IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/endesu/v22y2020i6d10.1007_s10668-019-00422-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Marginalisation of off-grid energy sector in Sri Lanka: What lessons could be learnt?

Author

Listed:
  • Gopal K. Sarangi

    (TERI School of Advanced Studies)

  • D. Pugazenthi

    (Ashden India Collective)

  • Arabinda Mishra

    (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD))

  • Debajit Palit

    (TERI)

  • Subhes C. Bhattacharyya

    (De Montfort University)

Abstract

Renewable energy-based off-grid projects have played a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s universal electrification effort. The paper, in this context, unravels two crucial and quite interrelated aspects of decentralised off-grid electrification in the country: a) it critically analyses the off-grid electricity sector development and assesses its contribution to the universal electrification in the country and; b) it examines the current set of challenges associated with the off-grid electrification in the larger context of massive grid expansion. A mix of quantitative and qualitative research methods is employed as tools of analysis. The paper brings out several policy-relevant findings. Strategic policy interventions coupled with targeted policy goals, robust community-centric management structures, well-designed credit systems, and well-structured capacity-building initiatives are identified as key leveraging points for the success of off-grid electrification projects. The techno-economic analysis of an existing micro-hydro project reveals that there exist opportunities for more productive use of existing capacity. Grid interconnection of off-grid energy projects emerges as a major challenge beset with a whole gamut of technical, legal, regulatory, financial, and social conundrums. Interestingly, the intensity of such challenges differs across ownership types.

Suggested Citation

  • Gopal K. Sarangi & D. Pugazenthi & Arabinda Mishra & Debajit Palit & Subhes C. Bhattacharyya, 2020. "Marginalisation of off-grid energy sector in Sri Lanka: What lessons could be learnt?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 5219-5243, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:22:y:2020:i:6:d:10.1007_s10668-019-00422-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-019-00422-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10668-019-00422-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10668-019-00422-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nouni, M.R. & Mullick, S.C. & Kandpal, T.C., 2006. "Techno-economics of micro-hydro projects for decentralized power supply in India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(10), pages 1161-1174, July.
    2. Himanshu A. Amarawickrama & Lester C Hunt, 2004. "Sri Lankan Electricity Supply Industry: A Critique of Proposed Reforms," Surrey Energy Economics Centre (SEEC), School of Economics Discussion Papers (SEEDS) 109, Surrey Energy Economics Centre (SEEC), School of Economics, University of Surrey.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ray, Manojit & Chakraborty, Basab, 2022. "Impact of demand flexibility and tiered resilience on solar photovoltaic adoption in humanitarian settlements," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 895-912.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Das, Himadry Shekhar & Yatim, A.H.M. & Tan, Chee Wei & Lau, Kwan Yiew, 2016. "Proposition of a PV/tidal powered micro-hydro and diesel hybrid system: A southern Bangladesh focus," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1137-1148.
    2. Ewa Chomać-Pierzecka & Andrzej Kokiel & Joanna Rogozińska-Mitrut & Anna Sobczak & Dariusz Soboń & Jacek Stasiak, 2022. "Hydropower in the Energy Market in Poland and the Baltic States in the Light of the Challenges of Sustainable Development-An Overview of the Current State and Development Potential," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-19, October.
    3. Kumar, Deepak & Katoch, S.S., 2014. "Harnessing ‘water tower’ into ‘power tower’: A small hydropower development study from an Indian prefecture in western Himalayas," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 87-101.
    4. A.B. Chhetri & G.R. Pokharel & M.R. Islam, 2009. "Sustainability of Micro-Hydrosystems — A Case Study," Energy & Environment, , vol. 20(4), pages 567-585, August.
    5. Leijon, Mats & Skoglund, Annika & Waters, Rafael & Rehn, Alf & Lindahl, Marcus, 2010. "On the physics of power, energy and economics of renewable electric energy sources – Part I," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 1729-1734.
    6. Laghari, J.A. & Mokhlis, H. & Bakar, A.H.A. & Mohammad, Hasmaini, 2013. "A comprehensive overview of new designs in the hydraulic, electrical equipments and controllers of mini hydro power plants making it cost effective technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 279-293.
    7. Nouni, M.R. & Mullick, S.C. & Kandpal, T.C., 2008. "Providing electricity access to remote areas in India: An approach towards identifying potential areas for decentralized electricity supply," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 12(5), pages 1187-1220, June.
    8. Meita Rumbayan & Rilya Rumbayan, 2023. "Feasibility Study of a Micro Hydro Power Plant for Rural Electrification in Lalumpe Village, North Sulawesi, Indonesia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-13, September.
    9. Narula, Kapil & Nagai, Yu & Pachauri, Shonali, 2012. "The role of Decentralized Distributed Generation in achieving universal rural electrification in South Asia by 2030," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 345-357.
    10. Nouni, M.R. & Mullick, S.C. & Kandpal, T.C., 2007. "Techno-economics of small wind electric generator projects for decentralized power supply in India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2491-2506, April.
    11. Skoglund, Annika & Leijon, Mats & Rehn, Alf & Lindahl, Marcus & Waters, Rafael, 2010. "On the physics of power, energy and economics of renewable electric energy sources - Part II," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 1735-1740.
    12. Athukorala, P.P.A Wasantha & Wilson, Clevo, 2010. "Estimating short and long-term residential demand for electricity: New evidence from Sri Lanka," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(Supplemen), pages 34-40, September.
    13. Mosier, Thomas M. & Sharp, Kendra V. & Hill, David F., 2016. "The Hydropower Potential Assessment Tool (HPAT): Evaluation of run-of-river resource potential for any global land area and application to Falls Creek, Oregon, USA," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 492-503.
    14. Mishra, Sachin & Singal, S.K. & Khatod, D.K., 2011. "Optimal installation of small hydropower plant—A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(8), pages 3862-3869.
    15. Nouni, M.R. & Mullick, S.C. & Kandpal, T.C., 2009. "Providing electricity access to remote areas in India: Niche areas for decentralized electricity supply," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 430-434.
    16. Amarawickrama, Himanshu A. & Hunt, Lester C., 2008. "Electricity demand for Sri Lanka: A time series analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 724-739.
    17. Tomar, Vivek & Tiwari, G.N., 2017. "Techno-economic evaluation of grid connected PV system for households with feed in tariff and time of day tariff regulation in New Delhi – A sustainable approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 822-835.
    18. Purohit, Pallav, 2008. "Small hydro power projects under clean development mechanism in India: A preliminary assessment," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 2000-2015, June.
    19. Singh,Anoop & Jamasb,Tooraj & Nepal,Rabindra & Toman,Michael A., 2015. "Cross-border electricity cooperation in South Asia," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7328, The World Bank.
    20. Arabatzis, Garyfallos & Myronidis, Dimitris, 2011. "Contribution of SHP Stations to the development of an area and their social acceptance," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(8), pages 3909-3917.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:22:y:2020:i:6:d:10.1007_s10668-019-00422-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.