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Renewable energy technologies: Their applications in developing countries
Agricultural Systems 25 (1987) 325-329
Book Reviews
Kristofferson, L. A. & Bokalders, V. Renewable Energy Technologies: Their Applications in Developing Countries. Pergamon, Potts Point, Australia. 1986. 319pp. Price: AS $140. Also available from Pergamon, Oxford. This is a truly comprehensive overview of available renewable energy technologies, its presentation successfully pitched at the level of the interested layperson and well enough referenced to allow pursuit of greater detail. It deals in sufficient detail with the technology and economics of: bioenergy (tree crops, crop residues and animal power), biomass engines and fuels (solid, liquid and gas fuelled), solar energy (water heating and distillation, photovoltaics, driers and cookers, and building design), hydro and wind power, and water pumping. The hundreds of illustrative sketches of farm layouts, cutaway drawings of equipment and graphs of machine performance and costs, etc., add to its overall clarity and practical value. Each chapter opens with a succinct introduction, followed by an overview of the history, the advantages offered, and some of the problems (social and economic) of introducing a particular technology. Moreover, in many instances (e.g. cooking stoves) the text draws attention to some of the more subtle advantages of new technology (e.g. reducing health problems associated with traditional 'three stone' stoves). Likewise, each chapter concludes with a sober assessment of the likely gains and problems to be faced, often re-emphasising the importance of tailoring even apparently simple innovations to social and institutional realities. Sensibly, the book opens with a thorough overview of the most common energy sources in the Third World: trees and crops; as many of the technologies reviewed in the earlier sections (from cooking stoves to Stirling 325
Agricultural Systems (25) (1987)--© Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Ltd, England, 1987. Printed in Great Britain
326
Book reviews
engines) derive their energy, directly or indirectly, from biomass. The chapters in the first section have most direct relevance to rural and agricultural development in the Third World. They offer practical and accessible discussions of known and improved techniques for developing and applying agroforestry, peat, crop residues, charcoal and biogas. Section II (Biomass Engines and Fuels) has more relevance for industrial applications and thus has a bias, generally, towards urban rather than rural situations. Of the seven chapters on Solar Energy only three of the technologies reviewed (Water Heaters, Photovoltaics and Driers) come close to addressing fundamental rural problems. The irony is, as the authors recognise, that the capital costs of each of these three technologies are sufficiently great to place them beyond the reach of any but well-organised communities or the rich. However, readily available solar hot water would be a major advantage to any community health centre; likewise, solar electricity has applications in health, education and general communications; and solar driers, if used on a communal basis, could augment incomes by speeding processing of high-value cash crops. Overall the authors conclude that due to capital costs, complicated or sophisticated equipment, impracticality and/or lack of awareness of potential benefits, virtually n o n e of the range of solar technologies assessed is likely to make a substantial contribution to meeting Third World energy needs. In fact, one gains the distinct impression that this section of the book has much greater relevance for 'do-it-yourself', alternative energy applications in developed nations! Section III (Hydro, Wind and Water Power) reviews a range of related technologies capable of generating substantial amounts of electricity, shaft (mechanical) power and pumping water. Small-scale hydro power, in particular, is well covered. The authors emphasise the potential it offers for powering local industries and expanding employment, and its minimal environmental impact---contrasting it with the expense, limited local opportunities and environmental impact of fossil fuel or large-scale hydro sources. The final three chapters on methods of water pumping, like some in Section I, directly address vital rural needs: provision of safe drinking water and agricultural irrigation. Probably more so than any other chapter, the analysis in Chapter 25 of the relative costs of pumping water using different technologies (based on a U N D P study), places the alternatives and constraints of achieving important goals in perspective. I have, however, several pointed criticisms of this book, the first being its high price: AS 140 for 319 pages, 44 cents/page! Well presented, hardbound and expensive, this book is obviously aimed at wealthier individuals and institutions in developed countries--which is ironical, given its aim of
Book reviews
327
