The Roles of Government and the Public Utility in Achieving Universal Access to Electricity

The Politics of Electricity Access and Environmental Security in Mozambique

“…What is needed is further decision-support related research, in which policy responses can be tailored to future access goals in a way that accounts for broader socioeconomic and governance challenges and the ways in which social and political dynamics may reshape new energy systems. Currently, there is a gap between seeking to fulfil national SDGs (including SDG#7 on universal energy access by 2030) and the needs of poor households (De Fatima, Arthur, and Cockerill 2019). Fostering local ownership of community-based systems, capacity-building approaches and stakeholder empowerment are approaches with untapped potential to secure energy services without creating additional environmental pressures upon delicate and fragmented ecosystems from charcoal and fuel wood extraction, and to coordinate electricity grid connection is a manner consonant with 'bottom-up' community-led climate adaptation planning that would reduce livelihood vulnerability from electricity cuts resulting from extreme weather events.…”

“…FUNAE promotes off-grid solar PV, stand-alone systems and mini-grids, mini-hydropower and biomass (FUNAE 2019). However, less than 1% of households have benefited from such off-grid connections, as FUNAE has mostly focused on electrifying schools, hospitals, administrative offices and pumping stations with solar panels (De Fatima, Arthur, and Cockerill 2019). What is more, many of the household connections have failed, due to operational and management issues (Baruah and Coleman 2019), stymieing progress towards connecting the 5.9 million households needed to achieve universal access (De Fatima, Arthur, and Cockerill 2019).…”

“…However, less than 1% of households have benefited from such off-grid connections, as FUNAE has mostly focused on electrifying schools, hospitals, administrative offices and pumping stations with solar panels (De Fatima, Arthur, and Cockerill 2019). What is more, many of the household connections have failed, due to operational and management issues (Baruah and Coleman 2019), stymieing progress towards connecting the 5.9 million households needed to achieve universal access (De Fatima, Arthur, and Cockerill 2019). Urban population growth is also outstripping the pace at which households have been connected to the grid (Brew-Hammond 2010, Cipriano, Waugh, andMatos 2015), making the challenge even harder.…”

“…In political terms, the Government of Mozambique has recently approved a new mandate for the energy regulatory authority, ARENE, to operate from 2018, with enhanced powers over tariff-setting, concession-granting and compliance controls (De Fatima, Arthur, and Cockerill 2019). ARENE's main activity is to regulate electricity subsectors, including those resulting from any source of RETs, liquid fuels, biofuels, and the distribution and commercialisation of natural gas.…”

Household Electricity Generation as a Way of Energy Independence of States—Social Context of Energy Management

“…The role of off-grid mini-grids, which is currently limited, should be expected to increase, especially when access initiatives are aimed at providing electricity to manufacturing and commercial activities, as well as to households. For sustainable development and effective functioning of autonomous mini-grids, an enabling environment is necessary, which includes specific policies and regulations, adapted financing mechanisms, institutional conditions, a focus on capacity building, and adaptation of technology [18].…”