Publication: Where and How Slum Electrification Succeeds: A Proposal for Replication
Loading...
Published
2019-06
ISSN
Date
2019-06-17
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
Substantial gains have been made in recent years in electrifying urban and peri-urban areas in the developing world, in partial fulfillment of the global commitment to ensure access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy for all by 2030. But additional efforts are required to reach slum dwellers, who often fall back on power theft or informal connections to obtain access to electricity. This kind of access, however, comes at a high cost for paying customers and distribution companies. Joint efforts by government, utilities, and local populations can break the vicious cycle of theft and poor service.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Dave, Rutu; Smyser, Connie; Koehrer, Fabian. 2019. Where and How Slum Electrification Succeeds: A Proposal for Replication. Live Wire;No. 2019/100. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/31896 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Publication Exploiting the Potential of Energy Efficiency in Residential Buildings(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-10-31)The residential sector makes up about 70 percent of building energy demand. This demand is expected to grow rapidly over the next decade. Although the sector offers huge potential for energy efficiency gains, a range of barriers impedes the realization of these benefits. Fortunately, a wealth of global experience shows how these challenges can be overcome through a combination of sound planning, strong policy and regulatory frameworks, well designed financing and incentives, robust institutional and market development, and accessible information to scale up residential energy efficiency.Publication Shared Infrastructure for Clean Hydrogen(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-08-31)Studies of the development of clean hydrogen have often focused on the production side. Infrastructure built and used for storage and transportation warrants more attention. Among the topics that should be assessed are system design, operation, integration, and ownership; market design and governance; and planning. This Live Wire examines case studies and literature on the infrastructure for hydrogen hubs, with an emphasis on the benefits of shared infrastructure. Given the breadth of hydrogen production and infrastructure, the focus is on renewable hydrogen production for domestic use and for export after conversion to ammonia.Publication Decarbonizing Ammonia and Nitrogen Fertilizers with Clean Hydrogen(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-12)Synthetic fertilizers are essential to sustaining the world’s population, but their production is responsible for 1.8–2.4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Clean hydrogen holds growing potential (amid falling costs) to decarbonize fertilizer production. Hydrogen produces synthetic ammonia, a building block of most fertilizers. With the fertilizer market as a reliable off-taker, this shift could support the overall expansion of clean hydrogen, even as it boosts global food security. However, this transition may require adjustments, including changes in fertilizer types and modifications to existing subsidy schemes.Publication A Responsible Data Sharing Framework for the Distributed Renewable Energy Sector(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-09-25)In collaboration with Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency, the World Bank is piloting a Responsible Data Sharing Framework (RDSF) for the distributed renewable energy sector. The framework was developed over the course of 12 months in 2024, through collaboration with some 25 stakeholders from government and the private sector. It embodies a shared ambition to turn data into better outcomes for the communities served. At its core, an RDSF for the sector sets out how appropriate data about projects can be shared in ways that are efficient and effective. In 2023, the World Bank approved the Nigeria Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) project. DARES aims to bring new or improved access to clean energy to 17.5 million people and replace more than 280,000 petrol and diesel generators in the process. The RDSF pilot is part of DARES.Publication Measuring the Climate Resilience of the Power Sector: Harmonization, Not Homogenization(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-08-31)Although by its very nature climate resilience can never be fully “standardized”, the development and mainstreaming of climate resilience metrics can benefit from greater consensus around key topics. Areas such as metric categories, methodologies, and reporting frameworks can be aligned through coordinated efforts among regulators, utilities, and other stakeholders, enabling more consistent, effective, and scalable resilience planning across the sector. The key is harmonization and not homogenization.
