Reclaiming Spaces of Energy Consumption through Rethinking Approaches to Rural Electrification in India

Abstract

The perception engages with the central theme of triggering an energy system change for providing energy access at the last mile. An energy system change is about managing a transition in terms of production of energy and its consumption. In order to do that, there is an imperative to conceptualize electricity provisioning and the associated politics in the field of socio-technical and sustainable transitions. The policy process needs to understand that rural energy ecosystems are plural and heterogeneous, based on specific renewable energy resource endowment, local resource base, as well as consumption patterns. As regards approaches to address needs for power for all in terms of energy access, a lot remains to be done beginning from assessment of local resource potential for localized, embedded, on-site generation of electricity. This calls for an ideological transformation to creation of a league of prosumers (producers who are consumers as well).