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This paper investigates the sustainability of off-grid renewable energy systems (RES) installed in rural communities. Through a solar home system (SHS) case project in Alumar Island, Philippines, the performance of users to sustain their systems was assessed using a novel approach proposed by the authors: the capacity and willingness approach. This approach was an adaptation to advancements in human development theory—the paradigm shift from the traditional resources approach to the capabilities approach, as proposed by A. Sen. The actual financial and technical performances of users were predicted using ordered logit regression analysis. It was found that financial capacity attributes, e.g., income and expenses, were prominent in explaining financial performance; know-how-related attributes, e.g., education, were prominent in explaining technical performance; and willingness-related attributes, i.e., willingness to pay, explained both financial and technical performance. The findings aim to provide developers and communities with better strategies for beneficiary scoping, technology selection, and capacity development.

Renewable energy systems (RES), especially solar PV, are being diffused to rural communities to improve energy access. The sustainability of these systems is, however, becoming increasingly relevant. In this paper, the issues of appropriate match between technology and users capacities were addressed using a holistic multi-tiered approach in energy provision using solar PV systems. A multi-tiered approach pertains to the use of different types of systems that cater appropriately to the different types of users with varying levels of available resources, capacities, and willingness to sustain a system. The recommendations were based on actual solar PV cases from the Philippines.

Renewable energy systems (RESs) have been promoted for rural electrification as an answer to the growing energy needs of communities while simultaneously satisfying environmental and resource scarcity problems. These off-grid systems however have several challenges in the perspective of sustainability due to the technically and financially weak recipients and users of the projects. There is still, however, less detailed understanding how the technical and economic aspects of the projects can properly match the social aspects to promote sustainability. This paper aimed to further understand the challenges and social impacts of rural electrification projects using RES through a case study of a centralized off-grid solar plant in the Philippines. The study used multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) to identify essential user attributes which explain the users’ electricity consumption behaviors. The community cooperative had difficulties maintaining the facility in the long term due to financial and capacity related challenges. A holistic approach dealing with the technical, economic and social aspects in developing RES projects promote sustainability.

Providing clean and sustainable energy for all is an ever elusive challenge, especially encountered in remote and poor rural areas. Cost-effective solutions have been found through renewable energy systems (RES) which, when combined with specialized products like rechargeable lamps using light emitting diodes (LED), can provide the basic energy needs (lighting) of rural homes, while replacing fossil-fuel based energy sources (e.g. kerosene lamps). The investigation presents an LED lamps provision system which circumvents the cost and technical challenges that currently hamper LED lamps diffusion into communities. Based on an actual rural island case (Pangan-an Island, Philippines), a sub-centralized lamp rental and charging system was mathematically modeled and analyzed (analytically and numerically) to identify the optimal states and policies, along with the effects of certain parameters, which promote financial viability and supply sustainability. It was found that a dynamically optimized lamp(s) purchase policy yields better financial returns than a statically optimized policy. Furthermore, it was realized that a sub-centralized lamps rental approach can serve as a complementary energy provision system for rural electrification projects by providing for the lower-tier energy demand market of low income users within a community.