Conference article

The Brazilian government aims at providing complete electricity coverage for all citizens as a means to achieve development and reduce poverty. More than 2 million people living in the Amazon have benefited from the rural electrification program Luz Para Todos (LPT – Light for all); mainly through a grid-extension approach. Yet; there is general agreement on the need for an off-grid scheme in order to supply isolated areas. How can the actual institutional framework support the process of supplying electricity to these communities so that the trend of improving electricity access and quality of life continues? We aim at exploring the existing institutional dimension connected to LPT and identifying potential forms of organization for decentralized solutions in the Amazon region. Our analysis is based on current energy policy in Brazil; existing institutional framework; achievements of LPT and potentialities of the isolated areas in terms of resources. Our conclusions draw attention to potential approaches for the next step within LPT context. We argue that the off-grid approach must be based on the uniqueness of the isolated areas in the Amazon. We emphasize the relevance of renewable energy sources in the process of supplying electricity and securing inclusion of isolated areas in universal access.

Rural electrification; off-grid solutions; renewable energy