Techno-economics and programs of rural electrification using solar energy in South and Southeast Asia

Access to energy remains a challenge to many developing countries. More than a billion of the world’s population still has no electricity access, especially in rural areas. Governments of different countries and foundations came up with various initiatives to use solar energy to provide electricity for rural communities. This paper aims to guide other developing countries, specifically our country, the Philippines, in the technical and policy formulation for rural and off-grid solar system implementation. This paper evaluated the development trends in solar power systems, technologies, financing mechanisms, and government programs to support solar in rural electrification in select South Asia and Southeast Asian countries. The authors of this paper reviewed relevant publications related to the topic. This study revealed that the solar home system (SHS) is the most widely established and adopted system implemented successfully in these Asian countries for rural electrification. Government programs, such as the National Rural Electrification Plan, Remote Village Electrification Program, Energy Sector Assistance Program (ESAP), Rural Energy for Rural Economic Development (RERED), and the Energy Services Delivery (ESD), were developed to address the needs of the off-grid communities providing significant contribution and success to rural electrification in the identified countries. The programs and technologies related to SHS will be recommended for policy and technology adoption in the Philippines.