ABSTRACT

Some international donors continue to focus only on pushing particular technologies instead of holistically utilizing energy services to improve standards of living and productivity. China's Renewable Energy Development Program (REDP) partnered national and provincial governments with the World Bank and local renewable energy manufacturers. Instead, subsidized electricity rates for more affluent consumers pay for the extension and expansion of the national grid in addition to the distribution of off-grid solar energy equipment. Practitioners should strive to a more nuanced and culturally appreciative view of the role that renewable energy plays in economic development, rather than viewing a particular technology or pathway as an automatic precursor to improved standards of living. Moreover, lack of mobility can impact other dimensions of energy poverty. Investments in renewable energy technologies and programs represent one of the rare cases where not only households and small enterprises benefit, but also companies, regulators, and society at large.