Modernization through solar off-grid electrification? A mixed picture for rural Sierra Leone

Q1 Social Sciences

Electricity Journal Pub Date : 2023-08-01 DOI:10.1016/j.tej.2023.107316

Elkhan Richard Sadik-Zada , Wilhelm Loewenstein , Foday Sheku Dumbuya

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引用次数: 1

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between solar off-grid electrification and socio-economic development of rural Sierra Leone through the lens of the Sustainable Livelihood approach. To this end, the study focuses on the level of household income, education, and fuel choices for cooking as three selected outcome variables. The empirical analysis is based on the field survey data from the recently electrified Mobai and non-electrified Pendembu - two rural communities in Kailahun district of the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. The study finds that electrification associates with a move of the household income to a higher income bracket and an increase of daily learning hours of the primary and low-secondary school-age children by 42 min a day. Furthermore, the clean electricity access in Mobai has not resulted in the replacement of carbon-intensive fuels such as firewood or charcoal with renewable electricity for cooking. This is attributed to the lack of affordability of electricity and electric stoves, and also the taste preferences.

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通过太阳能离网电气化实现现代化？塞拉利昂农村喜忧参半

本研究的目的是通过可持续生计方法的视角，研究太阳能离网电气化与塞拉利昂农村社会经济发展之间的关系。为此，该研究将家庭收入水平、教育程度和烹饪燃料选择作为三个选定的结果变量。实证分析基于塞拉利昂东部省凯拉洪区最近通电的Mobai和未通电的Pendenbu两个农村社区的实地调查数据。研究发现，电气化与家庭收入向更高收入阶层转移以及小学和初中学龄儿童每天学习时间增加42分钟有关。此外，摩拜的清洁电力供应并没有导致用可再生的烹饪电力取代木柴或木炭等碳密集型燃料。这归因于电力和电炉的负担能力不足，以及口味偏好。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Electricity Journal Business, Management and Accounting-Business and International Management

CiteScore

5.80

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

31 days

期刊介绍： The Electricity Journal is the leading journal in electric power policy. The journal deals primarily with fuel diversity and the energy mix needed for optimal energy market performance, and therefore covers the full spectrum of energy, from coal, nuclear, natural gas and oil, to renewable energy sources including hydro, solar, geothermal and wind power. Recently, the journal has been publishing in emerging areas including energy storage, microgrid strategies, dynamic pricing, cyber security, climate change, cap and trade, distributed generation, net metering, transmission and generation market dynamics. The Electricity Journal aims to bring together the most thoughtful and influential thinkers globally from across industry, practitioners, government, policymakers and academia. The Editorial Advisory Board is comprised of electric industry thought leaders who have served as regulators, consultants, litigators, and market advocates. Their collective experience helps ensure that the most relevant and thought-provoking issues are presented to our readers, and helps navigate the emerging shape and design of the electricity/energy industry.