Addressing the Electricity Access Gap
Achieving universal access to electricity is one of the most important goals set for the energy sector by governments in the developing world. Electricity alone is not sufficient to spur economic growth, but it is certainly necessary. Access to ele...
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| Format: | Economic & Sector Work |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
Washington, DC
2013
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2012/01/16320545/addressing-electricity-access-gap http://hdl.handle.net/10986/12530 |
| Summary: | Achieving universal access to
electricity is one of the most important goals set for the
energy sector by governments in the developing world.
Electricity alone is not sufficient to spur economic growth,
but it is certainly necessary. Access to electricity is
particularly crucial to human development, as certain basic
activities-such as lighting, refrigeration, running
household appliances, and operating equipment-cannot easily
be carried out by other forms of energy. Sustainable
provision of electricity can free large amounts of time and
labor and promote better health and education.
Electrification can make an important contribution toward
achieving economic and social objectives. This paper,
prepared as a background paper to inform the forthcoming
World Bank Group energy strategy, discusses the challenge of
scaling up electricity access in developing countries, the
efforts involved in achieving universal access, obstacles
associated with access extension in rural and urban areas,
technology and institutional options, the role of tariffs
and subsidies, and elements of success in electrification
programs. To that end, the paper draws from the experiences
of more than twenty countries in addressing the electricity
access gap under different country circumstances, distills
lessons on good practices, and makes recommendations for a
way forward. |
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