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Meeting the Energy Needs of the Urban Poor : Lessons from Electrification Practitioners(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2007-06)The present report was prepared on the basis of the findings of an international workshop held from September 12-14, 2005, in Salvador da Bahia, and was attended by delegations of three to five practitioners from 12 cities in Latin America, Africa and Asia. It had two main objectives: (a) to share experiences on innovative solutions to provide electricity services in poor peri-urban and urban areas; and (b) to develop a body of knowledge to be disseminated and used by a wide array of practitioners involved in the provision of energy services in those areas. One of the most important conclusions of the Bahia workshop was that excluding part of the population from access to energy on account of their poverty, marginalization and the informality of the settlements has enormous long-term social, economic and financial costs. The root cause of the contemporary difficulty in providing electricity and other infrastructure services through public or private utilities is decades of such social exclusion, poverty and marginalization which have led to total distrust between formal structures and consumers, and to the rise of illegal and costly electricity distribution systems, often managed by private illegal entrepreneurs. Do current regulatory systems support slum electrification? At the institutional level, it was confirmed that in the majority of the countries participating in the workshop, except for Brazil, electrification programs for poor peri-urban and urban areas are being deployed with a lack of appropriate regulatory frameworks to support these efforts. The regulatory frameworks which have been developed for the general model of public-private partnership do not meet the need of distribution companies working in predominantly poor areas. In particular, they do not reflect the need for innovative technical characteristics and the informal sector relationships which characterize poor urban and peri-urban areas, nor are there regulatory mechanisms for risk-sharing or resolving disputes, for example, when the infrastructure is damaged. It would be important, therefore, to adapt regulatory frameworks for the various business models used to extend the grids to slums. Currently, utilities are left to their own devices to find out practical solutions. This is an area which was identified as needing more analytical work.Publication The Welfare Impact of Rural Electrification : A Reassessment of the Costs and Benefits(Washington, DC : World Bank, 2008)It has long been claimed that rural electrification greatly improves the quality of life. Lighting alone brings benefits such as increased study time and improved study environment for school children, extended hours for small businesses, and greater security. But electrification brings more than light. It's second most common use is for television, which brings both entertainment and information. The people who live in rural areas greatly appreciate these benefits and are willing to pay for them at levels more than sufficient to cover the costs. However, the evaluation of these and other benefits, as well as of their distribution, has been sparse. This report reviews recent methodological advances made in measuring the benefits of rural electrification (RE) and commends them. It also notes that the understanding of the techniques shown in project documents is sometimes weak, and quality control for the economic analysis in project documents lacking. This study shows that willingness to pay for electricity is high, exceeding the long-run marginal cost of supply. Hence, in principle, RE investments can have good rates of return and be financially sustainable. But caveats are in order. The first caveat is that attention needs to be paid to ensuring least cost supply, including limiting system losses. Second, continued attention needs to be paid to achieving the right balance between financial sustainability and reaching the poor.Publication Kenya : Rural Electrification Access Expansion Study(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2006-06)The Government of Kenya adopted in 2004 an Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation (ERSWEC), which recognizes three main pillars for economy recovery namely: (i) strengthening economic growth; (ii) enhancing equity and reducing poverty; and (iii) improving governance. The ERSWEC reiterates that the achievement of the three pillars is dependent on adequate and reliable access to least-cost energy. Since agriculture continues to be the mainstay of Kenya's economy, ensuring adequate access to electricity in rural areas is an important component to achieving the objectives of the ERSWEC. This is confirmed by investigations made by this study regarding specific energy needs for the different sectors of productive and social activities in the rural areas, for agriculture, livestock, fishery, tea and coffee cooperatives, telecommunications, water pumping and health and education services.The Government of Kenya has adopted a National Energy formulated in the Sessional Paper No 4 of 2004 consistent with the ERSWEC, which set double target of a 20% access rate to electricity in rural areas and 40% in 2020.Publication Improving Energy Access to the Urban Poor in Developing Countries(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-11)The case studies documented in this report aim to inform the energy access community (including practitioners, civil society groups, project planners, end users) about best practices of successful energy access