.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
%201.svg){kind=icon}
%201.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg)
.svg)
Johannes Urpelainen
Johannes Urpelainen is the Director and Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Professor of Energy, Resources and Environment at Johns Hopkins SAIS and the Founding Director of the Initiative for Sustainable Energy Policy (ISEP). He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Michigan in 2009 and spent the next eight years at Columbia University. Johannes is the award-winning author of four books and over a hundred refereed articles on environmental politics, energy policy, and global governance. He teaches action-oriented classes on energy and environmental policy to equip the next generation of global leaders with deep knowledge, advanced analytical skills – and a passion for transformational social change. As one of the world’s top energy policy experts, Johannes frequently advises governments, international organisations, and the private sector on energy and environment. As the Founding Director of ISEP, Johannes is responsible for the vision, strategy, and general management of the initiative. His work under ISEP offers pragmatic but effective approaches to providing the world’s population with affordable and abundant energy at minimal environmental impact. In his spare time, Johannes reads biographies and tries to improve his Hindi.
.svg)
Does service quality predict households’ willingness to pay for electricity connections in rural India?
While rural electrification has been a high priority for governments in the developing world, the factors that make individual households more likely to pay for electricity have received insufficient attention. Using data on rural households from six Indian states, this article finds that service quality has a substantial impact on willingness to pay for connections, which is critical for improving access.
Rural electrification in India: Focus on service quality
India has set an ambitious goal of achieving high-quality electricity supply for all households by 2019, and impressive progress has been made in increasing the number of household electricity connections. However, this column finds that the quality of electricity service to rural households is dismal and this is considered to be a major problem by rural households. There is a need for rationalising rural electricity tariffs to ensure cost recovery in exchange of improved service quality.
India's power sector reforms: Who reaped the benefits?
The cornerstone of India´s power sector reforms is the 2003 National Electricity Act that limited state intervention in the power sector. This column analyses the effects of the Act on Indian manufacturing firms. It finds that political clout of firms played a key role in the distribution of gains from the reforms in terms of improved electricity supply.
Is there public support for higher electricity prices in India?
Even though India´s power sector does not generate enough electricity to meet the rapidly growing demand, policymakers hesitate to increase tariffs due to popular opposition. This column discusses results from a survey experiment in rural Uttar Pradesh that shows that providing people with information about the relationship between low electricity tariffs and inadequate generation has a significantly positive effect on public support for higher prices. However, privatisation is unpopular, as people have a strong preference for state control of the power sector.
क्या सेवा की गुणवत्ता से ग्रामीण भारत में बिजली के कनेक्शन के लिए परिवारों की भुगतान करने की इच्छा का अनुमान लग सकता है?
जहां ग्रामीण विद्युतीकरण विकासशील जगत में सरकारों की उच्च प्राथमिकता रही है, वहीं जिन कारणों से परिवारों द्वारा बिजली के लिए भुगतान करने की अधिक संभावना होती है, उन पर अपर्याप्त ध्यान दिया गया है। ग्रामीण परिवारों पर भारत के छः राज्यों के आंकड़ों का उपयोग करके इस आलेख में पाया गया है कि कनेक्शन के लिए भुगतान करने की इच्छा पर सर्विसकीगुणवत्ताका काफी असर पड़ता है, जो उपलब्धता में सुधार करने के लिए बहुत जरूरी है।
Access to energy in rural India: A survey of six states
While access to energy is crucial for socioeconomic development, statistically representative surveys on the issue are missing in India. Based on a survey on energy access in six energy-poor states in north India, this column finds that although domestic electricity connections in rural areas have increased rapidly, quality of supply remains poor. In terms of clean cooking fuels, people strongly prefer LPG but poor availability and high upfront costs of connections limit access.
Energy access for marginalised communities: Evidence from rural India
While overall energy access of Indian households has improved rapidly over the past decade, access to clean fuel is still low as compared to electricity. Besides, social structures and hierarchies continue to substantially influence rural development processes in the country. Using data from a household panel survey conducted in six Indian states during 2015-2018, this article analyses inequities in access to clean fuel and electricity among scheduled castes/tribes.
The Benefits of Solar Technology Adoption for Street Vendors in Bihar
This project evaluates the socio-economic impact of distributing solar lighting to street vendors in urban Bihar, in collaboration with a local civil society organization (NIDAN). The findings of the project showed that vendors are forced to choose between inadequate lighting and expensive power from diesel generators operated by local entrepreneurs. Vendors consider improved lighting a top priority and believe that improved lighting could expand their business and attract customers.
Rural Electrification with Off-Grid Community Microgrids: An Impact Evaluation in Uttar Pradesh, India
This project assesses the socioeconomic effects of solar microgrids. The lack of access to electricity is a major obstacle to the socioeconomic development of more than a billion people.
Off-grid solar power and the future of rural electrification in India
Off-grid solar power is a potential alternative to grid extension in rural electrification. This column reports results from a recent experiment with an off-grid lighting intervention in Uttar Pradesh. While little evidence of broader socioeconomic changes was found, the study suggests that kerosene subsidies likely hold back the expansion of off-grid solar markets, and that there are many ways in which benefits of off-grid solar power can be enhanced.
Can solar micro-grids deliver basic electricity access in Indian villages?
About one-third of India´s population remains without access to basic electricity services. This column discusses preliminary lessons from an experiment in rural Uttar Pradesh that seeks to set up solar micro-grids in unelectrified habitations. It finds that while the cost of solar power is a potential obstacle to its adoption, the technology does generate substantial benefits in the form of improved lighting and reduced kerosene expenditures.
Solar power for street vendors? Lessons from an experiment in Bihar
Rapid urbanisation in developing countries is aggravating the issue of insufficient access to energy for basic needs such as lighting. This column discusses lessons from an experiment in Bihar wherein street vendors were provided solar-powered lights, the batteries of which were charged at centralised stations installed in urban marketplaces. Based on problems encountered in terms of the mode and cost of operation, it suggests that the provision of electric grid connections, with stand-alone solar lights as backup, may be a better approach.
The Clean Development Mechanism in India – is it working?
The Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol allows developing countries to profit from climate friendly projects, and India is second only to China in using the mechanism to help reduce its carbon emissions. But, unlike China, India does not have a national policy. This column argues that as a result the profits are not going to the states that need them most.