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A model to evaluate the success of Solar Home Systems

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  • Holtorf, Hans
  • Urmee, Tania
  • Calais, Martina
  • Pryor, Trevor

Abstract

Around 20% of the world’s population currently do not have access to electricity while the importance of electricity services for society continues to increase. Solar Home Systems (SHS) are a competitive option for supplying basic electrification under meteorological conditions in Sunbelt countries. However, many of the SHS electrification programmes have failed in the past. Furthermore, their evaluation is often still based on one individual indicator such as the number of disseminated systems. This research explores how to measure success of SHSs in a comprehensive manner. Success can be defined as the achievement of self-set goals. From this statement a model of success was developed which incorporates all key-stakeholders and their multiple self-set goals. The model of success combines the individual level of success with the SHS implementation’s overall success. A hypothetical example is used to demonstrate the application of the model. The challenges relating to the measurement of success are also illustrated. The resulting methodology combines general success factor research, diffusion of innovation research, and lessons learned from SHS projects. The drawbacks of the current approaches to SHS implementation, and their characteristic of still being an innovation, were also determined. The proposed model of success can be applied to pre-evaluate SHS programmes, to evaluate existing SHS projects, and to observe and evaluate the development of SHS implementation over time.

Suggested Citation

  • Holtorf, Hans & Urmee, Tania & Calais, Martina & Pryor, Trevor, 2015. "A model to evaluate the success of Solar Home Systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 245-255.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:50:y:2015:i:c:p:245-255
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2015.05.015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Barrie, Jack & Cruickshank, Heather J., 2017. "Shedding light on the last mile: A study on the diffusion of Pay As You Go Solar Home Systems in Central East Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 425-436.
    3. Burmester, Daniel & Rayudu, Ramesh & Seah, Winston & Akinyele, Daniel, 2017. "A review of nanogrid topologies and technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 760-775.
    4. Vivien Kizilcec & Priti Parikh & Iwona Bisaga, 2021. "Examining the Journey of a Pay-as-You-Go Solar Home System Customer: A Case Study of Rwanda," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-26, January.
    5. Joshi, Lalita & Choudhary, Deepak & Kumar, Praveen & Venkateswaran, Jayendran & Solanki, Chetan S., 2019. "Does involvement of local community ensure sustained energy access? A critical review of a solar PV technology intervention in rural India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 272-281.
    6. Khan, Imran, 2020. "Impacts of energy decentralization viewed through the lens of the energy cultures framework: Solar home systems in the developing economies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).

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