ACCESS Decentralization Contexts

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What: definition, context, and current obstacles/knowledge gaps

Decentralized energy solutions are the more feasible solution to grid extensions, however the main obstacle is implementation of the decentralized systems. There are significant hurdles to overcome due to the lack of energy knowledge in rural, disconnected communities as well as the structure and hierarchy of government and decision-makers. Because of the remote location and traditional livelihoods of rural populations, the decision-makers and citizens are frequently uneducated in the subject of energy. If they are unaware that their lives can be improved with access to energy, then they are unlikely to push for a change. Additionally, it is common for remote communities to not have a structured government that is wide-reaching and it becomes the responsibility of the small districts to coordinate with each other. With the energy decisions left to local or municipal governments, there is little direction for how the remote populations should proceed with energy access solutions. Specifically, one area of difficulty is providing capacity building to local governments to unravel the complex international and climate finance mechanisms, while also being able to secure additional financing resources to contribute to energy access. Furthermore, each small community has unique requirements and therefore each situation requires a unique energy solution.