Provision of modern energy services is a key element in enhancing life in rural communities. At present such services are rarely available, but where they are there is often a need to purchase of equipment. The result is that the poor tend to be excluded because the initial cost can be too high to the final user and too small for efficient onlending of development funds and the markets may be too small to support the required physical and institutional infrastructure.

The DFID-funded project, Facilitating the Establishment of Rural ESCOs (R7664), aims to derive a framework to help establish successful rural energy service companies (RESCOs), where these are appropriate. This will be achieved by reviewing a number of different models around the world and building on the analysis to producing a "decision tree" which will guide users through the process of establishing a RESCO. This decision tree will be aimed at those who wish to initiate a RESCO, but will also be of use to other actors in the energy provision field, including financiers, development agents, government departments and private companies.

Determining community energy needs