2.5 million people in Bolivia live without a clean and sustainable energy source, and rely on diesel, kerosene, and candles for lighting. Many of them live in remote rural communities. The Political Constitution of Bolivia establishes that access to electricity is a citizen’s right, and the country aims to be fully electrified by 2025.
To examine the opportunities and challenges of achieving universal energy access in Bolivia, the
Smart Villages Initiative organised a workshop on access to, and use of, renewable energy sources for rural communities in Bolivia on April 25, 2016 in La Paz. The workshop brought together representatives of the public sector, international and regional development organisations, NGOs, academia, and the private sector to discuss and exchange experiences of electrification of off-grid rural communities in Bolivia. This policy brief summarises the key findings and recommendations of the workshop and accompanies a more detailed workshop report.
