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Examining the Journey of a Pay-as-You-Go Solar Home System Customer: A Case Study of Rwanda

Author

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  • Vivien Kizilcec

    (Engineering for International Development Research Centre, The Bartlett School of Construction and Project Management, University College London, London WC1H 0NN, UK)

  • Priti Parikh

    (Engineering for International Development Research Centre, The Bartlett School of Construction and Project Management, University College London, London WC1H 0NN, UK)

  • Iwona Bisaga

    (Engineering for International Development Research Centre, The Bartlett School of Construction and Project Management, University College London, London WC1H 0NN, UK
    Department of Geography and Environment, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK)

Abstract

Solar home systems (SHSs) are successfully addressing energy access deficits across the globe, particularly when combined with pay-as-you-go (PAYG) payment models, allowing households to pay for energy services in small instalments. To increase energy access, it is vital to understand the PAYG SHS customer journey in depth. To aid this, the paper presents unique data from active customers, consisting of structured interviews ( n = 100) and two focus groups ( n = 24) across two districts in Rwanda. These results are presented under a novel customer journey framework, which describes all the individual stages a customer might experience, including awareness and understanding, purchase, usage, upgrade, recommendation and retaining or switching energy source. The paper reveals that the customer journey is non-linear and cyclical in nature, acknowledging that a household operates in a social network within which they could influence or be influenced by others. It also highlights the growing importance of SHS recommendations in raising awareness of SHSs, pointing to the shifts in the off-grid energy market environment where customer awareness no longer appears to be a main adoption barrier.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:2:p:330-:d:477325
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Paul G. Munro & Shanil Samarakoon & Ulrich E. Hansen & Matthew Kearnes & Anna Bruce & Jamie Cross & Sarah Walker & Collen Zalengera, 2023. "Towards a repair research agenda for off-grid solar e-waste in the Global South," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 8(2), pages 123-128, February.
    3. Indre Siksnelyte-Butkiene, 2021. "A Systematic Literature Review of Indices for Energy Poverty Assessment: A Household Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-27, September.
    4. Mukisa, Nicholas & Manitisa, Mele Sikimeti & Nduhuura, Paul & Tugume, Erick & Chalwe, Chanda Karen, 2022. "Solar home systems adoption in Sub-Saharan African countries: Household economic and environmental benefits assessment," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 836-852.

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