A First Step Up the Energy Ladder? : Low Cost Solar Kits and Household's Welfare in Rural Rwanda

Grimm, Michael ; Munyehirwe, Anicet ; Peters, Jorg ; Sievert, Maximiliane

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: sustainable energy;    household welfare;    technology adoption;    randomized control trials;    solar energy;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-7859
RP-ID  :  WPS7859

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

More than 1.1 billion people indeveloping countries are lacking access to electricity.Based on the assumption that electricity is a prerequisitefor human development, the United Nations has proclaimed thegoal of providing electricity to all by 2030. In recentyears, Pico-Photovoltaic kits have become a low-costalternative to investment intensive grid electrification.Using a randomized controlled trial, the paper examinesuptake and impacts of a simple Pico-Photovoltaic kit thatbarely exceeds the modern energy benchmark defined by theUnited Nations. The authors find significant positiveeffects on household energy expenditures and some indicationfor effects on health, domestic productivity, and on theenvironment. Since only parts of these effects areinternalized, underinvestment into the technology is likely.In addition, our data show that adoption will be impeded byaffordability, suggesting that policy would have to considermore direct promotion strategies such as subsidies orfinancing schemes to reach the UN goal.