RENEWABLE ENERGY ACCESS CHALLENGE AT HOUSEHOLD LEVEL FOR THE POOR IN RURAL ZIMBABWE: IS BIOGAS ENERGY A REMEDY?

Abstract The energy market in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is not meeting the demands of the region’s growing population. Energy access remains a significant challenge, with most people on the continent still reliant on biomass and other traditional forms of energy. Paradoxically, research has found that the African continent has the highest potential for renewable energy generation. For this energy to be commercialized effectively, there is a need to understand energy price modelling in the SSA context. Our initial review of Literature showed that energy price modelling has received little attention in SSA. This paper, therefore, fills this gap by using a systematic literature review to consolidate knowledge on how energy price modelling has been applied in the SSA context. The systematic literature review results reveal four commonly used models: time series, Artificial Neural Network, Hybrid Iterative Reactive Adaptive (HIRA), and Hybrid models. Across the 46 SSA countries, governments have applied these models to price electricity and petroleum at the national level. However, these models have not been applied to renewable energy markets. Neither have they been applied at the household level. In the discussion, we hypothesize that price modelling can be used at the household level to improve energy decision-making. For this to work, price modelling should be simplified, user-friendly, and accessible to households. In conclusion, we recommend that SSA governments develop a more holistic view of energy price modelling to better harness the potential of renewables. They can do this through effective stakeholder engagement that includes the needs of small businesses and households. The main lessons drawn from this review include the possibility of using energy price modelling technology as a pathway to encouraging energy transitions to renewable energy in informal settlements in Africa. Using technology to bring the price modelling closer to the people is also an important element in facilitating effective transition to renewable energy. Finally, including the members of the community in pricing through creation of awareness on the models used and popularizing technology that can help in predictive pricing will help in creating better and faster energy transitions.

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The Sustainability of Decentralised Renewable Energy Projects in Developing Countries: Learning Lessons from Zambia

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14133757 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (13) ◽

pp. 3757

Author(s):

Susann Stritzke ◽

Prem Jain

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Use ◽

Relevant Literature ◽

Financial Data ◽

Added Value ◽

Local Context ◽

Energy Access ◽

Solar Pv ◽

Social Dimensions ◽

Sustainability Challenges

Decentralised renewable energy (RE) systems such as solar PV mini-grids (MG) are considered to be a cornerstone for the strategic achievement of the UN’s energy access goals in the developing world. Many of these systems implemented however face substantial technical, financial and social sustainability challenges which are also a recurring theme in the relevant literature. MG analyses however often lack detailed technical or financial data or apply ‘silo-approaches’ as a comprehensive review of MG case study literature presented in this article reveals. Consequently, this study aims to enhance the understanding of RE MG sustainability in the developing context based on the integrated evaluation of the technical, financial and social dimensions of MG operation through empirical data from community surveys on energy use from Uganda and Zambia and two in-depth MG case studies from Zambia. By presenting detailed technical and financial data in combination with energy consumer perception, the study aims to close existing data gaps on sustainable RE MG operation and offers an approach to evaluate and optimise the operational sustainability of an MG in its individual local context. The article finds that the complex rural community ecosystem is a central, but yet undervalued determinant of MG sustainability in rural developing contexts. The mismatch between energy affordability and MG tariffs threatens MG sustainability and the scaling of energy access projects if not addressed specifically during project development and implementation. Consequently, the article calls for a strategic inclusion of community-ecosystem parameters and MG planning based on realistic energy affordability levels and an added value approach that includes dynamic MG financing mechanisms and targeted measures to generate added value through energy consumption as integral parts of RE MG projects.

