Address: ECS, KTH, Brinellvägen 68, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
Web page: http://www.ecs.kth.se
Contact person: Professor Semida Silveira, Head of division, phone: +46 (0)8 790 74 69
ECS has an interdisciplinary character with a strong systems approach, linking issues related to energy technology and policy, climate change and sustainable development. At present, ECS works with four defined research areas: bioenergy systems, rural electrification, energy efficiency and energy and climate policy. The work at ECS reflects KTH’s efforts to enhance multidisciplinary research fields and enhance the value of engineering and technical energy research.
Research connected to South Asia:
Professor Semida Silveira is Professor in Energy Systems Planning. Her research work is focused on the global dimensions of energy systems change, and meeting global challenges such as climate change and development. Present focus of her research is on energy systems planning and policy, bioenergy, electrification and development.
Since December 2007, PhD Candidate Brijesh Mainali has worked on a project entitled ”Renewable Energy for Rural Electrification in Developing Countries”. Brijesh Mainali had a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Energy Engineering from KTH in 2003, after completing his Bachelor’s degree on Electrical Engineering at South Gujarat University in Surat, India. He has experience in field of Rural Electrification for about 12 years. He had worked with DANIDA (Danish International Development Agency) and NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation) funded Energy Sector Assistance Programme (ESAP) for 5 years, and also worked with private sector and NGO as Energy Consultant for about 7 years. He was also editor of a national energy related quarterly magazine and has published various energy related articles.
On Friday 7 March 2014, Brijesh Mainali defended his doctoral dissertation entitled “Sustainability of rural energy access in developing countries”. It focuses on renewable energy solutions in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. To understand the impact of policies in the formation of renewable energy based rural electrification market, a case study was conducted in Nepal. The study has shown that rural electrification has been expanding as a consequence of market-oriented policies. When it comes to selection of electrification pathways, different technological alternatives are analysed in Afghanistan and Nepal. The analysis has presented best-fit conditions for these various technological pathways in the two countries and verified whether they are following the appropriate and cost effective course in their efforts to expand rural electrification. Professor Semida Silveira has been his principal supervisor at the department. The opponent is Professor Benjamin K. Sovacool, Business and Social Sciences at Aarhus University, Director of Danish Center for Energy Technology. Venue: Room F3, Lindstedtsvägen 26, KTH Stockholm. Read the abstract.
In October 2011, Prof. Silveira received SEK 2.7 million as a three-years grant (2012-14) from Sida’s Developing Country Research Council (U-landsforskningsrådet), for a project entitled ”Biogas based poly-generation for rural development in Bangladesh”. More information about the Sida grants 2011.
The project will be carried out by her and Brijesh Mainali, and with Grameen Shakti, a local non-profit organization working on rural energy projects as cooperation partner in Bangladesh.
Abstact: Access to clean energy and services such as lighting, clean water, pumping water and irrigation are genuine needs of the rural poor. The solution to these problems needs to be affordable and environmentally friendly. Such solutions have to fit local conditions and the services provided shall help alleviate poverty and stimulate economic activities, addressing the climate and sustainable development agenda. In this context, the project will look at the feasibility of small-scale, renewable poly-generation as a solution. The proposed poly-generation will use agriculture waste/animal dung as input and produce multiple services as output viz. electricity, clean water and cooking gas. Input and output in the system are based on the combination of local resources and the immediate needs of rural communities.
KTH seminar on Energy Solutions for Sustainable Development
The Division of Energy and Climate Studies (ECS) along with the division of Heat and Power (EKV) at KTH is organizing a seminar entitled “Energy solutions for sustainable development” on 2nd June 2014, 13.00–16.00. This seminar discusses mainly the results of the feasibility study of a small-scale, biogas based poly-generation scheme for providing access to clean energy in the form of cooking fuel and electricity, as well as arsenic-free drinking water. This research has been done at KTH along with local partners Grameen Shakti and Swedish local partner SCARAB and funded by SIDA. The local partners will share its experiences in disseminating new technologies and promoting energy access in Bangladesh.
The seminar will be chaired by Prof Semida Silveira. Participants from Bangladesh Embassy, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Swedish Environment Institute (SEI), Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Swedish Energy Agency (SEA), KTH (project team and researchers), Grameen Shakti- Bangladesh, SCARAB Development AB, Swedish biogas companies, and researchers from various universities have been invited in this seminar. Please confirm your participation before 25th May 2014, by sending a confirmation email to the project coordinator Dr. Brijesh Mainali. Venue: Learning Theatre, KTH, Brinellvägen 68. See the detailed programme.