Evaluating and comparing three community small-scale wind electrification projects Laia Ferrer-Martı ´ a,n , Anna Garwood b , Jose ´ Chiroque d , Benito Ramirez d , Oliver Marcelo c , Marianna Garfı ´ a , Enrique Velo a a Research Group on Cooperation and Human Development, Universitat Polit  ecnica de Catalunya- Barcelona Tech, Spain b Green Empowerment, USA c Practical Action, Peru d Engineering Without Borders, Spain article info Article history: Received 7 September 2011 Received in revised form 2 April 2012 Accepted 6 April 2012 Available online 6 July 2012 Keywords: Isolated rural electrification Microwind systems Developing countries Peru abstract Electrification systems based on renewable energy have proven suitable for providing electricity autonomously to rural communities. Among the technical options available, wind systems are increasingly getting attention. In the northern mountains of Peru, at 3800 m.a.s.l., three community wind electrification projects have been implemented. The technical solutions used in each project are different: wind vs. hybrid photovoltaic-wind systems; individual equipment vs. microgrids. This study aims to describe, evaluate and compare these three small-scale community wind electrification projects. The evaluation of the three projects was carried out by comparing previous and present scenario; attention has been focused on project design and technical aspects, socio-economic impacts and sustainability and management model. These three examples shed light on both the advantages and disadvantages of different technological options as well as on appropriate community-level management models. & 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 5380 2. Description and socioeconomic context of the communities ............................................................... 5381 2.1. Area and population......................................................................................... 5381 2.2. Economy .................................................................................................. 5381 2.3. Energy sources ............................................................................................. 5381 2.4. Community organization and leadership ........................................................................ 5382 3. Project design.................................................................................................... 5382 3.1. Wind resource assessment ................................................................................... 5382 3.2. Wind turbines ............................................................................................. 5383 3.3. Technical description of the projects............................................................................ 5383 3.3.1. El Alumbre ........................................................................................ 5383 3.3.2. Campo Alegre ...................................................................................... 5383 3.3.3. Alto Peru.......................................................................................... 5383 3.4. Installation ................................................................................................ 5383 4. Management model ............................................................................................... 5383 4.1. Micro-enterprise............................................................................................ 5384 4.2. Tariff and reserve fund ...................................................................................... 5384 4.3. Municipality ............................................................................................... 5384 4.4. Users committee and community participation ................................................................... 5384 5. Methodology for projects evaluation ................................................................................. 5384 5.1. Project design and technical aspects ............................................................................ 5386 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/rser Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 1364-0321/$ - see front matter & 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2012.04.015 n Corresponding author. Tel.: þ34 934016579; fax: þ94 4015813. E-mail address: laia.ferrer@upc.edu (L. Ferrer-Martı ´). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16 (2012) 5379–5390