A First Step up the Energy Ladder? Low Cost Solar Kits and Household's Welfare in Rural Rwanda

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in

Exposure reductions associated with introduction of solar lamps to kerosene lamp-using households in Busia County, Kenya

“…Children doing their homework might not have benefited at all from the solar lamp, depending on priorities within the family. Other related studies of which we are aware, although few, have focused on the economic implications of solar lamp introduction or reduction in burns and have mostly provided only one solar lamp per household. This may have limited the measured benefits.…”

Willingness to Pay for Solar Lanterns: Does the Trial Period Play a Role?

“…One possibility is that, since solar technologies are relatively new, consumers are worried about low quality and are unwilling to pay for them because of the perceived risk of a malfunctioning product (Asfaw & Admassie, ; Dercon & Christiaensen, ; Foster & Rosenzweig, ; Guiteras, Levine, Polley, & Quistorff, ; Levine, Beltramo, Blalock, & Cotterman, ). Liquidity constraints and affordability are another key hypothesis, with evidence ranging from the nonadoption of fertilizer to the low demand for clean cookstoves and, indeed, solar lanterns (Duflo, Kremer, & Robinson, ; Giné & Yang, ; Grimm, Munyehirwe, Peters, & Sievert, ; Mobarak, Dwivedi, Bailis, Hildemann, & Miller, ). Conversely, some experiments also indicate that the benefits of these products may be limited (Furukawa, ).…”

Does basic energy access generate socioeconomic benefits? A field experiment with off-grid solar power in India

“…According to these studies, even a minimal increase in the availability of electricity can generate substantial socioeconomic benefits. For example, one field experiment finds that in 15 villages in rural Rwanda, a simple “solar kit” (light, mobile charger, and radio) reduces energy expenditures and enhances productivity and convenience ( 20 ). Existing research suggests that off-grid technologies can produce socioeconomic effects similar to the ones from grid access, although the scale is likely to be smaller.…”

“…Existing research suggests that off-grid technologies can produce socioeconomic effects similar to the ones from grid access, although the scale is likely to be smaller. However, all of these studies, except the small field experiment in Rwanda ( 20 ), are observational, so they are not suitable for the estimation of causal effects.…”

“…Second, we examine broader socioeconomic benefits. Improved lighting could bring socioeconomic benefits in the form of enhanced home business activity at night, better conditions for studying, and savings from kerosene expenditures ( 14 , 16 , 20 ). Because previous observational studies have found anecdotal evidence of off-grid solar power and female empowerment ( 18 , 24 ), we also test for these effects.…”