Promoting household energy conservation in low-income households through tailored interventions in Grahamstown, South Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 131 ◽  
pp. 327-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Thondhlana ◽  
H.W. Kua
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Energy Conservation ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Household Energy ◽  
Tailored Interventions ◽  
Low Income Households

scholarly journals Reported Behavioural Patterns of Electricity Use among Low-Income Households in Makhanda, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7271
Author(s):  
Uzziah Mutumbi ◽  
Gladman Thondhlana ◽  
Sheunesu Ruwanza
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Electricity Use ◽  
Behavioural Patterns ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Basic Services ◽  
Low Income Households

Households consume up to 20% of overall electricity consumption globally; hence, they are important role players in efforts towards promoting sustainable consumption. Research on electricity use behaviour is important for informing intervention strategies; however, relative to developed countries, research on this subject is lacking in developing countries where electricity access is limited. In South Africa, electricity use behaviour among poor neighbourhoods remains little studied and understood. This study was carried out among low-income households in Makhanda, South Africa, characterised by high poverty and unemployment rates, low education levels, and limited access to basic services. Using a self-reporting approach, electricity use behaviour of low-income households was assessed against a list of common household electricity use actions. A survey of 297 households was conducted. The findings show mixed results, with households reporting both good electricity use behaviour (e.g., cooling down hot food before refrigeration and using washing machines on full load) and wasteful actions (e.g., leaving appliances on standby). Our results show that electricity use behaviour was influenced by socio-psychological values including universalism, benevolence, hedonism, and power. Some of the reported electricity behavioural patterns are consistent with those previously reported among high-income households. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.

Energy poverty and cooking energy requirements: The forgotten issue in South African energy policy?

2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Balmer
Keyword(s):  
Energy Policy ◽  
South African ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Energy Poverty ◽  
Household Energy ◽  
Human Need ◽  
Cooking Energy ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Low Income Households

Cooking energy is a necessary input for satisfying the basic human need of survival. Much has been written about poverty, energy, development, envi-ronment and gender, but unfortunately, recent poli-cies adopted by the South African government have completely failed to adequately address the issue. The focus of energy and most notably renewable energy policy has shifted form the previous approach of increasing access to energy sources for low-income households to addressing climate change issues. Pro-poor policies have suffered and important fuel such as wood fuel is not addressed. It is argued that without adequately addressing ther-mal requirements of low-income households, ener-gy poverty cannot be addressed. The aim of the paper is firstly, to contextualise cooking and cooking energy within a framework of household energy, poverty, multiple fuel use and gender issues and secondly, to provide an overview of the cost and externalities associated with household cooking. Lastly, the paper proposes interventions to address cooking energy in a sustainable manner in South Africa.

Energy Conservation for Low-Income Households

1988 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard S. Ridge
Keyword(s):  
Energy Conservation ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Low Income Households
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