A PESTLE analysis of solar home systems in refugee camps in Rwanda
Author(s)
Thomas, PJM
Sandwell, P
Williamson, SJ
Harper, PW
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
There is a paucity of data on energy access in refugee camps and limited analysis regarding the viability of modern energy technologies such as solar home systems in these contexts. This paper addresses these by presenting an overview of the household and small enterprise electricity access situation in Kigeme, Nyabiheke and Gihembe camps in Rwanda and through the application of a Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental (PESTLE) analysis to assess the barriers influencing solar home system provision. Most households and small enterprises currently have limited or no access to electricity and there is significant unmet demand for energy services such as mobile phone charging, lighting, and entertainment in the camps. The analysis suggests that solar home systems can meet these energy needs and identifies important factors in ensuring projects are successful. Projects should be informed by the needs and priorities of end-users and should be aligned with national policies, such as achieving Tier 2 energy access, to garner political support. Where possible, local market systems should be nurtured to normalise paying for energy products and to avoid free distribution. This can support private sector engagement and result in longer system lifetimes through improved maintenance. Energy literacy programmes can also improve awareness of solar home systems and their benefits compared to traditional sources of energy. These findings can inform practitioners on the supporting policy/financial frameworks, design requirements and implementation measures needed to maximise the benefits of future solar home system projects and help achieve electrification targets.
Date Issued
2021-06
Date Acceptance
2021-02-23
Citation
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2021, 143, pp.1-12
ISSN
1364-0321
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Start Page
1
End Page
12
Journal / Book Title
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
Volume
143
Copyright Statement
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (E
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Identifier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032121001660?via%3Dihub
Grant Number
EP/R511547/1
EP/R030235/1
Subjects
09 Engineering
Energy
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
110872
Date Publish Online
2021-03-06