Decentralized rural electrification in the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

This paper discusses the various efforts to promote decentralized electricity generation with renewable energy for rural electrification in the Brazilian Amazon over the last three decades. The preliminary results show that, besides the need to adjust the institutional framework of the electricity sector to permit this type of project, it is also necessary to change the paradigm in order to include these projects in local development initiatives. The paper concludes that rural electricity projects must be considered as locally integrated development projects, to be implemented through multidisciplinary development teams along with clear input and control of the local community in the design and execution of the initiative.