At present, 70% of people living in rural communities in Peru lack of electricity supply or are poorly supplied by conventional diesel generator groups. Diesel groups have proven to be an inappropriate solution in these areas. Diesel fuel is expensive and must be provided from far away distribution centres. Additionally, this alternative produces local negative environment impacts, and GHG emissions. Local main renewable energy sources are sun and biomass. Solar photovoltaic technologies have been used in the past few years for low power applications like household lighting or water pumping. In this context, biomass-based modern technologies could be appropriate solutions for decentralized power generation, with very high opportunities, not yet explored, for poverty alleviation and rural development. Therefore, this project aims to contribute to the dissemination and mainstreaming for the use of modern bioenergy technologies for small-scale decentralized power generation in Peruvian rural communities by 1) Developing and applying tools and methods to analyse social impacts and economical consequences of various bioenergy production systems; 2) Identifying and developing opportunities for income generation activities among community members; and 3) Investigating the role of regional, national and local public policies for bioenergy on poverty alleviation and rural development in Peruvian rural areas. In this sense, the project aims to provide of tools and knowledge for the implementation of a Peruvian National Bioenergy Plan

Between the modern bioenergy technologies the project will focus on those more appropriate for decentralized power generation in rural areas and/or productive activities from lignocellulosic materials, like agricultural or forest wastes or locally grown energy crops.