The "smart villages" initiative

EASAC is collaborating with the Malaysian Commonwealth Studies Centre (MCSC), a charitable body based at Cambridge, UK, on a study of provision of energy in rural communities in developing countries. The integrating concept is that of the 'smart village' in which energy acts as a catalyst for development, enabling education and local business opportunities, improving health and welfare, and enhancing democratic engagement. 

MCSC has funded a first phase of the study resulting in the attached report which presents a set of 20 case studies of sustainable energy provision to off-grid villages in three Commonwealth countries: India, Tanzania and Ghana. 

The second phase of the study, again funded by MCSC, is now underway (see  below concept note). It is focusing on the science of energy provision in villages in developing countries (science being defined broadly to include the natural, social and engineering sciences), and will be undertaken collaboratively with key stakeholders to ensure that the initiative is firmly rooted in addressing real-world issues, and achieves effective uptake and impact. The prime objective will be to inform EU policy making, in particular of DG Development and Cooperation (which has identified sustainable energy provision in developing countries as one of its key focal areas) and of DG Climate Action. The study will be undertaken collaboratively with relevant national academies, and networks of academies, in India/Asia and Africa. Through them, the study will inform national and regional policy makers.

<link fileadmin pdf_s reports_statements report_220113_pdf.pdf download file>Scoping study report

<link fileadmin pdf_s reports_statements smart_villages_concept_note_230113.pdf download file>Concept Note