IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Fall 2013 - 50

sector can provide employment opportunities for women
and men, the sector continues
to be dominated by men. Persistent gender inequalities in
secondary and higher education, as well as gender stereotypes in the labor market,
restrict women's access to
opportunities for technical and
skills training. These inequalities, coupled with gender
discrimination in hiring practices, severely restrict women's
participation in the energy sector and the creation of a skilled
and empowered female work
force.
f) Access to information: Where
radios and television sets are
purchased for leisure and entertainment, both women and
men have identified the access
to information and entertainment as a benefit. That access
can also affect the self-esteem

and empowerment of isolated
and confined women, particularly as they become aware of
modern labor-saving alternatives and lifestyles.
g) Household gender roles: Women's decision-making roles
within the household are usually restricted, reducing their
say on spending levels and
choices. Decisions about the
types of fuels used, the amount
of energy purchased, the
devices and technology chosen, as well as domestic infrastructure related to ventilation,
lighting priorities, and energybased equipment purchased,
are usually made by the male
head of the household. But
those decisions affect women's
daily lives in very immediate
and practical ways.
h) Education: Household energy
efficiency is of special relevance to women. However,

user education programs in
the safe and efficient use of
electricity at the household
level, which should complement energy efficiency projects, are invariably overlooked
or ignored by energy or power
utilities.

Renewable Energy in Asia
In many instances in rural Asia,
small-scale, off-grid, renewable
energy systems have been identified as the most appropriate, convenient, and economically viable
first-choice option for generating
power and providing energy access
to remote rural communities.
Nepal
Nepal has one of the lowest rates
of energy consumption per capita
in the world. It also has one of the
lowest rates of electrification in
South Asia, at around 44% [1, Tab.
3]. Small-scale renewable energy

Renewable Energy Situation Updates

Micro-Hydro (Potential 100 MW
& Progress-0.13 million hhs)

HHs Biogas (Potential 1.1 million &
Progress-0.250 million hhs)

Wind (Potential 300 MW &
Progress-Pilot Projects)

Biofuel (Potential
1100,000 tons & Progress-

IWM (Potential 25,000 &
Progress-0.2 million hhs)
ICS (Potential 2500,000 &
Progress-400,000 hhs)

SHS (Potential
4.5 kWh/m2/day &
Progress-0.25 million hhs)

Solar Dryer & Cooker
(3000 hhs)

Institutional Solar System/Solar
Water Pumping (200,000 hhs)
1/12/2013

Fig. 1. The Alternative Energy Promotion Centre presentation at "Towards Sustainable Energy for All - Addressing
poverty, gender equity and social inclusion in the energy sector," organized by the Government of Nepal, Asian
Development Bank and AusAID, 23-24 February, 2012. The author was the main resource person for the workshop.
50

IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE

FALL 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Fall 2013