We have been evaluating various options for more than a decade, particularly in Africa. These include rural electrification via photovoltaic solar modules, the sale of LPG for use by remote and underprivileged populations, gas-fired power generation for communities neighboring our sites, diesel supply for micro-grids or groupings of local artisans and implementation of pilot short biofuel supply chains (biofuels produced and consumed locally).

To go even further, we are currently engaged in an energy access project that draws the full scope of our expertise. This project revolves around three key themes:

- Short biofuel supply chains (biofuels produced and consumed locally)
- Access to photovoltaic solar power in rural areas
- Local valorization of gases produced at some of our sites

We are currently testing various models with our institutional partners, development aid players and civil society.

Our goal is to identify the business models that will enable us to offer low-income populations a reliable and affordable energy source that they can use sustainably and independently.

Examples

Solar energy for rural populations

We have direct or indirect involvement in several decentralized rural electrification projects, most of which are based on solar power.

In Venezuela, Total became a partner of the national oil company PDVSA CVP and the government of Delta Amaruco State in 2005 to launch an energy access program in the municipality of Antonio Díaz, where 99% of inhabitants lacked access to electricity.

With the support of our teams, the project has gradually been transferred to representatives of the communities concerned. Power supply was provided to some 450 homes as a priority and a subsequent phase will extend this quality energy supply to the local businesses.

In Morocco, the photovoltaic kits installed by Temasol, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tenesol - a 50-50 Total-EDF joint venture -were supplying roughly 25,000 customers in dispersed habitat areas by the end of 2009.

In South Africa, KES, a rural energy services company (Total 35%, EDF 50%, Calulo 15%) aims to provide some 30,000 households in Eastern Cape province with photovoltaic solar power and LPG. Some 2,000 households already have an electricity supply. 7,500 households in Kwazulu Natal province now benefit from a similar initiative, which will be extended to 8,000 additional households in the province over the next two years.

In 2008, an evaluation of rural energy services companies conducted with our partner EDF in cooperation with the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) confirmed the benefits of these companies in the area of decentralized rural electrification. The evaluation highlighted the programs' contributions to alleviating poverty, which include improved health and education, increased safety due to public lighting and, more simply, a feeling shared by users of "being citizens like any others." The evaluation also identifies tangible avenues for continuing to improve the model, which is still experimental and highly dependent on subsidies.

Short biofuel supply chains

Biomass is very often the only resource available for local use in Africa.
This situation has prompted us to research jatropha, a plant whose seeds produce an oil that can be replace the diesel fuel currently used to run rural energy services (mills) and generators.
Jatropha is an inedible, hardy plant that can grow even in poor soil. It requires little water or fertilizer and seems well suited to non-mechanized, traditional agriculture in Africa.
In partnership with bodies such as the Association des Amis du Père Bernard Verspieren (AAPBV) and technical experts, we have been assessing the energy potential of jatropha in the village of Teriya Bugu in Mali since 2007. The project aims to demonstrate the viability of a stand-alone rural electrification model based on a short supply chain: jatropha is produced and consumed locally.
Teriya Bugu is an experimental farm-cum-equitable tourism center-cum laboratory for renewable energy use that has 65 employees and benefits 5,000 people.
On February 25, 2010, an organized Jatropha production chain (40 cooperatives) was inaugurated. The project is set to become totally self-sufficient in four years' time.