6.2. Tools for energy planning in developing countries

Abstract

-This paper analyzes the different methods available today for treating major issues in developing countries. The authors discuss problems which have already been addressed by existing models and those that need to be solved. INTRODUcnONThe energy situation in developing countries is getting more and more complex. While in the industrialized countries a more or less stable level of the energy demand has been reached, developing countries still face twindling growth rates for both, commercial and traditional forms of energy. An adequate energy supply infrastructure which has to cope with this drastically increased demand will have to manage the technological feasibility and reliability problems as well as the financial restrictions associated herewith. The ilIlJ"inent depletion of natural fossil resources, and the irreversible negative effects on the environment leads to a growing awareness of the intertemporal and intergenerational character of the energy problem.In order to cope with this complex situation, the decision maker has a variety of pOlitical instruments at his disposal, which cover measures from direct price and quantity regulations to pricing policies and the promotion of investments in specific economic sectors or favoring the relevant research and development capabilities.All these activities are influenced by a number of uncertainties, which often are beyond the control of the respective country, like the world prices for energy carriers for example. Also, due to the close interaction of the different economic and social sectors of the economy, one may not regard the specific actions in isolation, but should consider their mutual interference also. This entity of measures, effects and feedbacks results in a complex and challenging planning task, and requires thorough analyses, which is usually very data intensive. For that reason, computer based planning tools are most suitable to assist in the rational decision making process.Recent developments in the field of computer based energy planning methods go from specific single fuel, single sector models to more complex integrated systems. Also there is a tendency away from large mainframe computer implementations to user-friendly mini-, micro-and personal computers.705

Impact of the Introduction of Biofuel in the Transportation Sector in Indonesia

“…The most relevant tools for energy planning are models which mathematically represent a simplification of reality [6]. The tool for this study is the BIOFUEL model as shown in Figure 2.…”