Programme for Economic Advancement and Community Empowerment
Programme for Economic Advancement and Community Empowerment (PEACE), is a four-year project funded by the European Union.<ref>"Tar Patar finds light at the end of the tunnel". The Express Tribune. 15 June 2015.</ref><ref>"PTI-led KPK govt inaugurates micro hydro project in Kalam". The Newsteller. 28 May 2015.</ref> and implemented by the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP).<ref>Khankhel, Essa (30 November 2016). "EU to continue support for development of marginalised areas: Ambassador". The News International.</ref><ref>Dobbs, Ellen; Wheldon, Anne; Sharma, Chhavi (2016-10-07). "15 years of development in access to off-grid renewable electricity: insights from the Ashden Awards". Field Actions Science Reports. The Journal of Field Actions (Special Issue 15): 150–159. ISSN 1867-139X.</ref> It was launched in 2013 in all districts of Malakand Division, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, namely, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Chitral and Malakand Agency.<ref>"Empowering local communities: Olive trees spell greener days for Lower Dir's farmers". The Express Tribune. 31 March 2015.</ref><ref>"KP govt implementing reform agenda: Khattak". The News International. 14 August 2016.</ref>
Project details
The Programme for Economic Advancement and Community Empowerment (PEACE) commenced after an agreement worth € 40 million was signed between the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) and the European Union (EU).<ref>"Technical Appraisal and Monitoring of a Micro-Hydel Programme in Pakistan". Hydro Engineering Institute Sarajevo. 4 January 2014.</ref> The project runs under the principles of financial sustainability and equitable sharing of benefits with the community for social development purposes.<ref>"Work on EU-funded power project launched". The News International. 18 March 2015.</ref><ref>"Use of electric dryers brings dividend for Swat fruit farmers". DAWN. 18 March 2015.</ref><ref>Farooqui, Gul Hammad (26 July 2016). "150 KV Micro Hydro Power House inaugurated in Chitral". ARY News.</ref><ref>Khaliq, Fazal (27 February 2016). "Villagers happy as they get a bridge". DAWN.</ref>
Hydro electricity
Under the PEACE project 62% of the funding is utilised for generation of community run micro-hydro power units in the project areas.<ref>"CM reiterates commitment to community development". The News International. 12 November 2015.</ref><ref>"3 micro-power projects completed in far-off Chitral villages". The News International. 26 August 2016.</ref> Hydro power stations under the project are primarily built in areas where there is no active national grid or where such grid stands disrupted.<ref>"EU ambassador inaugurates power station in Swat". DAWN. 1 December 2016.</ref> Communities contribute time and labour, known as "sweat equity", which creates a sense of ownership and helps sustain the projects.<ref>Cheema, Abdur Rehman (2016-03-11). "Women benefit most from 'smart villages' in Pakistan's Hindu Kush". DAWN.</ref> The MHPs are run as a social enterprise and its earnings are spent on the welfare of local communities,<ref>"Power up: Hydro project to light up 13,000 houses in Chitral". The Express Tribune.</ref><ref>"New initiatives: PTI chairman promises a "different" LG system". The Express Tribune. 27 August 2013.</ref><ref>"Ashuran Power House starts production in Kalam". The News International. 31 October 2016.</ref> particularly women.<ref>"Project good example of govt-donor collaboration: Ambassador Cautain". The News International. 1 December 2016.</ref> Electricity is generated harnessing the small glacier-meltwater rivers that drop steeply off soaring mountains.<ref>"Son, you brought electricity to the village and added 15 years to my life". The Guardian. 12 June 2015.</ref><ref>"Power plant inaugurated in Upper Dir". Pakistan Herald. 24 May 2016.</ref>
The European Union under the PEACE project has funded the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) to set up 240 micro hydropower plants,<ref>"Make your own electricity: A tale of Swat's restless heroes". DAWN. 10 June 2015.</ref><ref>"KP to generate 100MW micro-hydropower projects". The News International. 29 August 2016.</ref><ref>"At long last: Kalam gets electricity after six years". The Express Tribune. 2014-07-07.</ref> in the Malakand Division. In general, PKR 4/unit is charged for domestic and PKR 7-10/unit is charged for commercial use.<ref>"Bringing hydro power to the rural areas of Pakistan". GNESD Energy Access Knowledge Based.</ref>
Community infrastructure
A significant portion of the funds are allocated to the building or restoration of basic infrastructure such as road, bridges, water channels etc.<ref>"Road link to Chitral village restored after four years". DAWN. 6 November 2014.</ref><ref>"Bridge brings joy to remote villages in Chitral". The News International. 6 November 2014.</ref><ref>"Timely assistance: Solar plants provided to Chitral hospitals". 6 December 2015.</ref><ref>"Lowari Tunnel: Chitral left out in the cold - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 2014-03-04.</ref>
Environmental aspect
Electricity from hydro schemes cuts down the use of wood for cooking, heating and lighting, consequently reducing deforestation which is a huge problem in the region. The hydro schemes also cut greenhouse gas emissions, by virtually eliminating the use of kerosene lighting, cutting the use of diesel generators, and also reducing the use of unsustainable wood. A detailed breakdown has not been made of fuels replaced, but an indication of the significance can be made by assuming that the estimated 110,000 MWh of electricity generated each year replaces diesel generation producing around 0.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide per MWh. This suggests a substantial greenhouse gas saving of around 88,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.<ref>"Winner case study summary: Sarhad Rural Support Programme, Pakistan" (PDF). Ashden Award for Increasing Energy Access, supported by the IKEA Foundation Award. 2015.</ref><ref>"The power of water brings new life to mountain villages". Ashden Awards, sustainable and renewable energy in the UK and developing world. 2015-06-05.</ref><ref>"Awards & Recognitions | RSPN". Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN).</ref><ref>Cheema, Abdur Rehman (12 March 2016). "What the 'smart villages' of Pakistan can teach us about energy". Scroll.in.</ref>
Pakistan is only producing 128 out of a potential of 3,100 MW of electricity from small hydropower projects.<ref>Cheema, Abdur Rehman (2016-03-10). "The "smart villages" of northern Pakistan". The Third Pole.</ref><ref>Cheema, Abdur Rehman (21 July 2015). "Hurry up with the micro hydro". Earth Journalism Network.</ref>
Recognition
In 2015 the Programme for Economic Advancement and Community Empowerment (PEACE) project earned the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) an Ashden Award for Increasing Energy Access.<ref>Butler Sloss, Sarah (2015). "Blazing the Trail : Our Planet". United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).</ref><ref>"Green energy awards seek sustainable energy pioneers in Asia". Eco-Business. 8 September 2015.</ref><ref>Ashden Award Ceremony, 2016-09-06</ref> In 2017 the project attracted the National Award given out by the Energy Globe Award in Pakistan for supplying electricity to off-grid areas.<ref>"National Energy Globe Award Pakistan 2017". Energy Globe.</ref>
