**1. Introduction**

146 Modeling and Optimization of Renewable Energy Systems

Zeng, H. Y.; Diao, N. R. & Fang, Z. H. (2003). Heat transfer analysis of boreholes in vertical

(23): pp. 4467-4481.

ground heat exchangers, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2003, 46

Early in the 21st century, an estimated one and half billion people lacked access to electricity and three billion people, almost half of the world population, still rely on solid fuels and traditional biomass to meet their cooking needs (WHO, 2009). The important role of energy systems in the design of a sustainable development model has been recognized worldwide (Modi et al, 2006). It is estimated that, to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), among other goals, it is necessary "To provide access to modern energy services (in the form of mechanical power and electricity) to all rural communities".

Electricity effectively contributes to improve living conditions of people (Chaureya et al, 2004) through services such as night lighting (domestic and public), access to information and communications, drinking water and sanitation, medical assistance and education, and creates opportunities to generate incomes and jobs. Likewise, electricity can contribute efficiently to social empowerment, promoting equity and empowerment of women.

Nowadays, technologies that use renewable sources are considered appropriate for energy supply in isolated rural communities with autonomous systems (Chaureya et al, 2004). However, there are barriers that difficult this process, related to the social, technological, economical, financial, institutional or political context. Although in the countries of the Andean Community of Nations, some institutional and political barriers are starting to be overcome, lack of capacity and high investment costs remain major barriers (Figure 1), which slow down the rural energy development in the region.

In the Andean region, technical teams, municipalities and regional governmental authorities, community leaders and base organizations often have limited knowledge about the potential of renewable sources. Thus, despite belonging to organizations that should promote the development of poorest populations, they do not exploit the benefits of their potential for the implementation of energy systems and the increase of beneficiaries' quality of life. Due to this lack of knowledge and sometimes lack of confidence in renewable energy

Promoting and Improving Renewable Energy Projects Through Local Capacity Development 149

the framework of access to energy and use of renewable sources, and to create a knowledge and research network in the Andean zone. One of the most noteworthy innovative aspects of CEDECAP is the creation of new spaces to canalize and share knowledge and create new synergies between different actors of public or private development. The objective goes beyond the simple approach of the punctual impartation of training lessons or technical demonstrations; the purpose is to insert capacity development and networking in the infrastructure and service policies in order to assure the sustainability, improve the projects' impact and promote the role of renewable

The CEDECAP began as a support center for training and design of electrification projects that their promoters, mainly Practical Action, were carrying out in the rural areas. However, the center's scope has been expanding and now has the following action lines: capacity development, research, dissemination and incidence, always maintaining its initial support to the implementation of projects. The following sections present each of these lines. Section 2 presents the overall project, the center, and its installations. Section 3 explains how CEDECAP supports the implementation of the projects. The capacity development and the training offer are summarized in the section 4. Section 5 introduces the main research activities developed in CEDECAP and section 6 presents the CEDECAP's role as information and advocacy node. Section 7 explains how the developed planning methodologies include the four working activities presented in previous sections, and

Initially, Practical Action – ITDG boosted the construction of a training center, promoted through its programs operating in Cajamarca, as part of its institutional proposal of development of local and regional capacities and promotion of renewable energies as an alternative for rural development. After several years of preliminary activities, in 1998, the CEDECAP (Demonstration and Training Centre in Appropriate Technologies) was officially opened, with the main objective of promoting activities aimed at the training human resources and the strengthening of capacities in the field of renewable energy, with

Since 2005, through a partnership between the Catalan Association of Engineering Without Borders (ESF) from Spain and Practical Action – ITDG from Peru, a more sustained work was promoted to achieve the consolidation of CEDECAP as a reference in the field of capacity development. The project CEDECAP was part of the Andean Program of Rural Electrification developed by ESF in countries such as Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. The main purpose of the program was to improve the quality of life of the Andean population, through the universal access to energy in the area, especially through renewable sources. The specific objective was to develop technical and management capacities, and offer proposals for training, creating a network of knowledge and research in the Andean region (mainly Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia) in the context of access to energy and use of renewable sources, under the approach of technology for human development (Fernández-Baldor et al, 2009). Now, Peruvian (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Peru – PUCP) and Spanish (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – UPC) universities participate in the advisory body of

the center to give support in the definition of courses and in the strategy.

energies (RE) in rural areas.

finally section 8 is devoted to conclusions.

**2. The project CEDECAP** 

preponderance on mini-hydraulics.

technologies, these organizations usually do not consider renewable sources within their energy options portfolio. On the contrary, they focus on grid extension and the implementation of diesel generators that in most cases increase the indebtedness of countries and communities, and mortgage their development options. In addition, many rural electrification projects implemented with renewable sources in recent decades have collapsed or are in a precarious state, mainly because of lack of proper and complete training of beneficiaries (Vilar et al, 2006), both in operation, maintenance and management models, poor (or nonexistent) identification of their needs, and low (or no) community involvement throughout the process.

Fig. 1. Barriers that slow down rural energy development

The key factors for sustainability success and reduction of initial and maintenance costs of isolated energy systems (Figure 1) are: community participation, strengthening of community organization, training in management methods and, if possible, training of local manufacturers for the production of equipment and components (PNUD, 2005b). Consequently, capacity development of local and regional leaders, planners as well as technicians training, is an increasingly pressing need.

In this context, Practical Action (Peru), Engineering Without Borders-ISF (Spain), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Spain) and Green Empowerment (USA) developed the project CEDECAP (Demonstration and Training Centre in Appropriate Technologies). Its specific aim is to develop technical and management capacities and offer training in the framework of access to energy and use of renewable sources, and to create a knowledge and research network in the Andean zone. One of the most noteworthy innovative aspects of CEDECAP is the creation of new spaces to canalize and share knowledge and create new synergies between different actors of public or private development. The objective goes beyond the simple approach of the punctual impartation of training lessons or technical demonstrations; the purpose is to insert capacity development and networking in the infrastructure and service policies in order to assure the sustainability, improve the projects' impact and promote the role of renewable energies (RE) in rural areas.

The CEDECAP began as a support center for training and design of electrification projects that their promoters, mainly Practical Action, were carrying out in the rural areas. However, the center's scope has been expanding and now has the following action lines: capacity development, research, dissemination and incidence, always maintaining its initial support to the implementation of projects. The following sections present each of these lines. Section 2 presents the overall project, the center, and its installations. Section 3 explains how CEDECAP supports the implementation of the projects. The capacity development and the training offer are summarized in the section 4. Section 5 introduces the main research activities developed in CEDECAP and section 6 presents the CEDECAP's role as information and advocacy node. Section 7 explains how the developed planning methodologies include the four working activities presented in previous sections, and finally section 8 is devoted to conclusions.