initiatives targeted at slum dwellers. Eight case studies focusing on electrification and household energy were selected from India, Bangladesh, Colombia and Brazil, all countries that have had varying success in providing access to modern energy services for slum dwellers. The cases had to meet all or some of the following criteria: 1) limited to developing countries; 2) demonstrate innovative methods of improving energy access, including collaborative stakeholder engagement; 3) at least one example of small local energy service providers; 4) contributed to community development by promoting local skill development and income generation; and 5) representative of electricity and different sources of household energy. The case studies describe the existing conditions in the slum, type of energy service provided, the key characters involved, conditions for success, and replicable factors. Common barriers to energy access were identified and impact on the lives of slum dwellers, were also discussed.Publication Innovative Approaches to Energy Access for the Urban Poor(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012)Rapid urban growth in developing countries has created an unprecedented demand for energy services. Cities face the enormous challenge of improving energy access to urban communities in order to improve education, health, and basic socioeconomic conditions. South Asia and Sub- Saharan Africa have the fastest growing urban populations in the world projected to grow by 50 percent by 2025. This will put tremendous pressure on cities in these regions as they work to provide basic services, including energy services, to underserved areas. While there is widespread understanding of the critical role energy access plays in sustainable development, there is still a lack of policies targeted at growing urban poor populations. The objective of these case studies is to share lessons learned in successful energy access initiatives and to provide a point of reference for energy practitioners. The case studies identify barriers to energy access that are unique to the urban poor, innovative approaches to finding solutions, and the roles of communities, service providers, and governments in successfully providing access to legal modern energy services. Eight case studies focused on electrification and clean fuels were selected from India, Bangladesh, Colombia, and Brazil all countries that have had varying success in providing access to modern energy services for slum dwellers. The cases selected highlight several common barriers facing the urban poor in achieving access to safer, cleaner, and legal sources of energy. They also outline the innovative approaches adopted by all stakeholders. This study demonstrates several common barriers and highlights diverse ways to overcome them. It shows that success depends on several enabling factors working together, such as stakeholder collaboration and community empowerment. Sustainable initiatives that have the potential to be replicated in other urban poor communities depend on the continued commitment of stakeholders, and the presence of strong financial and institutional mechanisms.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Classroom Assessment to Support Foundational Literacy(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-21)This document focuses primarily on how classroom assessment activities can measure students’ literacy skills as they progress along a learning trajectory towards reading fluently and with comprehension by the end of primary school grades. The document addresses considerations regarding the design and implementation of early grade reading classroom assessment, provides examples of assessment activities from a variety of countries and contexts, and discusses the importance of incorporating classroom assessment practices into teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers. The structure of the document is as follows. The first section presents definitions and addresses basic questions on classroom assessment. Section 2 covers the intersection between assessment and early grade reading by discussing how learning assessment can measure early grade reading skills following the reading learning trajectory. Section 3 compares some of the most common early grade literacy assessment tools with respect to the early grade reading skills and developmental phases. Section 4 of the document addresses teacher training considerations in developing, scoring, and using early grade reading assessment. Additional issues in assessing reading skills in the classroom and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning are reviewed in section 5. Throughout the document, country cases are presented to demonstrate how assessment activities can be implemented in the classroom in different contexts.Publication World Development Report 2011(World Bank, 2011)The 2011 World development report looks across disciplines and experiences drawn from around the world to offer some ideas and practical recommendations on how to move beyond conflict and fragility and secure development. The key messages are important for all countries-low, middle, and high income-as well as for regional and global institutions: first, institutional legitimacy is the key to stability. When state institutions do not adequately protect citizens, guard against corruption, or provide access to justice; when markets do not provide job opportunities; or when communities have lost social cohesion-the likelihood of violent conflict increases. Second, investing in citizen security, justice, and jobs is essential to reducing violence. But there are major structural gaps in our collective capabilities to