Publication: Bhutan Hydropower Sector Study : Opportunities and Strategic Options
Loading...
Published
2007-12
ISSN
Date
2014-04-17
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
The objective of this study is to analyze the opportunities and strategic options available to the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) to implement the hydropower projects included in its power master plan. It accounts for the relevant legal, technical, environmental, social and financial issues, as well as Bhutan's overall macroeconomic framework, and with full recognition that this resource is critical to Bhutan's economy. The scope of the study is to: (i) review and understand the framework for the existing agreement between India and Bhutan to finance the development of hydropower; (ii) review the power sector master plan to determine the competitiveness of planned projects, and their chances of being developed under a non-subsidized and/or private finance environment; (iii) review the options open to Bhutan in terms of power markets and trading; and (iv) propose some options for hydropower development in the medium to long term.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank. 2007. Bhutan Hydropower Sector Study : Opportunities and Strategic Options. Energy Sector Management Assistance Program
(ESMAP) paper;no. ESM 119/07. © http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17912 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Digital Object Identifier
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Honduras(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2010-05)This report was prepared in response to a request by the government of Honduras for assistance in the preparation of a power sector strategy for the country. Specifically, the government asked for help in identifying the main issues in the power sector, and in addressing them through formulation of a clearly defined, achievable strategy. Left unresolved, these issues risk derailing the country's macroeconomic framework, potentially damaging the competitiveness of the country and its prospects for poverty reduction. The main issues to be analyzed in the study were identified at a workshop held on September 19, 2006, in Tegucigalpa, jointly with the Secretaria de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente (SERNA) and the Comision Presidencial de Modernizacion del Estado (CPME), and with the participation of representatives from the Empresa Nacional de Energia Electrica (ENEE), civil society, the private sector, Congress, public sector agencies, donors, utilities, and ministries. It was decided that the study would be divided into two components: (a) the first would identify and evaluate options on institutional reforms, particularly ENEE's restructuring and management, and securing electricity supply; and (b) the second would formulate a power sector strategy. Two reports will be prepared, with the second report to be finalized according to the timing of the government's decision. This first report analyzes the institutional and policy issues; financial and fiscal concerns; social aspects, such as tariffs and subsidies, and access to electricity; and investment requirements including the development of renewable resources. The report is divided into two parts. Part A presents a diagnostic of the electricity sector, including ENEE's financial performance, fiscal impacts, and reliability of supply, institutional and legal framework, pricing policy, and electricity coverage. Part B evaluates the options available to improve sector efficiency, ensure financial sustainability, promote the diversification of energy sources, and increase electrification coverage.Publication Revisiting Public-Private Partnerships in the Power Sector(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2013-03-22)As the world demand for energy continues to grow, a big question is where will all the energy come from and what will the price tag be. With such enormous sums needed, public-private partnerships (PPPs) could play a big role. But the financial crisis has raised worries about funding, and much is still not known about how best to attract PPPs. This report reviews the evidence to date with sectoral reforms and considers different approaches in varying circumstances to help outline the potential role of the private and public sector in: 1) strengthening the corporate governance of private and public utilities; 2) helping governments to establish legal, regulatory, contractual, and fiscal frameworks; and 3) improved market governance to attract private investment. Chapter one reviews the impact of the recent financial crisis on PPP investment compared with what happened in earlier financial crises. It also looks out the latest projections for additional power sector investment needed because of climate change and the possible sources of financing. Chapter two examines how PPP investment in the power sector has fared. It also gives the results of an econometric study that explores which types of incentives and variables matter most to PPPs when they are weighing entering the power sector, especially in renewables, and what influences the ongoing level of investment. The idea is to provide a powerful benchmarking tool at the sector and country levels against which governments and policy makers can evaluate progress on this issue. Chapter three examines four case studies-in China, Brazil, Peru, and Mexico-to identify, disseminate, and promote best practices on alternative ways to attract PPPs.Publication Vietnam Power Sector : Generation Options(Washington, DC, 2009-12-29)This report discusses the energy sector in Vietnam. The central task for the energy sector is to meet demands for electricity in sufficient quantity and of an acceptable quality, in as commercially and financially efficient a way as possible. Several issues arise if this task is to be accomplished in the short and medium term. They are: optimizing power investments; financing the investments that must be made; implementing the reforms in the power industry and restructuring EVN; improving access and service quality; and addressing shortcomings in pricing and tariffs. This study discusses the first