Grid electrification should be combined with complementary infrastructure for greater social and economic benefits

Submitted by Petra Hansson on
EfD Authors:
Kilimani, Nicholas
Bbaale, Edward

Key findings:

While electricity is a key to economic development, nearly 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa live without electricity.

This study analyses the socioeconomic benefits of electrification in Uganda.

The findings show that grid connectivity increases the number of work hours, female employment, household expenditure (meaning that the household is able to buy more of the goods that it needs), and key educational outcomes. 

Furthermore, the benefits from grid connectivity increase with time.

Research Brief
Energy, Gender

Unmasking the mystery of the varying benefits from electrification

Submitted by Petra Hansson on

The evidence demonstrating the welfare impacts of electrification in Sub-Saharan Africa remains weak and inconsistent, leading some to assert that emphasis on access, in and of itself, is misplaced and that more should be done to identify the complementary conditions that are needed to deliver the anticipated economic growth and improved welfare outcomes. This project seeks to contribute to this debate, by focusing on the impacts of Uganda’s electrification efforts.

EfD Discussion Paper
Energy, Gender

Does access to electricity accelerate home-based business creation in rural Ethiopia?

Submitted by Petra Hansson on
EfD Authors:
Fentie, Amare
Hassen, Sied

KEY MESSAGES

Most of the businesses in rural areas are home-based, i.e., the household runs businesses such as food sales, restaurants, mobile, and electronics shops, barbering, etc., within their residence. Rural households’ business ownership increased from 17.5% in 2011 to 28.5% in 2016. We found that:

Policy Brief
Energy, Policy Design

Show Me the Energy Costs": Short and Long-term Energy Cost Disclosure Effects on Willingness-to-pay for Residential Energy Efficiency

Submitted by Manuela Fonseca on
EfD Authors:
Aravena, Claudia

Abstract. Imperfect information on future energy costs can lower the demand for more energy efficient technologies, with clear implications for energy supply, emissions and climate change. These hypotheses are explored using a randomised discrete choice experiment for property rental decisions. Results show that when energy consumption is expressed in physical units (as per the current EU labels) the willingness-to-pay for energy efficiency improvements is small and marginally significant.

Peer Reviewed
Energy
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