Showing papers on "Rural electrification published in 1981"

Powerline: The First Battle of America's Energy War

Abstract: Public reaction to the construction of a high-voltage direct-current powerline from a new generating plant at a lignite mine in Bismarck, ND to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota illustrates how rural America is gaining a stronger voice in national energy policy. The author traces the project from its inception by two cooperative utilities and the Rural Electrification Administration, which would provide low-interest financing. The story is one of national economic goals and technological procedures moving to overpower local decision making when farmers and members of the co-ops saw no fairness in paying for a powerline across their property that would provide them with no electricity. They also raised concerns about health and safety hazards. Their legal and political struggles involved national siting policies and the protection of civil rights. Their descent into guerilla tactics and the effectiveness of public resistance over energy-supply interests demonstrate that land-use decisions must consider those who are affected. 4 figures, 1 table. (DCK)

Planning African Development

Abstract: 1. Raising Nutritional Levels and Rural Development in Kenya 2. Land-Use Competition at the Margins of the Rangelands: An Issue in Development Strategies for Semi-Arid Areas 3. The Rural Non-Farm Sector and the Development Process in Kenya 4. Towards a Locational Policy for Manufacturing Industry in Kenya 5. Coordinating Operating and Investment Procedures: The Need for Balance in Planning and Budgeting 6. Intra-Programme Resource Allocation: the Case of Hospitals in Kenya 7. Accounting Prices for Project Appraisal in Kenya 8. Planning and Evaluation of Rural Electrification in Kenya.

ORNL rural electric-energy-demand forecasting model

Abstract: The development of a forecasting model of annual electrical-energy sales for the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) borrowers is discussed The Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Rural Electric Energy Demand (ORNL-REED) model highlights the unique features of rural electricity demand by empirically examining the customers of the electric cooperatives The model is used to forecast annual electricity sales by state and sector for the next twenty years REED is a nonlinear, simultaneous-equation econometric model It consists of submodels for the residential, commercial, industrial and irrigation sectors The construction of a data base which reflects the cooperatives' service areas is described The nine structural equations of REED were estimated using pooled, cross-section, time-series data for the period 1969 through 1977 for five regions In general, the residential and commercial own-price demand elasticities are lower for the rural cooperatives than they are for the rest of the electric utility industry However, the elasticities estimated by REED for the industrial sector tend to be higher than those estimated for the total state The price elasticities of demand for irrigation are greater than the other sectors, indicating that the farmer is especially sensitive to changing electricity prices The forecasts of the cooperatives' electricity demand are estimatedmore » for six sets of input assumptions, These projections give a range of total demand growth between 54% and 66% depending upon the demographic and fuel-price assumptions, compared to the 98% growth the cooperatives experienced between 1969 and 1977 The projected growth figures vary across states and sectors« less

Photovoltaic Pilot Projects in the European Community

Abstract: Details are given of proposals received for the construction of photovoltaic pilot plants, as part of the Commission of the European Communities’ second 4-year solar energy R&D programme. The main objectives are to prove feasibility, develop systems and critical components and compare different technological approaches in the field. The proposed plants, in the range 30 to 300kWp, cover a variety of prospective applications, such as rural electrification, water pumping, desalination, dairy farming, factories, hospitals, schools and vacation centres, A final choice of the plants to be built is expected to be made in November 1980. It is planned to accept about 15 projects with a total generating capacity of about 1MWp and it is intended that each EC Member State should host at least one project. Construction is planned to be complete by mid-1983.

Structures and preferences of future energy consumption in the Third World

Abstract: Only 5% of the 156 Third World countries tried to develop a national energy policy in response to the economic shocks of the OPEC oil embargo. The main goal of those who tried to deal with the need to reduce their use of imported oil was to increase rural electrification using conventional hydropower and coal, while making only a marginal increase in renewable energy resources. Their response is due to the ready technology for conventional energy forms and the historical use of these forms to fuel industrialization. Several examples illustrate the factors that influenced whether a country leaned toward the conventional or alternative energy forms. For those developing renewable resources, climate, level of development, manpower, and tradition are more influential than position in the sun belt. 40 references. (DCK)

Ecuador rural electrification. Project impact evaluation report 21

Abstract: The direct and indirect benefits of rural electrification in Ecuador warrant A.I.D.'s continued sponsorship of such programs. This assessment of A.I.D.'s 1964-75 sponsorship of four electrification projects in Ecuador concludes that, although implemented along with other development projects such as road construction, the program was a key factor in upgrading the towns of Santa Elena, Santo Domingo de los Colorados, Daule, and Ambato into regional market and service centers. The main benefits of this program, which was not originally designed to benefit the poor, were job creation, access to agricultural product processing facilities, and increased opportunities for small commercial enterprises.

The product is progress: rural electrification in Costa Rica. Project impact evaluation No. 22

Abstract: Because Costa Rica had abundant hydroelectric potential and a government which was strongly committed to equitable growth, a considerable return was reaped from a relatively small investment in rural electrification (RE). This report details this success and A.I.D.'s contribution (1965-69). Aiming to diversify agriculture, increase income, expand agroindustry, and develop replicable RE cooperatives (REC's), the project produced positive but not wholly anticipated results.