IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v17y2024i14p3556-d1438714.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring Off-Grid Energy Choices: Household Decisions in Upper Blinkwater, South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Mahali Elizabeth Lesala

    (Physics Department, Faculty of Science & Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South Africa)

  • Golden Makaka

    (Physics Department, Faculty of Science & Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South Africa)

  • Patrick Mukumba

    (Physics Department, Faculty of Science & Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South Africa)

Abstract

Household energy is critical for sustainable development, but many rural and off-grid communities lack access. As global concerns about climate change prompt a re-evaluation of energy strategies, understanding rural household energy decisions becomes increasingly complex, particularly in remote areas without grid access. This study examines the energy decisions of households in the Upper Blinkwater community to uncover the primary drivers for their choice of energy amidst grid connections. Survey data from 53 households were analyzed using multivariate regression. The findings revealed significant economic vulnerability among the respondents, marked by high unemployment and limited resource access, with the majority of households relying on social grants. These households depend on multiple energy sources, with firewood usage significantly influenced by the availability of grants, total income, post-primary education, household size, and remittance income. The findings contradict the energy ladder hypothesis, indicating that despite economic improvements, a complete transition to modern fuels may not be possible as firewood remains a crucial energy source. These results highlight the complex interplay of economic, social, and cultural factors in household energy decisions and underscore the importance of enhancing infrastructure, providing economic incentives, and conducting educational campaigns to facilitate the transition to cleaner energy alternatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Mahali Elizabeth Lesala & Golden Makaka & Patrick Mukumba, 2024. "Exploring Off-Grid Energy Choices: Household Decisions in Upper Blinkwater, South Africa," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:14:p:3556-:d:1438714
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/14/3556/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/14/3556/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Abubakar Hamid Danlami & Rabiul Islam & Shri Dewi Applanaidu, 2015. "An Analysis of the Determinants of Households Energy Choice: A Search for Conceptual Framework," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 5(1), pages 197-205.
    2. Korngiebel, D.M. & Taualii, M. & Forquera, R. & Harris, R. & Buchwald, D., 2015. "Addressing the challenges of research with small populations," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(9), pages 1744-1747.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Rabiul Islam & Rusdi Omar & Ahmad Bashawir Abdul Ghani & Bakri Mat, 2020. "Impact of Global Energy Politics on International Trade," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 10(6), pages 109-115.
    2. Mahali Elizabeth Lesala & Ngwarai Shambira & Golden Makaka & Patrick Mukumba, 2023. "The Energy Poverty Status of Off-Grid Rural Households: A Case of the Upper Blinkwater Community in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-15, November.
    3. Jhon J. P rez & Efra n Bernal & Juan S. Giraldo, 2019. "Methodology to Evaluate the Residential Electrical Stock Appliances According to Socioeconomic Status," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 9(3), pages 114-120.
    4. repec:eco:journ2:2017-04-13 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Mahali Elizabeth Lesala & Ngwarai Shambira & Golden Makaka & Patrick Mukumba, 2024. "Exploring Energy Poverty among Off-Grid Households in the Upper Blinkwater Community, South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-24, May.
    6. Shittu, Ibrahim & Abdul Latiff, Abdul Rais Bin & Baharudin, Siti 'Aisyah, 2024. "Closing the clean cooking gap: Which policies and institutional qualities matter?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).

    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:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:14:p:3556-:d:1438714. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.