of these issues, though inevitably there is some overlap. The study has four specific objectives: (1) to inform decisions about technology choices; (2) to inform decisions on energy and energy sector policy; (3) to inform the energy sector planning process; and (4) to inform the internal discussion within the Bank on how Vietnam's energy sector development can be assisted.Publication Scaling Up Access to Electricity(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2015)This brief will focus on enabling regulations for mini-grids, providing an overview of key issues, options, and good practices. While appropriate regulations are not all that is needed to spur mini-grid development, is usually one of the first obstacles that potential developers face and therefore the most urgent issue for governments. The authors draw on a case study of Tanzania, a pioneer in setting an enabling and light-handed regulatory framework for mini-grids. Given the urgency of leveraging private sector investments for reaching the universal access targets of the international sustainable energy for all projects, the authors also focus on regulatory issues relevant to private sector entrepreneurs and investors. Mini-grid entrepreneurs need to know that their investment of time and money will have a reasonable chance not just of being repaid but also of returning a profit. A clear and credible regulatory framework that makes and enforces fair and efficient decisions in a timely manner helps entrepreneurs make informed investment decisions. The key characteristics of such a framework, described include licensing and registration, tariff setting, and what happens when the main grid reaches the mini-grid.Publication Winds of Change : East Asia's Sustainable Energy Future(World Bank, 2010)This report demonstrates that a "climate-smart" energy strategy is possible for countries in the East Asia region, with support from the international community. In the past three decades, the East Asia region has experienced the fastest economic growth in the world, accompanied by rapid urbanization. As a consequence, energy consumption has more than tripled and is expected to further double over the next two decades. This remarkable growth and rapid urbanization have led to twin energy challenges in the region: improving environmental sustainability and enhancing energy security. The region has many of the world's most polluted cities, resulting from fossil fuel combustion. The region also contains some of the largest greenhouse gas emitters in the world, although their per capita and historical emissions are much below the levels of industrialized countries. Concerns with energy security have grown because of increased risks of price volatility and possible disruptions in supplies for oil and gas. To move the region to a sustainable energy path, the commitment of the respective governments and communities is essential. The governments will need energy-pricing reforms that no longer encourage the use of fossil fuels, and put in place regulations and incentives that improve energy efficiency and support low-carbon technologies. The governments also will need to ramp up research and development for new technologies to leapfrog to the clean energy revolution. The countries cannot move to a sustainable energy path alone. They will need the support of the international community. Substantial concessional financing is essential to motivate energy efficiency and low-carbon technology investments. Transfer of low-carbon technologies and institutional strengthening also will be needed.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication The Container Port Performance Index 2023(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-07-18)The Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) measures the time container ships spend in port, making it an important point of reference for stakeholders in the global economy. These stakeholders include port authorities and operators, national governments, supranational organizations, development agencies, and other public and private players in trade and logistics. The index highlights where vessel time in container ports could be improved. Streamlining these processes would benefit all parties involved, including shipping lines, national governments, and consumers. This fourth edition of the CPPI relies on data from 405 container ports with at least 24 container ship port calls in the calendar year 2023. As in earlier editions of the CPPI, the ranking employs two different methodological approaches: an administrative (technical) approach and a statistical approach (using matrix factorization). Combining these two approaches ensures that the overall ranking of container ports reflects actual port performance as closely as possible while also being statistically robust. The CPPI methodology assesses the sequential steps of a container ship port call. ‘Total port hours’ refers to the total time elapsed from the moment a ship arrives at the port until the vessel leaves the berth after completing its cargo operations. The CPPI uses time as an indicator because time is very important to shipping lines, ports, and the entire logistics chain. However, time, as captured by the CPPI, is not the only way to measure port efficiency, so it does not tell the entire story of a port’s performance. Factors that can influence the time vessels spend in ports can be location-specific and under the port’s control (endogenous) or external and beyond the control of the port (exogenous). The CPPI measures time spent in container ports, strictly based on quantitative data only, which do not reveal the underlying factors or root causes of extended port times. A detailed port-specific diagnostic would be required to assess the contribution of underlying factors to the time a vessel spends in port. A very low ranking or a significant change in ranking may warrant special attention, for which the World Bank generally recommends a detailed diagnostic.Publication Digital Progress and Trends Report 2023(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-03-05)Digitalization is the transformational opportunity of our time. The digital sector has become a powerhouse of