Bio-mass is one of the most dependable energy resources in the rural areas of the developing world. The energy quality and emission intensity of bio-mass is varying from species to species and also on the processing techniques. As the effective energy output and emission intensity have direct influences on health, education and income generation, these become the major input for human development index (HDI). Long term field studies were conducted in a couple of rural areas of different geographical locations to quantify the impact of the energy quality on the HDI value. Results of such studies indicated that geographical locations and the available infrastructure therein have distinct role in providing access to superior resources. Further studies indicated that switching over from kerosene lamp to solar photovoltaic (PV) lighting systems and plugging into charcoal fuel from raw bio-mass have opened up multiple avenues of opportunities and development for the villagers. Adaptability of these resources made significant positive contributions on ecology, economy, and empowerment. It was further found that the use of locally available good quality energy resources enhanced the HDI value by more than 16-18% from its initial figure. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.