With community based energy systems, people in the same location can bring financial and other resources together and take up a project say an off-grid PV system that can supply their location, especially in remote areas.
Hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) are becoming popular for remote area power generation applications due to advances in renewable energy technologies and subsequent rise in prices of petroleum products. Ex- Partial (bio-mass-wind-fuel cell; wind-solar) or complete utilization of renewable sources (wind energy or solar etc)
HRES has got its own disadvantages. These are the methods, to over come demerits
Applicaitonof solar power is windy days is limited, and vice-versa; in summer and rainy season the biomass plant can operate in a full flagged so the power generation can be maintained in the above stated condition. The cost of solar panel can be subsided by using special paints to glass or lenses, up gradation of design of collectors, to heat up a fluid, that can rotate the common turbine used by wind and other sources. Now the question arises what about the winter nights or cloudy winter days with very low wind speeds. Here comes the activity of the Hydrogen. As we know the process of electrolysis or fuel cell can produce hydrogen by breaking water into hydrogen and oxygen, it can be stored; hydrogen is also a good fuel and burns with oxygen to give water. Hydrogen can be used to maintain the temperature of the biomass reservoir in winter so that it can produce biogas in optimum amount for the power generation.
The above advantages of HRES can be achieved and appicable to any country including developing country. Govt of India is giving subscidies up to 70% for HBRES projects.
Hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) are becoming popular and useful to provide power generation applications because the advances in renewable energy technologies and to reduce the fossil energies participation.
I´m sure HRES have disadvantages but it can contribute to access to eletricity above the own renewable resources of a region, and it can contribute to develop that place
A lot of effort and social integration work is required to make a renewable energy system work in rural settlements for example. It is a cultural technology integration, meaning although it makes sense from an economical [perspective, as your question states, it is not that simple to implement - except if a lot of preparation is done and a community sees the benefits.
The answer is Yes. It will definitely increase energy access. Its like having a cooperative venture-small contribution from each to make a whole. Ownership being collective will reduce if not completely eliminate vandalization of the system- a common nausance in most developing countries.