Luces Nuevas Experience Lighting Rural Bolivia: A Way to Reach SDG 7

Francisco Javier Vela-Cobos, Ronald Cavero, Carlos A. Platero and José A. Sánchez-Fernández
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Francisco Javier Vela-Cobos: Department of Hydraulic, Energy and Environmental Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
Ronald Cavero: Luces Nuevas, La Paz 33328, Bolivia
Carlos A. Platero: Department of Automatic Control, Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Industrial Informatics, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
José A. Sánchez-Fernández: Department of Hydraulic, Energy and Environmental Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, E-28040 Madrid, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-12

Abstract: United Nations SDG 7 is that, by 2030, there will be an affordable, reliable and clean universal access to energy (UAE). To reach this goal, technological and social issues should be considered jointly. In this paper, the approach used by the Non-Governmental Organization “Luces Nuevas Internacional” is presented. Luces Nuevas has successfully provided basic electricity access to sparse rural communities in rural Bolivia. This paper emphasizes the methodological aspects of the approach. The key ingredient to the success is the involvement of all the stakeholders in all steps of the solution. In this way, end users feel the solution as their solution. Therefore, they are willing to use and properly maintain the devices that they buy to obtain electricity access. The case of the Tipas community shows that this approach can provide access to energy to every family that desires it. The experience shows that reaching SDG 7 requires taking into account not only the technological and economic aspects, but also the social aspects of the problem. End users involvement, from the beginning, of an electrification project is key to its success.

Keywords: rural electrification technologies; social sustainability; energy sustainability; access to electricity; universal energy access; clean energy access (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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