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The solar home PV program in Fiji – A successful RESCO approach?

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  • Urmee, Tania
  • Harries, David

Abstract

The Fiji solar home system (SHS) program provides electricity, primarily for lighting, for remote households located in rural areas where supplying electricity via the grid is not feasible. The program is implemented by the Department of Energy (DoEF) and although initially designed on the RESCO model, the program as currently implemented is based on a partial RESCO approach as the government rather than a service company has full responsibility for program delivery. Donor-supplied capital is used for the initial equipment purchase and installation costs and all equipment and components supplied and installed under the program are owned by the government. A survey of both SHS users and those involved in the program design, planning and implementation was undertaken in order to obtain a better understanding on the Fijian SHS program, the approach used, the delivery method, the policy framework within which it is implemented and the overall the effectiveness of the program. This, in turn, helps to understand how SHS programs being implemented elsewhere can be improved. The main survey finding was that the effectiveness of the implementation of the Fijian SHS program is seen by many stakeholders to suffer from a lack of well developed planning and policy support. This manifests itself in a lack of support infrastructure and in a weak monitoring and maintenance program, which in turn give rise to significant technical problems. Many stakeholders consider there to be significant capacity for increasing the effectiveness of the program by the development of a more comprehensive and robust monitoring system, the provision of quality post-installation services, and the use of higher quality components. A number of measures that could be adopted to improve the effectiveness of the program at little or no cost are suggested.

Suggested Citation

  • Urmee, Tania & Harries, David, 2012. "The solar home PV program in Fiji – A successful RESCO approach?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 499-506.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:48:y:2012:i:c:p:499-506
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2012.06.017
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Karekezi, Stephen & Kithyoma, Waeni, 2002. "Renewable energy strategies for rural Africa: is a PV-led renewable energy strategy the right approach for providing modern energy to the rural poor of sub-Saharan Africa?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(11-12), pages 1071-1086, September.
    2. Urmee, Tania & Harries, David & Schlapfer, August, 2009. "Issues related to rural electrification using renewable energy in developing countries of Asia and Pacific," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 354-357.
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    1. Holtorf, Hans & Urmee, Tania & Calais, Martina & Pryor, Trevor, 2015. "A model to evaluate the success of Solar Home Systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 245-255.
    2. Constantinos Vassiliades & Ogheneruona Endurance Diemuodeke & Eric Boachie Yiadom & Ravita D. Prasad & Wassim Dbouk, 2022. "Policy Pathways for Mapping Clean Energy Access for Cooking in the Global South—A Case for Rural Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-24, October.
    3. Dornan, Matthew, 2014. "Access to electricity in Small Island Developing States of the Pacific: Issues and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 726-735.
    4. Brooks, Chris & Urmee, Tania, 2014. "Importance of individual capacity building for successful solar program implementation: A case study in the Philippines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 176-184.
    5. Izquierdo, M. & de Agustín-Camacho, P., 2015. "Solar heating by radiant floor: Experimental results and emission reduction obtained with a micro photovoltaic–heat pump system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 297-307.
    6. Komatsu, Satoru & Kaneko, Shinji & Ghosh, Partha Pratim & Morinaga, Akane, 2013. "Determinants of user satisfaction with solar home systems in rural Bangladesh," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 52-58.
    7. Prasad, Ravita D. & Bansal, R.C. & Raturi, Atul, 2017. "A review of Fiji's energy situation: Challenges and strategies as a small island developing state," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 278-292.
    8. Dornan, Matthew & Shah, Kalim U., 2016. "Energy policy, aid, and the development of renewable energy resources in Small Island Developing States," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 759-767.
    9. George Adwek & Shen Boxiong & Paul O. Ndolo & Zachary O. Siagi & Chebet Chepsaigutt & Cicilia M. Kemunto & Moses Arowo & John Shimmon & Patrobers Simiyu & Abel C. Yabo, 2020. "The solar energy access in Kenya: a review focusing on Pay-As-You-Go solar home system," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 3897-3938, June.
    10. Khan, Imran, 2020. "Impacts of energy decentralization viewed through the lens of the energy cultures framework: Solar home systems in the developing economies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    11. Surroop, Dinesh & Raghoo, Pravesh & Bundhoo, Zumar M.A., 2018. "Comparison of energy systems in Small Island Developing States," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 46-54.
    12. Almeshqab, Fatema & Ustun, Taha Selim, 2019. "Lessons learned from rural electrification initiatives in developing countries: Insights for technical, social, financial and public policy aspects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 35-53.
    13. Girardeau, Hannah & Pattanayak, Subhrendu K., 2018. "Household Solar Adoption in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review," EfD Discussion Paper 18-10, Environment for Development, University of Gothenburg.
    14. Urmee, Tania & Md, Anisuzzaman, 2016. "Social, cultural and political dimensions of off-grid renewable energy programs in developing countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 159-167.
    15. Mandelli, Stefano & Barbieri, Jacopo & Mereu, Riccardo & Colombo, Emanuela, 2016. "Off-grid systems for rural electrification in developing countries: Definitions, classification and a comprehensive literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 1621-1646.

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