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Summoning earth and fire: The energy development implications of Grameen Shakti (GS) in Bangladesh

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  • Sovacool, Benjamin K.
  • Drupady, Ira Martina

Abstract

Since its establishment in 1996, the nonprofit company Grameen Shakti (GS) has installed almost half a million solar home systems (SHS), 132,000 cookstoves, and 13,300 biogas plants among 3.1 million beneficiaries. They plan to ramp up their expansion so that by 2015, more than 1.5 million SHS are in place along with 100,000 biogas units and 5 million improved cookstoves. This article describes GS’s current activities, the contours of its programs, and likely reasons for its success. It also explores the remaining challenges facing GS and distils common lessons for other energy development assistance projects and programs around the world. After detailing research methods consisting primarily of research interviews and site visits, the article briefly explores the history of GS and summarizes its three most prominent programs. The article then identifies six distinct benefits to their programs—expansion of energy access, less deforestation and fewer greenhouse gas emissions, price savings, direct employment and income generation, improved public health, and better technology—before discussing challenges related to staff retention and organizational growth, living standards, technical obstacles, affordability, tension with other energy programs, political constraints, and awareness and cultural values.

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  • Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Drupady, Ira Martina, 2011. "Summoning earth and fire: The energy development implications of Grameen Shakti (GS) in Bangladesh," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(7), pages 4445-4459.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:36:y:2011:i:7:p:4445-4459
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2011.03.077
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Khan, Tahsina & Khanam, Shamsun Nahar & Rahman, Md Habibur & Rahman, Syed Mahbubur, 2019. "Determinants of microfinance facility for installing solar home system (SHS) in rural Bangladesh," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 299-308.
    3. Raha, Debadayita & Mahanta, Pinakeswar & Clarke, Michèle L., 2014. "The implementation of decentralised biogas plants in Assam, NE India: The impact and effectiveness of the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 80-91.
    4. Stanistreet Debbi & Puzzolo Elisa & Bruce Nigel & Pope Dan & Rehfuess Eva, 2014. "Factors Influencing Household Uptake of Improved Solid Fuel Stoves in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Qualitative Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-23, August.
    5. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Ryan, Sarah E., 2016. "The geography of energy and education: Leaders, laggards, and lessons for achieving primary and secondary school electrification," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 107-123.
    6. Hynek Roubík & Jana Mazancová, 2019. "Identification of Context-Specific Knowledge as a Tool for Biogas Facilitators and Their Quality Involvement—Using Vietnamese Practice as an Example," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-10, April.
    7. Amin, Sakib Bin & Chowdhury, Mainul Islam & Jamasb, Tooraj & Khan, Farhan & Nepal, Rabindra, 2023. "Green Energy Finance and Gender Disparity: The Case of Mountain Areas in Bangladesh," Working Papers 2-2023, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Economics.
    8. Chirambo, Dumisani, 2016. "Addressing the renewable energy financing gap in Africa to promote universal energy access: Integrated renewable energy financing in Malawi," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 793-803.
    9. Levin, Todd & Thomas, Valerie M., 2014. "Utility-maximizing financial contracts for distributed rural electrification," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 613-621.
    10. Joshi, Lalita & Choudhary, Deepak & Kumar, Praveen & Venkateswaran, Jayendran & Solanki, Chetan S., 2019. "Does involvement of local community ensure sustained energy access? A critical review of a solar PV technology intervention in rural India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 272-281.
    11. Cheng, Shikun & Li, Zifu & Mang, Heinz-Peter & Neupane, Kalidas & Wauthelet, Marc & Huba, Elisabeth-Maria, 2014. "Application of fault tree approach for technical assessment of small-sized biogas systems in Nepal," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1372-1381.
    12. Komatsu, Satoru & Kaneko, Shinji & Ghosh, Partha Pratim & Morinaga, Akane, 2013. "Determinants of user satisfaction with solar home systems in rural Bangladesh," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 52-58.
    13. Johnson, Nathan G. & Bryden, Kenneth M., 2012. "Energy supply and use in a rural West African village," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 283-292.
    14. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Griffiths, Steve, 2020. "The cultural barriers to a low-carbon future: A review of six mobility and energy transitions across 28 countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    15. Tafadzwa Clementine Maramura & Eugine Tafadzwa Maziriri & Tinashe Chuchu & David Mago & Rumbidzai Mazivisa, 2020. "Renewable Energy Access Challenge at Household Level for the Poor in Rural Zimbabwe: Is Biogas Energy a Remedy?," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 10(4), pages 282-292.
    16. Nathanael Ojong, 2021. "Solar Home Systems in South Asia: Examining Adoption, Energy Consumption, and Social Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-16, July.
    17. Pranpreya Sriwannawita & Staffan Laestadiusb, 2015. "Determinants of the Diffusion of Solar Home Systems: Case Study among Low-Income Inhabitants in Bangladesh," Energy & Environment, , vol. 26(5), pages 803-816, September.
    18. Mainali, Brijesh & Emran, Saad Been & Silveira, Semida, 2017. "Greenhouse gas mitigation using poultry litter management techniques in Bangladesh," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 155-166.
    19. Mario Pansera & Soumodip Sarkar, 2016. "Crafting Sustainable Development Solutions: Frugal Innovations of Grassroots Entrepreneurs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-25, January.

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