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Adoption rationales and effects of off-grid renewable energy access for African youth: A case study from Tanzania

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews ◽

10.1016/j.rser.2021.110793 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 141 ◽

pp. 110793

Author(s):

Nicholas Philip Simpson ◽

Colton James Rabenold ◽

Merle Sowman ◽

Clifford D. Shearing

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Access ◽

African Youth

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Prospect of renewable energy resources in Bangladesh

International Journal of Power Electronics and Drive Systems (IJPEDS) ◽

10.11591/ijpeds.v12.i3.pp1804-1812 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 1804

Author(s):

Mohammad Mafizur Rahman ◽

Feroza Begum

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy System ◽

Living Standards ◽

Energy Resources ◽

Energy Access ◽

Renewable Energy Resources ◽

Comprehensive Understanding ◽

Current State ◽

Renewable Energy System ◽

Stable Source

<span lang="EN-GB">The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the current state of renewable energy resources in Bangladesh, as well as to examine various forms of renewable energies in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of how to address Bangladesh's power crisis issues in a sustainable manner. Electricity is currently the most useful kind of energy in Bangladesh. It has a substantial influence on a country's socioeconomic standing and living standards. Maintaining a stable source of energy at a cost that is affordable to everyone has been a constant battle for decades. Bangladesh is blessed with a wealth of natural resources. Bangladesh has a huge opportunity to accelerate its economic development while increasing energy access, livelihoods, and health for millions of people in a sustainable way due to the renewable energy system.</span>

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Multi-time Scale Dispatch of Distribution Network and Multi-microgrid with Renewable Energy Access

10.1109/bdai52447.2021.9515291 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yuwei Zhang ◽

Jinxing Xiao ◽

Jun Yang ◽

Bingyan Xu ◽

Rui Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Time Scale ◽

Distribution Network ◽

Energy Access

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The Asset-By-Asset Poverty Index

Journal of Income Distribution ◽

10.25071/1874-6322.30220 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

Oliver Mtapuri

Keyword(s):

Well Being ◽

Community Level ◽

Poverty Index ◽

Point Index ◽

Monitoring Tool ◽

Household Level ◽

Significant Aspect ◽

The Poor ◽

Alternative Approach ◽

The Village

This article pioneers an asset-by-asset point index, which represents a simple methodology that uses inputs rather than outputs of well-being to recognise the 'poor' on a point basis, household by household. It focuses on assets, which are a significant aspect of well-being in whose absence households may fall into deprivation. The index is well-suited for the production of localised indicators, as it allows disaggregation of data by a rural/urban divide and even at the village/household level, which facilitates area-based interventions. It is an asset-based measure, which will help to identify the poor and the type of help they need; it can thus be used as a monitoring tool at the household and community level. It represents an alternative approach to measuring household poverty.

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Powering a Sustainable and Circular Economy—An Engineering Approach to Estimating Renewable Energy Potentials within Earth System Boundaries

Energies ◽

10.3390/en12244723 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (24) ◽

pp. 4723 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Harald Desing ◽

Rolf Widmer ◽

Didier Beloin-Saint-Pierre ◽

Roland Hischier ◽

Patrick Wäger

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Great Distance ◽

World Population ◽

Earth System ◽

Energy Access ◽

Renewable Energy Resources ◽

System Boundaries ◽

Energy Mix ◽

Engineering Approach

This study proposes a method to estimate the appropriability of renewable energy resources at the global scale, when Earth system boundaries/needs and the human demand for chemical energy are respected. The method is based on an engineering approach, i.e., uncertainties of parameters and models are considered and potentials calculated with 99 % confidence. We used literature data to test our method and provide initial results for global appropriable technical potentials (ATP) that sum up to 71 TW , which is significantly larger than the current global energy demand. Consequently, there is sufficient renewable energy potentially available to increase energy access for a growing world population as well as for a development towards increasingly closed material cycles within the technosphere. Solar energy collected on the built environment ( 29 % ) and in desert areas ( 69 % ) represent the dominant part of this potential, followed in great distance by hydro ( 0.6 % ), terrestrial heat ( 0.4 % ), wind ( 0.35 % ), and biomass ( 0.2 % ). Furthermore, we propose indicators to evaluate an energy mix on different levels, from an energy mix in single products to the mix used by the global economy, against the estimated RE potentials, which allow an evaluation and consideration in the design of sustainable–circular products and systems.

