IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v145y2020ics0301421520305036.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Measuring and explaining household access to electrical energy services: Evidence from rural northern India

Author

Listed:
  • Pelz, Setu
  • Urpelainen, Johannes

Abstract

Household electrification aims to provide populations with access to a wide range of energy services for social and economic development, ranging from lighting to electric cooking. Electrification policy has historically focused on grid connections, however, rather than household capabilities to satisfy energy service needs. We explore a representative panel dataset of households from rural areas of six states across northern India in order to link distinct dimensions of electricity supply with electrical energy service utilisation. Using a regression framework, we show that household electrification policy in India must look beyond connections and consider disaggregate dimensions of supply, paying special attention to supply availability measured in hours per day. Following electrification, households surveyed were highly likely to utilise lighting and ICTs regardless of availability, while an improvement of 12 h was associated with higher likelihoods of space cooling (12.3%-points [CI: 10.7 to 13.9]) and entertainment (13.4%-points [11.2 to 15.6]) services utilisation. In contrast, mechanical loads, thermal loads, refrigeration and electric cooking remain constrained by household wealth and other factors. Disaggregate supply analysis supports the shift towards electrification policy that unlocks desired capabilities while using all available technologies, both grid and off-grid, to achieve more just outcomes for all.

Suggested Citation

  • Pelz, Setu & Urpelainen, Johannes, 2020. "Measuring and explaining household access to electrical energy services: Evidence from rural northern India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:145:y:2020:i:c:s0301421520305036
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111782
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421520305036
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111782?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. Palit, Debajit & Bandyopadhyay, Kaushik Ranjan, 2017. "Rural electricity access in India in retrospect: A critical rumination," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 109-120.
    2. Michaël Aklin & Chao-yo Cheng & Johannes Urpelainen & Karthik Ganesan & Abhishek Jain, 2016. "Factors affecting household satisfaction with electricity supply in rural India," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 1(11), pages 1-6, November.
    3. Setu Pelz & Shonali Pachauri & Sebastian Groh, 2018. "A critical review of modern approaches for multidimensional energy poverty measurement," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(6), November.
    4. Alkire, Sabina, 2002. "Dimensions of Human Development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 181-205, February.
    5. Richmond, Jennifer & Urpelainen, Johannes, 2019. "Electrification and appliance ownership over time: Evidence from rural India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    6. Lenz, Luciane & Munyehirwe, Anicet & Peters, Jörg & Sievert, Maximiliane, 2017. "Does Large-Scale Infrastructure Investment Alleviate Poverty? Impacts of Rwanda’s Electricity Access Roll-Out Program," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 88-110.
    7. Paul J. Gertler & Orie Shelef & Catherine D. Wolfram & Alan Fuchs, 2016. "The Demand for Energy-Using Assets among the World's Rising Middle Classes," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(6), pages 1366-1401, June.
    8. Patrick Nussbaumer & Francesco Fuso Nerini & Ijeoma Onyeji & Mark Howells, 2013. "Global Insights Based on the Multidimensional Energy Poverty Index (MEPI)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(5), pages 1-17, May.
    9. Jay Taneja, 2018. "If You Build It, Will They Consume? Key Challenges for Universal, Reliable, and Low-Cost Electricity Delivery in Kenya," Working Papers 491, Center for Global Development.
    10. Narasimha D. Rao & Jihoon Min & Alessio Mastrucci, 2019. "Energy requirements for decent living in India, Brazil and South Africa," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 4(12), pages 1025-1032, December.
    11. van Ruijven, Bas J. & van Vuuren, Detlef P. & de Vries, Bert J.M. & Isaac, Morna & van der Sluijs, Jeroen P. & Lucas, Paul L. & Balachandra, P., 2011. "Model projections for household energy use in India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(12), pages 7747-7761.
    12. Pachauri, S. & Mueller, A. & Kemmler, A. & Spreng, D., 2004. "On Measuring Energy Poverty in Indian Households," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(12), pages 2083-2104, December.
    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. Li, Zhen & Niu, Shuwen & Halleck Vega, Sol Maria & Wang, Jinnian & Wang, Dakang & Yang, Xiankun, 2024. "Electrification and residential well-being in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    2. Małgorzata Tarczynska-Luniewska & Iwona Bak & Uma Shankar Singh & Guru Ashish Singh, 2022. "Economic Crisis Impact Assessment and Risk Exposure Evaluation of Selected Energy Sector Companies from Bombay Stock Exchange," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-25, November.
