Energy access in Myanmar : from vicious to virtnous cycle of development | |
| Author | Thaw Thaw Phyu Htoon |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.ET-16-01 |
| Subject(s) | Renewable energy sources--Myanmar Sustainable development Solar energy |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Energy |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Solar PV technology has become more popular and there is great potential of its utilization for meeting the rural energy demand of remote areas in Myanmar where average electrification rate is only 16% (ADB, 2013). The extension of national grid line to those scattered areas (where demand is low), is not economically feasible. However, the high initial investment costs of solar PV systems make this solution unaffordable to the rural poor people at Bottom of Pyramid (BOP)even though they are aware that solar PV technology is a better option than using the traditional energy sources which are more costly. Therefore, an innovative business model is proposed in this study in order to make the solar solution financially viable for the BOP population. The existing business models in other countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka cannot be copied directly and adopted in Myanmar because there is no financial institution in Myanmar such as IDCOL in Bangladesh, which is a non-banking financial institution that provides grants and soft loan to companies and also provides technical assistance such as training and monitors implementation of the program. Therefore, an innovative business model is needed, which does not depend on subsidy and grants from donors. Therefore, this study explores the options to enhance the access to modern lighting services for the population at BOP in a selected village in Myanmar, using pico solar home system (PSHS) it through innovative and affordable business model. How the PSHS lighting service can be made affordable through the proposed model for selected (20) households at (BOP) is studied, and how the selected (20) households has improved lighting access and increased income generation by using PSHS has been analyzed. The payback period of the model is calculated after implementing the model in Thar Lay Swa village, and also the households’ experiences and level of satisfaction on the PSHS has been discussed. To be a sustainable business model, the proposed model should not only be viable through profits and returns on investment, but also benefit each stakeholder while taking care of natural resources for future generations, such as by using solar PV which is renewable resource. The proposed business model not only provides access to modern energy for lighting but also ensures income generation for the end-users (villagers) or households and is also expected to provide profit to the business or key person. The advantage of the model is that it not only focuses on the cost saving of households but also on improving the quality of life of the villagers or households/end-users and increases their income. The households/end-users realizes that they cannot earn additional money if they do not pay for the products to the key person. Therefore, it can solve the problem of irregular payment of the end-users observed in other types of business models. |
| Year | 2016 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Energy Technology (ET) |
| Chairperson(s) | Kumar, Sivanappan |
| Examination Committee(s) | Mohanty, Brahmanand;Kusakabe, Kyoko |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Asian Institute of Technology Fellowship |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2016 |