providing information about about energy technologies for the Third World--its price placing it far beyond the reach of almost all Third World libraries or practitioners, those most in need of the useful information it brings together. I would suggest that the authors and publishers consider: (a) republishing the book in a smaller, cheaper, softcover format; and/or (b) abstracting chapters especially relevant to particularly rural energy problems (i.e. those on wood and crop energy, cooking technologies, biogas and water) and publishing them in a very cheap f o r m a t - - b o t h suggestions are aimed at increasing its chances of actually being accessible in the Third World. My second criticism has two themes. The first of these is the relatively small amount of attention directed to the domestic and agricultural technologies in which rural women literally carry the bulk of the burden: wood and water. Fortunately, on both these matters this general shortcoming is somewhat balanced by the more practical and rural-oriented nature of the discussion. The minor theme of my second criticism concerns the general bias of the book. Of the 27 chapters only half can be considered directly relevant to the domestic and agricultural problems of rural life in the Third World, where the majority of the people live and work. The remainder of the chapters provide information useful for the development of renewable, but 'high-tech', energy sources for, mainly, medium-scale, only semi-rural applications and industries. Thirdly, while this book is, generally, devoted to technical issues, only passing attention is devoted to the question of 'who benefits'? This is despite repeated attention drawn to '...whether some specific technological improvement makes sense in social and economic terms in a specific situation' (p. ix), from the introduction onwards. One does not have to look deeply into the literature on the distribution of benefits from 'social forestry' in India and Nepal or the extension of irrigation and water supplies in Pakistan or the Philippines, for example, to discover that the bulk of the benefits are being 'captured' by those already relatively well off. These kinds of outcome make it apparent that 'technical-fixes', however well intentioned, planned and implemented, all too often fail to provide real benefits for the millions of people at the 'bottom' of the social order. In summary, this book provides a wealth of well-organised information on renewable energy technologies, albeit in a very expensive package. While I have no major reservations in recommending it as a useful reference book for institutions involved in promoting Third World development, one can only hope that those who apply the ideas it contains, or use them as a basis for analysis, are fully aware that the 'solutions' for poverty are, at root, sociopolitical and only secondarily technical.
Sean Foley
Book Reviews
Kristofferson, L. A. & Bokalders, V. Renewable Energy Technologies: Their Applications in Developing Countries. Pergamon, Potts Point, Australia. 1986. 319pp. Price: AS $140. Also available from Pergamon, Oxford. This is a truly comprehensive overview of available renewable energy technologies, its presentation successfully pitched at the level of the interested layperson and well enough referenced to allow pursuit of greater detail. It deals in sufficient detail with the technology and economics of: bioenergy (tree crops, crop residues and animal power), biomass engines and fuels (solid, liquid and gas fuelled), solar energy (water heating and distillation, photovoltaics, driers and cookers, and building design), hydro and wind power, and water pumping. The hundreds of illustrative sketches of farm layouts, cutaway drawings of equipment and graphs of machine performance and costs, etc., add to its overall clarity and practical value. Each chapter opens with a succinct introduction, followed by an overview of the history, the advantages offered, and some of the problems (social and economic) of introducing a particular technology. Moreover, in many instances (e.g. cooking stoves) the text draws attention to some of the more subtle advantages of new technology (e.g. reducing health problems associated with traditional 'three stone' stoves). Likewise, each chapter concludes with a sober assessment of the likely gains and problems to be faced, often re-emphasising the importance of tailoring even apparently simple innovations to social and institutional realities. Sensibly, the book opens with a thorough overview of the most common energy sources in the Third World: trees and crops; as many of the technologies reviewed in the earlier sections (from cooking stoves to Stirling 325
Agricultural Systems (25) (1987)--© Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Ltd, England, 1987. Printed in Great Britain
326
Book reviews
