The
gender aspects of Renewable Energy Technology (RET)
should be looked at as a means of improving the quality
of life of women and their empowerment through its use.
How far it can contribute to the well being of women
and improve their position in the society, both with
respect to economic condition and personal environment,
will determine its usefulness and relevance for women.
Renewable energy is only one of the energy sources that
is used for meeting energy needs of an economy. At the
present state of technological development, resource
availability and the buying capacity of households,
only some of the RET solutions can be
economically utilized in developing countries. Therefore
an optimum mixture of renewable and nonrenewable energy
resources has to be planned for providing the lighting,
cooking and motive power needs of rural economies. What
is required is addressing women’s energy needs
by making sustainable energy systems available at affordable
prices.
| 2.
WOMEN AS USERS OF MODERN ENERGY
|
Statistically,
women constitute around half the population in all countries.
But they have almost never been taken into consideration
when decisions are made for energy planning. One of
the basis of such handling is the prevailing assumption
that energy is gender neutral and energy planning does
not make any difference in the impacts made by such
decisions on men and women. One example of this is the
availability of various kinds of fuels in our countries.
More thought is given to supply of fuels used in transport
and power sectors, which is mostly used directly by
men. However, supply of kerosene or LPG at reasonable
price, which could be used as a cleaner and more efficient
cooking fuel by millions of women, does not get similar
attention.
In recent years some of the countries in our region
are starting to invest in solar PV electrification.
With proper attention to adequate financing and marketing
mechanisms, many households will benefit from the higher
quality of these lights
compared
to usual kerosene lamps being used in poor countries.
For women, this will translate to better lighting for
security around the house, ease of doing household work
at night, like attending to children and cooking, and
entertainment using TV, radio and cassettes.
| 3.
ROLE OF MODERN ENERGY INIMPROVING THE HOUSEHOLDS’QUALITY
OF LIFE |
Increased
use of RET or more energy efficient technologies can
provide some solution for women’s energy crisis.
Until affordable modern energy is made available to
rural women, bio-mass will remain the primary energy
for cooking. Women are the main consumers and managers
of rural household energy since they are responsible
for all the cooking and grain processing activities.
The largest share of energy use in Bangladesh is for
cooking, in approximately 20 million rural households,
amounting to more than 65% of the total usage in terms
of heating value. The major source of energy for that
purpose is biomass, available as firewood, agricultural
residue and animal waste.
In spite of the human costs for millions of women in
terms of time, discomfort and personal health, bio mass
fuel will remain the primary source of household energy
for most developing countries. Programs to introduce
and disseminate improved stoves with higher efficiency
and lower indoor emission will improve quality of energy
supply for cooking needs. Substantial research work
has been carried out for developing efficient stoves
and better design of kitchen environment to promote
better health and quality of life for women in rural
homes. These research results, when implemented and
internalized in the homes, can lead to the commercialization
of the technology utilized and enhance opportunities
for income generation for women entrepreneurs.
Energy for lighting made available by Solar PV in remote
areas has dramatically changed the lives of many people
in the remote off-grid areas of Bangladesh. It is being
found thatproactive development planning can contribute
to the use of this and other similar energy sources,
both as an income generating opportunity and improvement
of overall quality of life.
A recent study has revealed that availability of electricity
(grid) has given women more opportunities for employment.
Increased use of rice husking and grinding mills has
reduced workload of this type in electrified households
and they are free to be involved in other income generating
activities. On the other hand, it was found that with
intense farming and other activities possible with electrification,
working hours and workload have increased for many others.
Even though they are now able to organize their work
according to convenience, the prevailing gender-based
division of labor has contributed to women’s work
over load.
The same study has shown that access to electricity
at the household level significantly increases the knowledge-base
among women living in villages, (radio and TV being
the main sources of this knowledge). Even for non-electrified
households, information from neighbors and relatives
can play a significant role. This means that ensuring
access to electricity will have a significant impact
in reducing the existing knowledge-gaps in the non-electrified
households. Thus, it may also be said that access to
electricity at the household or in the area can be a
major way to increase the level of women’s empowerment.
| 4.
WOMEN IN PRIVATE SECTOR LED INITIATIVES IN PROVIDING
RURAL ENERGY SERVICES IN BANGLADESH |
This
paper presents an example of women’s involvement
in providing energy service to the local area in a remote
location in Bangladesh. In this community, the women
have been able to provide service using a new technology
and in a scale that was never dreamed of in such a place.
The project promoters 1 were able to organize women
to utilize their skills for income generation in an
unfamiliar field, enhancing the status of women for
the whole village.
Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP)
provided funds for this action research project entitled
“Opportunity for women in RET utilization in Bangladesh”
in October 1999. The project has facilitated the establishment
of a 35 member women’s enterprise called “Coastal
Electrification and Women’s Development Co-operative”
(CEWDC) in Char Montaz, a coastal island of Bangladesh,
for providing energy services to the rural population.
The main objective of the project is poverty alleviation
through empowerment and income generation of women within
the scope of energy sector.