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Overcoming local constraints when developing renewable energy systems for the electrification of remote areas in Africa

Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability ◽

10.1051/rees/2019007 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Joseph Kenfack ◽

Joseph Voufo ◽

Paul Salomon Ngohe Ekam ◽

Jeanine K. Lewetchou ◽

Urbain Nzotcha

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Solar Energy ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Energy Access ◽

Energy Potential ◽

Local Constraints ◽

Remote Areas ◽

Energy Plants

Sub Saharan Africa has a great renewable energy potential. Rural areas are suffering from poor energy access. Some systems designed to address this issue are still faced with some difficulties. Appropriate approaches and energy plant development will help remote areas to address the issue of electricity access. The current development of some micro hydro and micro solar energy plants is of poor quality and maintenance, sometimes resulting in failures. There are also some common mistakes made when promoting (designing) an energy system in an African environment. Identifying issues from local constraints and lessons learned will contribute to determining the appropriate sizing, technology and tools to correctly develop micro hydro and micro solar energy plants.

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An Intertemporal Analysis of Post-FCTC Era Household Tobacco Consumption in Pakistan

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16142532 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (14) ◽

pp. 2532

Author(s):

Biplab Kumar Datta ◽

Muhammad Jami Husain ◽

Nigar Nargis

Keyword(s):

Tobacco Control ◽

Tobacco Use ◽

Smokeless Tobacco ◽

National Level ◽

Tobacco Consumption ◽

Smoking Rate ◽

Middle Income ◽

Household Level ◽

The Poor ◽

Smokeless Tobacco Use

Since the ratification of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2004, Pakistan has taken various measures of tobacco control. This study examines how these tobacco control measures are associated with change in household-level tobacco consumption patterns in Pakistan over the decade (2005 to 2016) after FCTC ratification. We used multiple waves of the household survey data of Pakistan from 2004–2005 to 2015–2016 for analyzing household-level tobacco use. We find that tobacco consumption remains at a significantly high level (45.5%) in Pakistan despite the recent declining trend in the post-FCTC era. During the preparatory phase of FCTC implementation between 2005 and 2008, the smoking rate was on the rise, and smokeless tobacco use was declining. Over the implementation phase of FCTC policies between 2008 and 2016, the pattern of change in tobacco use reversed—the smoking rate started to decrease while smokeless tobacco use started to rise. However, the decrease in the smoking rate was slower and the increase in smokeless tobacco use at the national level was driven by an increase among the poor and middle-income households. These trends resulted in the growing burden of tobacco expenditure among the poor and middle-income households relative to the wealthier households.

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Ghana’s energy access journey so far: a review of key strategies

International Journal of Energy Sector Management ◽

10.1108/ijesm-02-2020-0008 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Dramani Bukari ◽

Francis Xavier Dery Tuokuu ◽

Shafic Suleman ◽

Ishmael Ackah ◽

Godwin Apenu

Keyword(s):

International Energy Agency ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Energy Access ◽

Liquefied Petroleum Gas ◽

Energy Agency ◽

Policy Documents ◽

Content Type ◽

World Vision ◽

The Poor ◽

The Rich

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of the programmes being implemented with a view to ascertaining if they adequately address the energy needs of the poor more holistically and sustainably. Design/methodology/approach The content of this desktop review is based on information collected through a review of available energy policy documents from the Ghana Government and related governmental agencies, such as the Energy Commission and Ghana Statistical Services, international energy-related agencies, such as the International Energy Agency (World Vision, 2013), as well as other related web searches. Additionally, global and Sub-Saharan African energy access documents were reviewed by analysing secondary data from the World Bank and UN policy reports, statistical data, strategies, regulations, protocols and other related documents (World Vision, 2013). Furthermore, some policy documents on energy access and usage were explored mainly from Senegal and Ghana to ascertain governments’ policies, regulations and strategies in the implementation of energy access policies. Findings The paper offers all the various strategies being implemented in an attempt to establish a foothold on the problem of affording the poor with clean and affordable energies. The paper also presents the rich experiences of Senegal in its bid to see expanded access in liquefied petroleum gas usage by residential consumers. Originality/value The paper provides some policy and theoretical implications for improving Ghana’s energy access.

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