IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v143y2020ics0301421520303141.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Actors and governance in the transition toward universal electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Dagnachew, Anteneh G.
  • Hof, Andries F.
  • Roelfsema, Mark R.
  • van Vuuren, Detlef P.

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa faces several challenges that hamper the effort to provide universal electricity access. The challenges are not the result of lack of energy resources but rather the result of governance and institutional problems as well as lack of capital to meet the high investment requirement. This study aims to provide relevant policy recommendations to facilitate the path towards universal electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa. We do this by identifying the barriers for electricity access and the relevant actors, institutions, and regulations using desk research, stakeholder interviews and expert workshops. The results show that the absence of overall plans and approaches and lack of clarity in policies are the main challenges for the sector. Setting standards for electricity products, such as solar panels, could help to reduce the problem of counterfeit poor quality products. A broader participation of non-governmental actors is needed to increase the speed of electrification. This requires innovative revenue schemes, financial and fiscal incentives and elimination of market distortions. More generally, we conclude that stable and consistent policy frameworks and improved coordination between actors, are crucial to accelerate electrification in the region.

Suggested Citation

  • Dagnachew, Anteneh G. & Hof, Andries F. & Roelfsema, Mark R. & van Vuuren, Detlef P., 2020. "Actors and governance in the transition toward universal electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:143:y:2020:i:c:s0301421520303141
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111572
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421520303141
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111572?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Winkler, Harald, 2005. "Renewable energy policy in South Africa: policy options for renewable electricity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 27-38, January.
    2. Parshall, Lily & Pillai, Dana & Mohan, Shashank & Sanoh, Aly & Modi, Vijay, 2009. "National electricity planning in settings with low pre-existing grid coverage: Development of a spatial model and case study of Kenya," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 2395-2410, June.
    3. Bhattacharyya, Subhes C., 2013. "Financing energy access and off-grid electrification: A review of status, options and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 462-472.
    4. Gujba, Haruna & Thorne, Steve & Mulugetta, Yacob & Rai, Kavita & Sokona, Youba, 2012. "Financing low carbon energy access in Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(S1), pages 71-78.
    5. Anton Eberhard & Katharine Gratwick & Elvira Morella & Pedro Antmann, 2016. "Independent Power Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 23970.
    6. Lucy Baker & Peter Newell & Jon Phillips, 2014. "The Political Economy of Energy Transitions: The Case of South Africa," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(6), pages 791-818, December.
    7. Imke Lammers & Lea Diestelmeier, 2017. "Experimenting with Law and Governance for Decentralized Electricity Systems: Adjusting Regulation to Reality?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-14, February.
    8. Global Energy Assessment Writing Team,, 2012. "Global Energy Assessment," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107005198, October.
    9. Chaurey, Akanksha & Kandpal, Tara Chandra, 2010. "Assessment and evaluation of PV based decentralized rural electrification: An overview," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(8), pages 2266-2278, October.
    10. Sokona, Youba & Mulugetta, Yacob & Gujba, Haruna, 2012. "Widening energy access in Africa: Towards energy transition," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(S1), pages 3-10.
    11. Aliyu, Abubakar Sadiq & Ramli, Ahmad Termizi & Saleh, Muneer Aziz, 2013. "Nigeria electricity crisis: Power generation capacity expansion and environmental ramifications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 354-367.
    12. Global Energy Assessment Writing Team,, 2012. "Global Energy Assessment," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521182935, October.
    13. Bernard Tenenbaum & Chris Greacen & Tilak Siyambalapitiya & James Knuckles, 2014. "From the Bottom Up : How Small Power Producers and Mini-Grids Can Deliver Electrification and Renewable Energy in Africa [Quand la lumière vient d'en bas : Comment les petits producteurs d'électric," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 16571.
    14. Shi, Xunpeng & Liu, Xiying & Yao, Lixia, 2016. "Assessment of instruments in facilitating investment in off-grid renewable energy projects," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 437-446.
    15. Dagnachew, Anteneh G. & Lucas, Paul L. & Hof, Andries F. & Gernaat, David E.H.J. & de Boer, Harmen-Sytze & van Vuuren, Detlef P., 2017. "The role of decentralized systems in providing universal electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa – A model-based approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 184-195.
    16. Yaqoot, Mohammed & Diwan, Parag & Kandpal, Tara C., 2016. "Review of barriers to the dissemination of decentralized renewable energy systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 477-490.
    17. Turkson, John & Wohlgemuth, Norbert, 2001. "Power sector reform and distributed generation in sub-Saharan Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 135-145, January.
    18. Koirala, Binod Prasad & Koliou, Elta & Friege, Jonas & Hakvoort, Rudi A. & Herder, Paulien M., 2016. "Energetic communities for community energy: A review of key issues and trends shaping integrated community energy systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 722-744.