The Char Montaz project in Bangladesh is a unique example
showing the potential of rural women in engaging themselves
in the mainstream energy service delivery. Under another
project, supported by the Sustainable Energy Program
(SEP) of the Shell Foundation, 4 more women’s
micro-enterprises are being established in other places
in the country to replicate the activities initiated
in Char Montaz. These will operate independently as
energy service suppliers keeping a backward linkage
with the Char Montaz cooperative for the supply of kits
of lamps and controllers in addition to other supplying
agencies. This project has already started delivering
electronic products to the participating NGOs of the
national SHS project. This initiative is expected to
pave the way for more women to participate in the mainstream
energy supply. The activities of these projects are
increasing opportunities for women in off-farm employment
with higher income using a skilled labor force in a
technology-oriented environment. It has helped in the
removal of major barriers of lack of scope and access
to technology, information and training.
| 4.1
INCOME GENERATION ACTIVITIES FOR WOMEN IN ENERGY
SERVICE DELIVERY |
The
ongoing off-grid electrification program of Char Montaz
constitutes the following activities.
| 4.1.1
Solar Home System (SHS) sale on cash and credit,
and providing maintenance service: |
The women’s co-operative has sold SHS to more
than about 260 households in the islands of Char Montaz,
Rangabali and other islands. They offer complete services
of installation, training of consumers and after sale
maintenance service to the households. Monthly installments
are collected from the households covering the cost
of SHS, installation and follow up services. The SHSs
being sold at a market price face competition from other
subsidized programs operating in the same area. It is
the local presence of the co-operative in Char Montaz
and the quality of products that enable them to maintain
the market.
| 4.1.2
Assembling DC lamps and charge controllers for SHS: |
A
major activity of the micro-enterprise is assembling
efficient DC lamps and electronic charge controllers
of international standard. The lamps are used with 12
V batteries, which may be charged with Diesel charging
systems or solar home systems. Production facility of
charge controllers has assembled and sold more than
600 controllers for SHS. The lamps and controllers produced
by the co-op have been certified for use in the Rural
Electrification and Renewable Energy Development (RERED)
Project, the national solar electrification program
of Bangladesh. A permanent factory premises has recently
been constructed in Char Montaz for operation of the
micro-enterprise. The women’s cooperative is supplying
components of solar systems to ongoing projects of other
organizations engaged in solar electrification. The
same study has shown that access to electricity at the
household level significantly increases the knowledge-base
among women living in villages, (radio and TV being
the main sources of this knowledge). Even for non-electrified
households, information from neighbors and relatives
can play a significant role. This means that ensuring
access to electricity will have a significant impact
in reducing the existing knowledge-gaps in the non-electrified
households. Thus, it may also be said that access to
electricity at the household or in the area can be a
major way to increase the level of women’s empowerment.
| 4.1.3
Diesel operated Battery Charging service and Energy
Service Centers (ESC): |
Battery
Charging Stations (BCS) located in different market
places in the project area are providing important service
to the permanent and weekly shops. In addition to supplying
electricity on a commercial basis to more than 200 shops
for 4-5 hours a night, the enterprises provide battery
charging facilities for hundreds of households that
do not have access to SHSs yet. Various other electrical
goods such as solar panels, cables, batteries, switches,
transistor radios, cassette players, etc. are sold in
the BCSs. One of the other major activities of the BCS
outlets is dissemination of information about RET products
and their availability to the rural communities.
| 4.1.4
Solar battery charging station and communication
center: |
One
of the most recent activities of the micro-enterprise
is operation of a 1.6 kW solar array for building lighting
and a solar battery charging station for the lowest
income families. This offers battery charging with high
quality charger system that allows 16 batteries of different
states of charge to be charged simultaneously. The cooperative
charges a commercial rental fee for the batteries with
2 free charges per month. A communication center with
computers, phone and fax, all powered by solar energy
is also operating from the new premises.
| 4.1.5
Supplying to the national SHS program: |
The
Government of Bangladesh has undertaken a very important
project of providing solar electrification to 64,000
households in the country, within 5 years, through the
public and private sector. The micro-enterprise of Char
Montaz in collaboration with four new enterprises is
supplying components for SHS to NGOs participating in
this project. Figure 1 shows the business and working
model for these enterprises.
| 5.
OPPORTUNITY FOR PRIVATE PARTICIPATION IN RURAL ENERGY
SERVICE DELIVERY |
During
the design phase of the two projects (see Figure
1), it was envisioned that rural micro-enterprises
could affiliate themselves to the national solar PV
program that has recently been launched in Bangladesh.
Although several NGOs are participating in solar electrification,
it is noteworthy that typically only urban companies
are engaged in the supply chain for the solar program.
Qualified components for the SHS are imported, while
some accessories are locally assembled by the private
sector. A unique opportunity has now been created for
rural women to engage in this initiative, where they
would be identified as reliable manufacturer and supplier
of accessories for the solar program.
However,
there are still barriers that have to be overcome. It
should be noted that access to working capital and loans
is a limitation for the operation of these micro-enterprises.