support these areas. Third, confronting this challenge effectively means that institutions need to change. International agencies and partners from other countries must adapt procedures so they can respond with agility and speed, a longer-term perspective, and greater staying power. Fourth, need to adopt a layered approach. Some problems can be addressed at the country level, but others need to be addressed at a regional level, such as developing markets that integrate insecure areas and pooling resources for building capacity Fifth, in adopting these approaches, need to be aware that the global landscape is changing. Regional institutions and middle income countries are playing a larger role. This means should pay more attention to south-south and south-north exchanges, and to the recent transition experiences of middle income countries.Publication Digital Africa(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-03-13)All African countries need better and more jobs for their growing populations. "Digital Africa: Technological Transformation for Jobs" shows that broader use of productivity-enhancing, digital technologies by enterprises and households is imperative to generate such jobs, including for lower-skilled people. At the same time, it can support not only countries’ short-term objective of postpandemic economic recovery but also their vision of economic transformation with more inclusive growth. These outcomes are not automatic, however. Mobile internet availability has increased throughout the continent in recent years, but Africa’s uptake gap is the highest in the world. Areas with at least 3G mobile internet service now cover 84 percent of Africa’s population, but only 22 percent uses such services. And the average African business lags in the use of smartphones and computers as well as more sophisticated digital technologies that catalyze further productivity gains. Two issues explain the usage gap: affordability of these new technologies and willingness to use them. For the 40 percent of Africans below the extreme poverty line, mobile data plans alone would cost one-third of their incomes—in addition to the price of access devices, apps, and electricity. Data plans for small- and medium-size businesses are also more expensive than in other regions. Moreover, shortcomings in the quality of internet services—and in the supply of attractive, skills-appropriate apps that promote entrepreneurship and raise earnings—dampen people’s willingness to use them. For those countries already using these technologies, the development payoffs are significant. New empirical studies for this report add to the rapidly growing evidence that mobile internet availability directly raises enterprise productivity, increases jobs, and reduces poverty throughout Africa. To realize these and other benefits more widely, Africa’s countries must implement complementary and mutually reinforcing policies to strengthen both consumers’ ability to pay and willingness to use digital technologies. These interventions must prioritize productive use to generate large numbers of inclusive jobs in a region poised to benefit from a massive, youthful workforce—one projected to become the world’s largest by the end of this century.Publication Doing Business 2014 : Understanding Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises(Washington, DC: World Bank Group, 2013-10-28)Eleventh in a series of annual reports comparing business regulation in 185 economies, Doing Business 2014 measures regulations affecting 11 areas of everyday business activity: Starting a business, Dealing with construction permits, Getting electricity, Registering property, Getting credit, Protecting investors, Paying taxes, Trading across borders, Enforcing contracts, Closing a business, Employing workers. The report updates all indicators as of June 1, 2013, ranks economies on their overall “ease of doing business”, and analyzes reforms to business regulation – identifying which economies are strengthening their business environment the most. The Doing Business reports illustrate how reforms in business regulations are being used to analyze economic outcomes for domestic entrepreneurs and for the wider economy. Doing Business is a flagship product by the World Bank and IFC that garners worldwide attention on regulatory barriers to entrepreneurship. More than 60 economies use the Doing Business indicators to shape reform agendas and monitor improvements on the ground. In addition, the Doing Business data has generated over 870 articles in peer-reviewed academic journals since its inception.Publication World Development Report 2006(Washington, DC, 2005)This year’s Word Development Report (WDR), the twenty-eighth, looks at the role of equity in the development process. It defines equity in terms of two basic principles. The first is equal opportunities: that a person’s chances in life should be determined by his or her talents and efforts, rather than by pre-determined circumstances such as race, gender, social or family background. The second principle is the avoidance of extreme deprivation in outcomes, particularly in health, education and consumption levels. This principle thus includes the objective of poverty reduction. The report’s main message is that, in the long run, the pursuit of equity and the pursuit of economic prosperity are complementary. In addition to detailed chapters exploring these and related issues, the Report contains selected data from the World Development Indicators 2005‹an appendix of economic and social data for over 200 countries. This Report offers practical insights for policymakers, executives, scholars, and all those with an interest in economic development.