Community Energy-based approach to Environmental Sustainability in

Malawi

Graham Ault – University of Strathclyde

Laura Nicolson - Training and Operations Development Officer, Community Energy Scotland

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Context

• Energy underpins several Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) • Real need for sustainable energy solutions in developing countries • More than half a billion of Africa’s rural poor rely of fuel-wood for cooking and

kerosene lamps for lighting • Off-grid energy development ‘short-cuts’ grid extension • Need for demonstrated ‘sustainable models’ for off-grid energy development to

address poor record of success in off-grid power • Recent Scottish Government study identifies challenges and potential in Malawi

Background: Malawi electrical power supply

• Inadequacy of central generation installations • Grid extension requirements • Rural electrification pace and investment requirement

Challenges to sustainability for energy provision in rural

Malawi

• Major challenge of grid based rural electrification

• Technology that does not meet local energy requirements

• Issues with finance, knowledge, support networks and governance/accountability

• Lack of consideration of whole lifecycle of installations

• Under-estimation of initial and ongoing training and support requirements

• Failure to understand the commercial/financial capacity of locals

Scottish Government Community Energy Scoping Study

• Study conclusions: Drivers pushing energy higher up agenda in Malawi: fuel costs, climate

change agenda, role of electricity in economic development

Primary aim of outworking of the policies, strategies and investment plans is development of grid generation and extension of the grid

Biomass missing from policies and investment plans when it accounts for 97% of energy use in Malawi

Institutional framework for energy development is sound but resource constrained (e.g. capacity, people, finance, lack of coordination)

• Engagement with Malawian energy sector stakeholders: MDPC, MNREE, DoEA, DoEnvAff, MERA,

OIBM, Concern Universal, UNDP, MuREA, Mzuzu University, Solar Aid, LCD, MCA-Malawi

Study conclusions cntd.

• Community energy development trials underway with various technologies and approaches but in disparate and uncoordinated manner

• Lack of coordination in NGO energy development activities

• Climate change policy and renewable energy policy not complete and Malawi not exploiting opportunity of international frameworks (e.g. GEF, CDM, etc.)

• Current situation not providing conducive framework for donor or private investment in energy

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Community Energy case studies

• Biomass and Solar: – Concern Univeral – Balaka Project

– Sustainable forestry and efficient cook stoves

• Micro hydro: – MuREA – Bondo 1 (75kW), Mulanje

– Community owned and managed

• Solar photovoltaic (community): – Chikwawa district – CRED project

• Solar photovoltaic (domestic): – Solar Aid – northern region (and

Balaka)

• Biomass / biogas: – Mzuzu university trials

– 11 installations based on waste

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Scoping Study Recommendations

• Support for energy in Malawi should fit in with Malawian government plans and priorities

• Interventions should be based on and/or facilitate cross-departmental and multi-stakeholder working within Malawi

• Addressing biomass burning has clear potential to bring about the highest impact and the most pro-poor outcomes

• External support should not be given for ‘one-off investments’ that have a primary focus on simply deploying renewable technologies

• Community energy developments must be:

– community driven

– ‘commercially’ based – grant and loan funded

– certified in line with MERA requirements

– supported through appropriate mechanisms

– other criteria might include: national M&E participation, income generation, equitable participation and benefit

• Development and trial activities should be led by Malawian organisations

Community Development in Malawi

Community Structures

Village structures

{Traditional Authorities}

District Committee

{Subject based working groups}

Government

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Community Energy Support Model Scotland

Primary

Secondary

Network

Lobbying

Policy Influence

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Community Energy Support Model Scotland

Primary

Secondary

Network

Lobbying

Policy Influence

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Primary

Secondary

Network

Lobbying

Policy Influence

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Community Energy Support Model Scotland

Primary

Secondary

Network

Lobbying

Policy Influence

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Community Energy Support Model Scotland

Scottish Government scoping study

Recommendations

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Community Energy Support Model Malawi

Community Energy Projects

Database of community-scale energy project in Malawi

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Community Energy Support Model Malawi

Knowledge transfer

Toolkits / Media

Visits

Conferences

Local officers

Appropriate delivery methods?

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Community Energy Support Model Malawi

Building support networks

A Community Energy Network in Malawi

Community Energy Malawi?

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Community Energy Support Model Malawi

• Serious challenges faced for sustainable energy development

• Partnerships built for productive Scotland-Malawi programmes

• Community support mechanisms required

• Opportunity to accelerate the development of community energy

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Conclusions