engines) derive their energy, directly or indirectly, from biomass. The chapters in the first section have most direct relevance to rural and agricultural development in the Third World. They offer practical and accessible discussions of known and improved techniques for developing and applying agroforestry, peat, crop residues, charcoal and biogas. Section II (Biomass Engines and Fuels) has more relevance for industrial applications and thus has a bias, generally, towards urban rather than rural situations. Of the seven chapters on Solar Energy only three of the technologies reviewed (Water Heaters, Photovoltaics and Driers) come close to addressing fundamental rural problems. The irony is, as the authors recognise, that the capital costs of each of these three technologies are sufficiently great to place them beyond the reach of any but well-organised communities or the rich. However, readily available solar hot water would be a major advantage to any community health centre; likewise, solar electricity has applications in health, education and general communications; and solar driers, if used on a communal basis, could augment incomes by speeding processing of high-value cash crops. Overall the authors conclude that due to capital costs, complicated or sophisticated equipment, impracticality and/or lack of awareness of potential benefits, virtually n o n e of the range of solar technologies assessed is likely to make a substantial contribution to meeting Third World energy needs. In fact, one gains the distinct impression that this section of the book has much greater relevance for 'do-it-yourself', alternative energy applications in developed nations! Section III (Hydro, Wind and Water Power) reviews a range of related technologies capable of generating substantial amounts of electricity, shaft (mechanical) power and pumping water. Small-scale hydro power, in particular, is well covered. The authors emphasise the potential it offers for powering local industries and expanding employment, and its minimal environmental impact---contrasting it with the expense, limited local opportunities and environmental impact of fossil fuel or large-scale hydro sources. The final three chapters on methods of water pumping, like some in Section I, directly address vital rural needs: provision of safe drinking water and agricultural irrigation. Probably more so than any other chapter, the analysis in Chapter 25 of the relative costs of pumping water using different technologies (based on a U N D P study), places the alternatives and constraints of achieving important goals in perspective. I have, however, several pointed criticisms of this book, the first being its high price: AS 140 for 319 pages, 44 cents/page! Well presented, hardbound and expensive, this book is obviously aimed at wealthier individuals and institutions in developed countries--which is ironical, given its aim of
Book reviews
327
providing information about about energy technologies for the Third World--its price placing it far beyond the reach of almost all Third World libraries or practitioners, those most in need of the useful information it brings together. I would suggest that the authors and publishers consider: (a) republishing the book in a smaller, cheaper, softcover format; and/or (b) abstracting chapters especially relevant to particularly rural energy problems (i.e. those on wood and crop energy, cooking technologies, biogas and water) and publishing them in a very cheap f o r m a t - - b o t h suggestions are aimed at increasing its chances of actually being accessible in the Third World. My second criticism has two themes. The first of these is the relatively small amount of attention directed to the domestic and agricultural technologies in which rural women literally carry the bulk of the burden: wood and water. Fortunately, on both these matters this general shortcoming is somewhat balanced by the more practical and rural-oriented nature of the discussion. The minor theme of my second criticism concerns the general bias of the book. Of the 27 chapters only half can be considered directly relevant to the domestic and agricultural problems of rural life in the Third World, where the majority of the people live and work. The remainder of the chapters provide information useful for the development of renewable, but 'high-tech', energy sources for, mainly, medium-scale, only semi-rural applications and industries. Thirdly, while this book is, generally, devoted to technical issues, only passing attention is devoted to the question of 'who benefits'? This is despite repeated attention drawn to '...whether some specific technological improvement makes sense in social and economic terms in a specific situation' (p. ix), from the introduction onwards. One does not have to look deeply into the literature on the distribution of benefits from 'social forestry' in India and Nepal or the extension of irrigation and water supplies in Pakistan or the Philippines, for example, to discover that the bulk of the benefits are being 'captured' by those already relatively well off. These kinds of outcome make it apparent that 'technical-fixes', however well intentioned, planned and implemented, all too often fail to provide real benefits for the millions of people at the 'bottom' of the social order. In summary, this book provides a wealth of well-organised information on renewable energy technologies, albeit in a very expensive package. While I have no major reservations in recommending it as a useful reference book for institutions involved in promoting Third World development, one can only hope that those who apply the ideas it contains, or use them as a basis for analysis, are fully aware that the 'solutions' for poverty are, at root, sociopolitical and only secondarily technical.
Sean Foley