIA CLEAN ENERGY FORUM: SCALING INCLUSIVE ENTERPRISE MICRO HYDRO

6/19/2019

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HPNET and WISIONS hosted a Deep Dive Workshop at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) 2019, entitled Hydro Mini-Grids in the Asia-Pacific: Scaling Inclusive
Enterprise-Based Approaches. Special thanks to the ACEF team, our speakers, and WISIONS for making the rich dialogue possible!

The agenda and speaker bios can be found here. Watch the videos below! Or listen to the audio here.

Part 1 - Examples and Opportunities for Enterprise-based Hydro Mini-Grids
Moderator: Divyam Nagpal
Panelists: Bir Bahadur Ghale, Hydro Concern Ltd., Nepal; Satish Gautam, UNDP Renewable Energy for Rural Livelihoods, Nepal; Sandra Winarsa, Hivos Southeast Asia; Meherban Khan, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) Pakistan, and Dipti Vaghela, Hydro Empowerment Network

Part 2 - National Programs to Scale-up Enterprise-based Approaches
Moderator: Bikash Pandey, Winrock International
Panelists: Ernesto 'Butch' Silvano, National Energy Administration, Philippines; Trimumpuni, IBEKA, Indonesia, Senator Adrian Banie Lasimbang, Borneo; Sherzad Ali Khan, Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN); U Aung Myint, Renewable Energy Association of Myanmar (REAM)

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MEMBER PROFILE: AKRSP'S TRAILBLAZING MICRO HYDRO EFFORTS IN PAKISTAN

10/22/2015

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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.

Northern Pakistan mountains. Photo: Ashden Awards

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.

Capacity breakdown of AKRSP's micro hydro projects. Source: AKRSP

Regional breakdown of AKRSP's projects in northern Pakistan. Source: AKRSP

Micro hydro project civil works structure and penstock. Photo: AKRSP

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.

Sarhad Rural Support Programme project in northern Pakistan. Photo: SRSP

Micro hydro stream in northern Pakistan village. Photo: Ashden Awards

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.

Productive use of electricity. Photo: AKRSP

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.

Conceptual Power Density Map (normalized) for Northern Pakistan. Image: Thomas M. Mosier, Oregon State University

Transmission line of micro hydropower project. Photo: AKRSP

Micro hydro project silting tank. Photo: AKRSP

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

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the flow

WATCH: HPNET PRESENTATIONS AT global symposium on sustainable water and energy solutions

GLOBAL SYMPOSIUM ON SUSTAINABLE WATER AND ENERGY SOLUTIONS

WATCH: STREAMSIDE CHATS - EDITION 3, COMMUNITY UTILITIES IN PAKISTAN

WATCH: EXCHANGE EVENT VIDEOS

EARTH VOICES: FROM KALASH, PAKISTAN

"HIDDEN NO MORE": AN INTERVIEW WITH A MINI HYDRO SHAREHOLDER, HASANA FATIMI

PAKISTAN: EVOLUTION TO INCLUSIVE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

THE GENDER-ENERGY NEXUS: INCREASING WOMEN LEADERSHIP LEADS TO LONGER-LIVED HYDRO MINI-GRIDS

HPNET-WISIONS DEEP DIVE AT THE ASIA CLEAN ENERGY FORUM: SCALING INCLUSIVE ENTERPRISE MICRO HYDRO

MEMBER PROFILE: AKRSP'S TRAILBLAZING MICRO HYDRO EFFORTS IN PAKISTAN

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