König, S. E. M. (2018). Bhutan’s rural electrification by renewable energy sources: analysis of development policies, technologies, and their socio-economic and environmental impacts [Master Thesis, Technische Universität Wien; Diplomatische Akademie Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2018.57107
The Kingdom of Bhutan was long counted among the poorest of the least developed countries in the world. However, due to its immense hydropower potential and with considerable foreign technical and financial assistance, Bhutan achieved a rapid development since the late 20th century which is mainly based upon renewable energy harnessing and thus unique. This master thesis examines if Bhutan’s increased electricity generation also lead to the inclusive and reliable access to electricity for its largely rural population by analysing the technologies chosen in development policies and their respective socio Beconomic and environmental impacts through a desk review. It is found that Bhutan’s rural electrification was overall remarkable and considerably improved the living conditions of the rural population and that environmental impacts have been negligible in smaller power projects. However, the latter are increasingly scrutinized with the accelerated development of large (hydro)power projects as processes in the past exhibited substantial shortcomings.
