Title: Revisiting rural energy analysis

Authors: Shaligram Pokharel, Muthu Chandrashekar

Addresses: Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada. Kathmandu, University, PO Box 6250, Kathmandu, Nepal

Abstract: Rural energy planning is characterised by matching, as far as possible, the available local energy supply with various energy end-uses. For this matching, decision-makers have to consider several issues, such as cost, technology, sustainability and equity. These objectives are conflicting and, therefore, it is difficult to find an optimised solution. Therefore, such problems should be analysed by an alternative method, such as multiobjective programming, by which more than one objective can be analysed simultaneously. This paper reviews rural energy planning and illustrates the use of a multiobjective method in rural energy analysis. The method is applied to study energy problem of a rural area in Nepal. The preliminary results, which can be taken as a guideline in the formulation of energy policy, are also presented.

Keywords: energy planning; multiobjective programming; rural areas.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.1999.002291

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 1999 Vol.12 No.2/3, pp.179-190

Published online: 15 Aug 2003 *

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