RESIREA action:
In the frame of COOPENER programme, the Fondation Energies pour le Monde, the Fraunhofer Institute and the CRA-W led from January 2007 up to December 2009 rural electrification planning through renewable energies (RESIREA project), in three provinces: Kampong Thom in Cambodia, Oudomxay in Laos and Dak Nong in Vietnam.
The aim of RESIREA was to study the feasibility of large-scale rural electrification operations to give a clear visibility to potential investors. For this purpose, RESIREA was based on an innovative methodology, which requires a deep knowledge of the local context, to identify the most suitable zones from technical, energetic, social and economical criteria. Bankable programs have been elaborated from the studies. They will be submitted to international financing agencies.

RESIREA is in the heart of several current issues:

- Fight for poverty alleviation:
Electricity is recognised as being necessary for development of rural areas, as it plays a transversal role in several sectors: it improves living conditions, health, education, access to information, development of economic activities.
Promoting the large-scale access to electricity in rural zones is opening the way to social and economic development and to poverty alleviation.

- Promotion of decentralized energy systems for rural electrification:
Access to electricity in rural areas is limited in Lower Mekong countries: still very few villages are connected to the power grid.
Currently, more than 80% of the population live in rural areas, far away from the existing grid. These rural communities represent too few demand of electricity for grid connection to prove profitable. That’s the reason why off-grid systems have to be promoted to enlarge the access to electricity in these zones.
In Southeast Asian countries, governments show an increasing will to promote rural electrification, by creating dedicated agencies and financial institutions, defining norms and regulations.

- Promotion of clean and ecological solutions:
In Lower Mekong countries, the high renewable energies potential can be enhanced to meet the specific demand of electricity in rural zones. Renewable energies respect the local environment, but also free people from the rising oil prices.
So, they are often the best way to meet both the demand of electricity and environmental requirements.

- Promotion of a sustainable development:
RESIREA has selected the more suitable zones for the future implementation of rural electrification projects, through renewable energies, according to criteria agreed by local partners and representatives of population, in terms of:
- Technique: systems have to be adapted to the local context and to meet the demand of the population.
- Socio-economics: the social context of the villages has to be the most suitable for the electrification (social coherence, stability, ability to pay for the electricity services, etc.)
- Organizational: the mode of operating has to suit the specificities of each village (local cooperative, private management, etc.)