A needs-based approach to sustainable energy use: case studies of four remote villages in Indonesia

Abstract Decentralized energy infrastructure is the way to close the ‘last mile’ of universal electrification for remote communities. However, solutions such as fossil fuel-based power generators may not be sustainable for this purpose because remote communities have poor transport access, capacity, and economic power. Therefore, this study aims to; (1) Assess the needs and energy-related needs of four villages on Indonesian islands based on the needs and capacity of the people; and (2) Offer appropriate technical solutions based on the identified needs. The four villages have varying environmental settings: agricultural, river, small island, and remote island settings. We analyzed the socioeconomic attributes such as age, education, gender, occupation, years living in the village, household size, income, expenditure, and ownership of energy related items and their correlations with social value satisfaction levels such as intrinsic, social significance, functional, emotional, and indigenous values by means of multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and nonparametric tests. The common needs of the analyzed communities were (1) low-cost transportation, (2) clean energy for lighting and cooking, and (3) better communication and information access. With the limited financial resources for remote area development in developing countries, energy infrastructure development must be appropriate to the needs of communities and sustainable in terms of the capacity of communities.