Renewable energy potential and its utilization for rural electrification in Myanmar

Abstract

            Electricity plays an important role in enhancing the socio-economic development of rural and remote population. Inadequate supply of electricity in rural areas is a significant barrier to development and exacerbates poverty in developing countries where the problem is most profound. 1.4 billion people around the world virtually live in darkness during night times. Sustainable energy is a possible solution to meet the electricity demand of consumers generally, and disadvantaged rural consumers particularly.

            Of more particular interest for the current study, Myanmar has the lowest level of energy access in Asia with less than 10% of the country’s population having access to electricity. Myanmar, however, is richly endowed with renewable energy resources. Utilization of these renewable energy resources for rural electrification is at a very early stage of development for various reasons, including technology deficiency, high initial investment cost and, more particularly, significant physical difficulty in connecting rural communities to the national grid.

            In this paper, the energy producing potential of renewable energy resources such as solar, wind, hydropower and bio-energy in rural electrification have been evaluated. Electricity generation from renewable energy resources has been found to be the most appropriate alternative energy source for the rural electrification process.