    19. Dagnachew, Anteneh G. & Lucas, Paul L. & Hof, Andries F. & van Vuuren, Detlef P., 2018. "Trade-offs and synergies between universal electricity access and climate change mitigation in Sub-Saharan Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 355-366.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mugisha, Joshua & Ratemo, Mike Arasa & Bunani Keza, Bienvenu Christian & Kahveci, Hayriye, 2021. "Assessing the opportunities and challenges facing the development of off-grid solar systems in Eastern Africa: The cases of Kenya, Ethiopia, and Rwanda," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    2. Temilade Sesan & Willie Siyanbola, 2021. "“These are the realities”: insights from facilitating researcher-policymaker engagement in Nigeria’s household energy sector," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Nuhu, Said, 2023. "Natural gas extraction activities and host communities concerns in Sub-Saharan Africa: A reflection on the historical riots in Mtwara, Tanzania," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PA).
    4. Evensen, Darrick & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2024. "Political economy of low-carbon electricity: Governance effects across 198 countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PB).
    5. Chapel, Capucine, 2022. "Impact of official development assistance projects for renewable energy on electrification in sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dagnachew, Anteneh G. & Lucas, Paul L. & Hof, Andries F. & Gernaat, David E.H.J. & de Boer, Harmen-Sytze & van Vuuren, Detlef P., 2017. "The role of decentralized systems in providing universal electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa – A model-based approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 184-195.
    2. Mertzanis, Charilaos & Garas, Samy & Abdel-Maksoud, Ahmed, 2020. "Integrity of financial information and firms' access to energy in developing countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    3. Baptista, Idalina & Plananska, Jana, 2017. "The landscape of energy initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa: Going for systemic change or reinforcing the status quo?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 1-8.
    4. Trotter, Philipp A. & Maconachie, Roy & McManus, Marcelle C., 2018. "Solar energy's potential to mitigate political risks: The case of an optimised Africa-wide network," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 108-126.
    5. Herbert, Caren & Phimister, Euan, 2019. "Private sector-owned mini-grids and rural electrification: A case study of wind-power in Kenya's tea industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 1288-1297.
    6. Bhattacharyya, S.C. & Palit, D., 2021. "A critical review of literature on the nexus between central grid and off-grid solutions for expanding access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    7. Arash Farnoosh & Frederic Lantz, 2015. "Decarbonisation of electricity generation in an oil & gas producing country : "A sensitivity analysis over the power sector in Egypt"," Working Papers hal-02475491, HAL.
    8. Trotter, Philipp A. & McManus, Marcelle C. & Maconachie, Roy, 2017. "Electricity planning and implementation in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 1189-1209.
    9. Alexandros Korkovelos & Hisham Zerriffi & Mark Howells & Morgan Bazilian & H-Holger Rogner & Francesco Fuso Nerini, 2020. "A Retrospective Analysis of Energy Access with a Focus on the Role of Mini-Grids," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-29, February.
    10. Andrea Vaona & Natalia Magnani, 2014. "Access to electricity and socio-economic characteristics: panel data evidence from 31 countries," Working Papers 15/2014, University of Verona, Department of Economics.
    11. Dagnachew, Anteneh G. & Hof, Andries F. & Lucas, Paul L. & van Vuuren, Detlef P., 2020. "Scenario analysis for promoting clean cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa: Costs and benefits," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    12. Mundaca, Luis & Busch, Henner & Schwer, Sophie, 2018. "‘Successful’ low-carbon energy transitions at the community level? An energy justice perspective," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 292-303.
    13. Anne-Maree Dowd & Michelle Rodriguez & Talia Jeanneret, 2015. "Social Science Insights for the BioCCS Industry," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-19, May.
    14. Fankhauser, Samuel & Jotzo, Frank, 2017. "Economic growth and development with low-carbon energy," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 86850, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    15. Tilmann Rave, 2013. "Innovationsindikatoren zum globalen Klimaschutz – FuE-Ausgaben und Patente," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 66(15), pages 34-41, August.
    16. Daniel Moran & Richard Wood, 2014. "Convergence Between The Eora, Wiod, Exiobase, And Openeu'S Consumption-Based Carbon Accounts," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(3), pages 245-261, September.
    17. Lykke E. Andersen & Luis Carlos Jemio, 2016. "Decentralization and poverty reduction in Bolivia: Challenges and opportunities," Development Research Working Paper Series 01/2016, Institute for Advanced Development Studies.
    18. Chen, Han & Huang, Ye & Shen, Huizhong & Chen, Yilin & Ru, Muye & Chen, Yuanchen & Lin, Nan & Su, Shu & Zhuo, Shaojie & Zhong, Qirui & Wang, Xilong & Liu, Junfeng & Li, Bengang & Tao, Shu, 2016. "Modeling temporal variations in global residential energy consumption and pollutant emissions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 820-829.
    19. Inglesi-Lotz, Roula, 2017. "Social rate of return to R&D on various energy technologies: Where should we invest more? A study of G7 countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 521-525.
    20. Tom Mikunda & Tom Kober & Heleen de Coninck & Morgan Bazilian & Hilke R�sler & Bob van der Zwaan, 2014. "Designing policy for deployment of CCS in industry," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(5), pages 665-676, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:143:y:2020:i:c:s0301421520303141. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/enpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.