Abstract
An estimated 1 billion people living in rural areas in the Asia-Pacific region do not have access to modern energy and the basic services it provides. Photovoltaic (PV) programs have been implemented in many countries in the region to address this need. International experience has shown that the continued operation of PV systems in rural areas largely depends upon institutional factors such as program design, maintenance and training. Therefore, monitoring and evaluation of PV programs along institutional and technical dimensions are essential for improving the performance of existing PV systems and future programs. This paper will discuss the monitoring and evaluation methods used for PV programs, with a special focus on comparative work in the Asia- Pacific.