Contribute to energy access and encourage social and economic development

Energy access is a primer for any type economic development. Nowhere is energy access a greater challenge than in areas and regions where the population lives in poverty. As illustrated in this publication, bioenergy can deliver considerable positive social impacts to these communities.

Small-scale bioenergy applications, such as

generators fuelled by biofuels, can power many technologies which increase productivity and output, including water pumps to irrigate crops. Alternative fuel stoves are another technology which can be integrated easily to decrease the use of wood fuels for cooking, and replace low-quality energy sources with modern biofuels such as ethanol.

Figure 4.7 Small-scale bioenergy applications: impacts on livelihood 47