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An integrated framework for rural electrification: Adopting a user-centric approach to business model development

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  • Schillebeeckx, Simon J.D.
  • Parikh, Priti
  • Bansal, Rahul
  • George, Gerard

Abstract

Rural electrification (RE) has gained prominence over the past two decades as an effective means for improving living conditions. This growth has largely been driven by socio-economic and political imperatives to improve rural livelihood and by technological innovation. Based on a content analysis of 232 scholarly articles, the literature is categorized into four focal lenses: technology, institutional, viability and user-centric. We find that the first two dominate the RE debate. The viability lens has been used less frequently, whilst the user-centric lens began to engage scholars as late as 2007. We provide an overview of the technological, institutional and viability lenses, and elaborate upon the user-centric lens in greater detail. For energy policy and practice, we combine the four lenses to develop a business model framework that policy makers, practitioners and investors could use to assess RE projects or to design future rural electrification strategies.

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  • Schillebeeckx, Simon J.D. & Parikh, Priti & Bansal, Rahul & George, Gerard, 2012. "An integrated framework for rural electrification: Adopting a user-centric approach to business model development," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 687-697.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:48:y:2012:i:c:p:687-697
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2012.05.078
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