Rural renewable energy

A Sudan Renewable Energy Center (SREC) will be established at Soba to conduct rural RET studies, field test and install RET"s, assess and train manpower, establish a RET information center, and support multi-sectoral involvement in RET. Initially, the SREC will help the University of Khartoum conduct 5 regional rural energy use studies; determine the real costs of traditional energy (wood) collection and use practices; and prepare the way for new cost-saving technologies. During the life of the project, six RET"s with direct impact on rural Sudanese will be developed, field tested, and disseminated, with emphais on increasing the efficiency of wood burning stoves and water-lifting technologies. After the first year, a comprehensive study will determine the project"s manpower needs, with stress on the costs and technical requirements for different staff levels and different protyotype RET"s. Long-term, third-country, and short-term training, including observational training for staff of national RET centers, will be provided. An Economic, Social and Environmental Division (ESED) will be created to analyze the social and economic feasiblity of the RET"s being developed and to prepare for GOS annual reports. Targets are to establish 1,000 RET units affecting 7,000 persons, and train 50 businessmen or craftsmen to make RET"s. Involvement of the private sector, PVO"s, and other GOS agencies will be promoted by grants to field test and disseminate RET"s, training at SREC and in the field, and an information exchange effort. Finally, the SREC will evaluate mechanisms to disseminate RET"s, establish a library to acquire RET research materials and channel them to 500 users annually, and develop written and audiovisual training materials. According to Implementation Reports in the Africa Bureau data base, revisions were made in the project"s life (to 1982-87: PD-BBA-923) and purpose (to help the GOS develop applied research and dissemination capability in RET, with verification through extension services: PD-BAZ-603). Amendment of 3/25/87 extends project from 4/87 to 9/89 and renames it the Sudan Renewable Energy Project. The project will continue support in 3 successful areas: (1) fuelwood production (help to large private farms in the irrigated and rainfed sectors); (2) charcoal stoves (reducing production costs for all-metal stoves, quality control and ceramic production, and commercialization); and (3) charcoal production (converting wood cleared from mechanized schemes and developing briquetting systems). In a new project area, a variety of water pumping systems will be tested. (PD-BBG-785) Update on renewable energy activities: The original focus on rural energy was modified to include urban use in view of the overwhelming importance of charcoal consumption in urban areas. Accordingly, the word "rural" was dropped from the project title. (PD-BAU-878)