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Title:
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Financial sustainability of PV implementation in Swaziland
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Author(s):
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Published by:
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Publication date:
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ECN
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1-10-2001
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ECN report number:
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Document type:
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ECN-RX--01-050
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Conference Paper
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Number of pages:
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Full text:
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3
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Download PDF
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Presented at: 17th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, Munich, Germany, 22-26 oktober 2001.
Abstract:
During the past 10 years, more than 700 Solar Home Systems have beenimplemented by this project in Swaziland, southern Africa. The implemention
process started with household energy surveys, the results of which
showing significant energy needs for cooking, lighting and basic communication
applications (i.e. radio/TV), particularly in rural areas. An implementation
project of Solar Home Systems was set up to start rural electrification
with solar PV and focused on lighting and small electrical demands.
The national government, whose own resources were limited, supported
the project as an important step towards addressing the country?s range
of energy needs.
Together with a local company, Swazitronix, a joint venture was established
to facilitate the implementation project. With a project loan from the
Dutch social bank, the Triodosbank, standard Solar Home Systems were
sold, assembled, installed and serviced. Customers paid the full cost
of their PV systems and services. Awareness and education issues also
formed key aspects of the project. During a later project phase, credit
financing instruments were introduced providing a final element of experience
crucial to future project implementation. The project?s relative success
and experiences (i.e. 82% loan repayment rate, detailed review of the
causes behind loan defaults, and monitoring survey results) are detailed
herein, providing valuable lessons regarding financial sustainability,
the linchpin of successfull PV mplementation.
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