Senegal, Republic of: Lighting Energy Efficiency in Rural Electrification
(Community Development Carbon Fund)
UNFCCC Reference No.:
The Senegalese Efficient Lighting in Rural Areas Program will distribute about 1.5 million Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL) in newly electrified rural communities across twelve geographically distinct concessions in Senegal. The utilization of CFLs instead of Incandescent Light Bulbs (ILBs) reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with the combustion of fossil fuel at grid connected power plants. The CFL program is undertaken in connection with a nation-wide rural electrification plan that aims to increase electricity access in Senegal’s rural areas from 16% to 50% by 2012. It will provide affordable access to power for Senegal’s rural communities—the equivalent of about 365,000 rural households within five years. The CFL program is expected to generate about 40,000 tCO2e per year and the CDCF will purchase a total 120,000 ERs from the program.
In Senegal, more than 50% of the 12 million inhabitants live in rural areas. It is estimated that less than 9% of the villages in Senegal are electrified, and in these villages less than 30 % of the population have access to electricity. For their basic energy needs (such as cooking, lighting, and primary transformation of crops), these populations depend on fuel-wood for cooking, kerosene lamps and some small batteries for lighting. Traditional fuels are of poor quality, and kerosene and batteries are expensive financially, damage people’s health and have a negative impact on the local and global environment.
The project has intrinsic community benefits. Aside from giving rural communities access to efficient lighting, the CFL installation is expected to bring down costs for consumers and also optimize energy demand during peak load. The nation-wide rural electrification plan will result in a significant improvement in the living conditions of local communities through the reduction of indoor pollution and improved health conditions in households; increased safety by reducing the incidence of theft and night aggressions; and reduced pressure on the use of fire wood for lightning.
Time Frame: 2009-2013
The Senegalese Rural Electrification Agency (ASER), an autonomous public entity, implements the national rural electrification plan and will also act as the coordinating and managing entity of this CDM Program of Activities (PoA). Data collected at the concessional level will be transmitted to ASER every six months.