The
typical flow of funds for the solar PV program is schematically
shown in Figure 2. As shown in this
figure, the private sector system integrators have access
to funds dedicated to the solar program, while the smaller
enterprises like the women’s co-operative are
unable to qualify. This poses a special problem, especially
for rural enterprises in disadvantaged locations. In
addition to the soft nature of the dedicated funds,
the cash subsidies directed for the households are passed
on through the selected few private sector agencies
and NGOs, which makes the market totally unsustainable
for other smaller players. Commercial funds are also
not accessible for them without external collateral
and guarantor assurance. In order to reach financial
sustainability through business growth, such barriers
must be overcome by the rural micro-enterprises. National
programs aimed at poverty alleviation and gender equity
should also pay attention to these important issues.
 |
6.
IMPACT OF ENERGY SERVICES ON WOMEN PARTICIPATING
IN THE PROJECT
6.1
Economic impact |
Opportunity
for women in participating as energy service providers,
with individual and collective economic benefits, is
a new concept in Bangladesh. As a priority, rural women
need the opportunity for income generation using available
electricity or otherwise; and innovative approaches
are needed for making that happen. Participation of
women in skilled activities has direct impact on poverty
alleviation, (as evident from the projects on hand).
Members of the women’s cooperative, active in
other income generating activities, are found to gain
from their affiliation with the micro-enterprise. Their
marketing skills have opened a new source of income,
in addition to the remuneration obtained from the assembly
work. In general, women are not remunerated for their
household work and hence they do not play any significant
role in the financial decision-making. It has been found
that engaging in the micro enterprise has created the
opportunity for women to earn for themselves and thereby
increased their say in financial matters in the family.
With rise in family income, overall expenditure patterns
and priorities are expected to change. More emphasis
can now be given to issues of better quality of life
for the family. For example, scope for investment in
children’s education is now increased who would
otherwise be required to contribute to the family income.
The
gender aspect of this project has been able to remove
some of the social and cultural discrimination associated
with the gender role to be played by women. Ownership
and operation of the energy service business has given
women the empowerment they would never have had otherwise.
Division of labor has now become participatory, at least
in the homes of members of the cooperative. The women
are participating equally with men in negotiations on
business deals for their cooperative. Women are now
managing and keeping accounts of the business operations
and engaging male employees as necessary. Their level
of knowledge and awareness has increased because of
higher access to mass media. Some of them ar e using
computers for keeping accounts for the micro enterprise,
word processing, day-to- day management activities and
training others. Overall, the status of women has increased
considerably from their involvement in the energy service
delivery business.
7.
CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATION
|
By
shifting away from the traditional unskilled farm labor
to skilled off-farm labor - creating employment in rural
energy services, the case-project brought in this paper
has elevated the knowledge base and status of rural
women and developed new opportunities for their empowerment.
It has developed the basic framework and modalities
for a workable off-grid electrification service that
can be replicated by men or women. Our case-project
has shown that the private sector can make a significant
contribution to off-grid rural electrification. Now
this idea has to be carried further to other areas of
technology transfer in the energy sector, especially
for household energy supply.
Scope of income generation for rural women in energy
service delivery has been identified. However, access
to discounted funds or commercial loans need to be ascertained
for sustainability of such ventures. Micro-credit has
been found to be an essential vehicle for enhancement
of off-grid electrification for medium to high-income
rural homes. Until more affordable long term schemes
(e.g. ‘Pay for Service’) can be made available,
more patient innovative funds will be required for serving
the lower income households.
Our
case-project has identified an affordable solution for
improving the quality of indoor lighting, which also
reduces pollution and health hazards for rural households,
by replacing the traditional kerosene lamps by modern
electric lamps. Similar emphasis on technology transfer
and information dissemination on other areas can contribute
to improving the quality of life in rural areas.
A
blend of private-public joint service delivery mode
needs to be developed to expand access to electricity
or other energy services. The unmet demand can be successfully
met with alternative technologies for off-grid electrification
such as renewable energy and service delivery through
community participation as long as the governments support
such programs with enabling policies.
Community
driven development activities, pursuing poverty reduction
and gender equity by targeting the rural poor and disseminating
technologies can enhance the quality of life for rural
people. Integrating household energy programs into rural
development programs can have the desired outcome of
women’s economic upliftment and community development.
A policy for promotion of cross-sectoral cooperation
in the part of the governments can achieve it. For example,
social/community forestry projects in conjunction with
improved stove projects will ensure supply of biomass
fuel, and their efficient utilization and will improve
women’s health as well. On the other hand, ensuring
availability of modern cooking fuels in biomass deficient
areas, through decentralized fuel processing and better
transportation, can ease women’s search for cooking
fuels. This will also reduce the pressure on biomass
resources, which is all that the very poor can afford.
REFERENCES:
1.
Opportunity for Women in RET Utilization in Bangladesh,
by Prokaushali Sangsad Ltd, 2001.
2. Economic and Social Impact Evaluation Study of Rural
Electrification Program in Bangladesh; HDRC, 2002
3. Energy for Sustainable Development; Volume VII, No.
3, September 2003