innovation, economic growth, and job creation. Value added in the IT services sector grew at 8 percent annually during 2000–22, nearly twice as fast as the global economy. Employment growth in IT services reached 7 percent annually, six times higher than total employment growth. The diffusion and adoption of digital technologies are just as critical as their invention. Digital uptake has accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic, with 1.5 billion new internet users added from 2018 to 2022. The share of firms investing in digital solutions around the world has more than doubled from 2020 to 2022. Low-income countries, vulnerable populations, and small firms, however, have been falling behind, while transformative digital innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) have been accelerating in higher-income countries. Although more than 90 percent of the population in high-income countries was online in 2022, only one in four people in low-income countries used the internet, and the speed of their connection was typically only a small fraction of that in wealthier countries. As businesses in technologically advanced countries integrate generative AI into their products and services, less than half of the businesses in many low- and middle-income countries have an internet connection. The growing digital divide is exacerbating the poverty and productivity gaps between richer and poorer economies. The Digital Progress and Trends Report series will track global digitalization progress and highlight policy trends, debates, and implications for low- and middle-income countries. The series adds to the global efforts to study the progress and trends of digitalization in two main ways: · By compiling, curating, and analyzing data from diverse sources to present a comprehensive picture of digitalization in low- and middle-income countries, including in-depth analyses on understudied topics. · By developing insights on policy opportunities, challenges, and debates and reflecting the perspectives of various stakeholders and the World Bank’s operational experiences. This report, the first in the series, aims to inform evidence-based policy making and motivate action among internal and external audiences and stakeholders. The report will bring global attention to high-performing countries that have valuable experience to share as well as to areas where efforts will need to be redoubled.Publication Business Ready 2024(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-03)Business Ready (B-READY) is a new World Bank Group corporate flagship report that evaluates the business and investment climate worldwide. It replaces and improves upon the Doing Business project. B-READY provides a comprehensive data set and description of the factors that strengthen the private sector, not only by advancing the interests of individual firms but also by elevating the interests of workers, consumers, potential new enterprises, and the natural environment. This 2024 report introduces a new analytical framework that benchmarks economies based on three pillars: Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency. The analysis centers on 10 topics essential for private sector development that correspond to various stages of the life cycle of a firm. The report also offers insights into three cross-cutting themes that are relevant for modern economies: digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and gender. B-READY draws on a robust data collection process that includes specially tailored expert questionnaires and firm-level surveys. The 2024 report, which covers 50 economies, serves as the first in a series that will expand in geographical coverage and refine its methodology over time, supporting reform advocacy, policy guidance, and further analysis and research.Publication Global Economic Prospects, June 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-06-10)The global economy is facing another substantial headwind, emanating largely from an increase in trade tensions and heightened global policy uncertainty. For emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), the ability to boost job creation and reduce extreme poverty has declined. Key downside risks include a further escalation of trade barriers and continued policy uncertainty. These challenges are exacerbated by subdued foreign direct investment into EMDEs. Global cooperation is needed to restore a more stable international trade environment and scale up support for vulnerable countries grappling with conflict, debt burdens, and climate change. Domestic policy action is also critical to contain inflation risks and strengthen fiscal resilience. To accelerate job creation and long-term growth, structural reforms must focus on raising institutional quality, attracting private investment, and strengthening human capital and labor markets. Countries in fragile and conflict situations face daunting development challenges that will require tailored domestic policy reforms and well-coordinated multilateral support.Publication Global Economic Prospects, January 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-16)Global growth is expected to hold steady at 2.7 percent in 2025-26. However, the global economy appears to be settling at a low growth rate that will be insufficient to foster sustained economic development—with the possibility of further headwinds from heightened policy uncertainty and adverse trade policy shifts, geopolitical tensions, persistent inflation, and climate-related natural disasters. Against this backdrop, emerging market and developing economies are set to enter the second quarter of the twenty-first century with per capita incomes on a trajectory that implies substantially slower catch-up toward advanced-economy living standards than they previously experienced. Without course corrections, most low-income countries are unlikely to graduate to middle-income status by the middle of the century. Policy action at both global and national levels is needed to foster a more favorable external environment, enhance macroeconomic stability, reduce structural constraints, address the effects of climate change, and thus accelerate long-term growth and development.