Covering the last mile in the Brazilian Amazon - The role of knowledge -sharing strategies in the provision of universal electricity access

Remote areas are becoming a topic of increasing international interest as they can provide insights in the transition towards a more sustainable energy future. Being geographically isolated and distant from different services (e.g. energy, health and education), remote areas have seen their development delayed for decades. This paper focuses on the particular case of the Brazilian Amazon, where important but insufficient efforts have been made to provide universal electricity access to remote communities. About 930000 people are still without electricity access. How can the current rural electrification structures be improved to effectively implement and operate off-grid solutions in remote areas of the Amazon region? In pursuing answers to this question, we address the main challenges for achieving universalization goals, identify leverage points, and highlight the relevance of knowledge- sharing to overcome current hurdles. We conclude that knowledge-sharing provides the basis for a new model in which remote communities, municipalities, NGOs, concessionaires and other rural electrification agents can contribute with their particular knowledge to agree on targets and procedures for the design, implementation, and operation of off-grid solutions. This model implies not only adapted institutions and solutions based on local resource based technologies, but also reduced costs resulting from operational efficiency. In this way, the model enables the system either to reduce its impact on electricity tariffs in other regions or to release resources that can be used to support local development.