    3. Majid Hashemi, 2021. "The Effect of Reliability Improvements on Household Electricity Consumption and Coping Behavior: A Multi-dimensional Approach," Working Paper 1469, Economics Department, Queen's University.
    4. Isabelo Rabuya & Melissa Libres & Michael Lochinvar Abundo & Evelyn Taboada, 2021. "Moving Up the Electrification Ladder in Off-Grid Settlements with Rooftop Solar Microgrids," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-32, June.
    5. Qiu, Xin & Jin, Jianjun & He, Rui & Mao, Jiansu, 2022. "The deviation between the willingness and behavior of farmers to adopt electricity-saving tricycles and its influencing factors in Dazu District of China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 167(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. Bezerra, Paula & Cruz, Talita & Mazzone, Antonella & Lucena, André F.P. & De Cian, Enrica & Schaeffer, Roberto, 2022. "The multidimensionality of energy poverty in Brazil: A historical analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    2. Ma, Cong & Cheok, Mui Yee, 2022. "The impact of financing role and organizational culture in small and medium enterprises: Developing business strategies for economic recovery," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 26-38.
    3. Richmond, Jennifer & Urpelainen, Johannes, 2019. "Electrification and appliance ownership over time: Evidence from rural India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    4. Shahzad, Umer & Gupta, Mansi & Sharma, Gagan Deep & Rao, Amar & Chopra, Ritika, 2022. "Resolving energy poverty for social change: Research directions and agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    5. Chang, Lei & Shi, Fanglan & Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad & Saydaliev, Hayot Berk, 2023. "Information and communication technologies development and the resource curse," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    6. Mahumane, Gilberto & Mulder, Peter, 2022. "Urbanization of energy poverty? The case of Mozambique," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    7. Jayasinghe, Maneka & Selvanathan, E.A. & Selvanathan, Saroja, 2021. "Energy poverty in Sri Lanka," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    8. Pelz, Setu & Aklin, Michaël & Urpelainen, Johannes, 2021. "Electrification and productive use among micro- and small-enterprises in rural North India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    9. Gupta, Srishti & Gupta, Eshita & Sarangi, Gopal K., 2020. "Household Energy Poverty Index for India: An analysis of inter-state differences," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    10. Falchetta, Giacomo & Mistry, Malcolm N., 2021. "The role of residential air circulation and cooling demand for electrification planning: Implications of climate change in sub-Saharan Africa," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    11. Zaman, Qamar uz & Zhao, Yuhuan & Zaman, Shah & Alenezi, Marim & Jehan, Noor, 2023. "Spatial evaluation of multidimensional energy poverty between farming and non-farming communities of agro-climatic zones of Pakistan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    12. Setu Pelz & Shonali Pachauri & Sebastian Groh, 2018. "A critical review of modern approaches for multidimensional energy poverty measurement," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(6), November.
    13. Abre-Rehmat Qurat-ul-Ann & Faisal Mehmood Mirza, 2021. "Multidimensional Energy Poverty in Pakistan: Empirical Evidence from Household Level Micro Data," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 155(1), pages 211-258, May.
    14. Mara Hammerle & Paul J. Burke, 2022. "Solar PV and energy poverty in Australia's residential sector," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 66(4), pages 822-841, October.
    15. Ray, Sudatta, 2020. "Beyond Lights: The Changing Impact of Rural Electrification on Indian Agriculture," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304223, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    16. Gupta, Ridhima & Pelli, Martino, 2021. "Electrification and cooking fuel choice in rural India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    17. Brian Blankenship & Johannes Urpelainen, 2020. "Electric Shock: The 2012 India Blackout and Public Confidence in Politicians," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 37(4), pages 464-490, July.
    18. Deutschmann, Joshua W. & Postepska, Agnieszka & Sarr, Leopold, 2021. "Measuring willingness to pay for reliable electricity: Evidence from Senegal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    19. Laldjebaev, Murodbek & Hussain, Azmat, 2021. "Significance of context, metrics and datasets in assessment of multidimensional energy poverty: A case study of Tajikistan," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    20. George E. Halkos & Panagiotis-Stavros C. Aslanidis, 2023. "Addressing Multidimensional Energy Poverty Implications on Achieving Sustainable Development," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-30, April.

    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:145:y:2020:i:c:s0301421520305036. 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.