Promotion of household renewable energy technologies in rural communities: Challenges and experiences in Sub-Saharan Africa

摘要

It has been recognised that renewable energy technologies have an important role to play in an effort to achieve sustainable livelihoods and socio-economic development in rural communities. Several technologies ranging from wood/charcoal stoves, bio-gas digesters to solar photovoltaicrsquo;s for electricity generation are used in households and rural communities in the Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper highlights the energy crisis facing Sub-Saharan Africa and efforts of some organizations involved in promoting the renewable energy technologies in Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Kenya. Key issue on the promotion of solar PV systems and the new developed low-cost tubular bio-gas systems have been discussed to highlight the challenges at hand. It is argued that more efforts need to be put in place to popularize the technologies and participatory methods which involve medium scale entrepreneurs be encouraged in trying to alleviate the energy problems in rural communities. nbsp;