Solar photovoltaic versus micro -hydroelectricity: A framework for assessing the sustainability of community-run rural electrification projects

One of the crucial steps in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is access to reliable and affordable energy. The majority of the people without access to clean and reliable energy sources live in rural areas. The advent of renewable energy technologies, such as solar photovoltaic (PV), wind and micro-hydroelectricity has allowed electricity to be generated independently of the national utility grid. The sustainability of such off-grid energy projects is crucial to foster socio-economic development of these local communities. Many studies have addressed the sustainability of rural electrification projects post-completion using indicators. However, these studies are fairly extensive and do not provide pre-implementation insights into the best rural electrification technology. In this study, we present a more holistic approach to decision making by analyzing two off-grid renewable technologies - solar photovoltaic (PV) and micro-hydroelectricity (MH) using a village in Ifugao Province in the Philippines as a case study. An analysis of social, technical, environment, economic and political (STEEP) dimensions that impact the success of the project is presented. A measure of the technology´s potential to bring about positive change, termed total impact (TI), is estimated. Micro-hydroelectricity was projected to be a better alternative in this location.