The troubled path to ending darkness: Energy injustice encounters in Malawi’s off-grid solar market

Samarakoon, Shanil

doi:10.1016/j.erss.2020.101712

Cited by 58 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…The choice of battery technology usually depends on the capital cost -not the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE)-and availability in local markets. Lead-acid car batteries and lead-acid absorbent glass mats are typical for SHS in SSA, while Li-ion batteries remain minoritarial [20]. The initial battery choice influences the number of discharge cycles (lifespan) under a certain depth-of-discharge (DOD).…”

Section: Appendix A2 Charge Controller and Cablingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this line, a significant difference in LAB lifetime can be found between theoretical SHS studies, ranging 5-7 years [14][15][16] and real-case studies in rural SSA of 1-3 years [13,[17][18][19][20]. In addition to this, SHS components without internationally-accepted quality certifications, frequently sold at local markets in SSA (estimated to represent the 72% of the total SHS [20]), represent a major issue for environmental impact, due to the ridiculously low life-spans, which are sometimes in the range of weeks [21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental Impact of Solar Home Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa

2021

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Solar home systems (SHS) represent one of the most promising technologies for a rapid and independent electrification in those areas of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) without access to electricity. This study addressed the environmental impact of SHS in SSA through updated life cycle inventories and five impact categories: greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, fossil fuels, metal and water depletion and human toxicity. Sixteen scenarios were considered, including manufacturing, transportation, recycling and user-related variables, such as the installation site, adequacy of SHS user operation and battery lifespan. The results showed that lead-acid batteries were the largest contributor to environmental impact among the SHS components, accounting for up to 36–76% of the environmental impact indicators. Apart from the components, user training for SHS operation, with the goal of maximizing usable energy and battery lifetime, proved to be critical to achieve improvements in the energy payback time and GHG emissions, which (under scenarios of high solar resources) can reach the range of 5.3–7.1 years and 0.14–0.18 kgCO2 eq/kWh, respectively. In addition, SHS GHG emission factors were benchmarked with those of other electrification approaches, such as national grids, 100% PV and hybrid PV-diesel off-grid mini grids and off-grid diesel generators. SHS achieved GHG emission factor values equivalent to PV-based mini grids in most scenarios and was strikingly lower compared to SSA national grids and diesel generators.

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Section: Appendix A2 Charge Controller and Cablingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Impact of Solar Home Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa

2021

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“…Chirambo (2016) shows, for example, that a national level combination of price guarantee schemes, cross subsidies and environmental taxes would cause higher levels of international energy sector investment. There has also been some recent critical re ection on the effectiveness of international renewable investment in Malawi in relation to systems of off-grid solar (Samarakoon, 2020).…”

Section: Energy Challenges In Malawimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, vulnerability to climate changes through reliance on hydropower impact of energy provision; a drought in Malawi led to a nation-wide blackout in December 2017 and modelling conducted by the IPCC reported in the 2019 African Energy Outlook (IEA, 2019) predict decreasing capacity of hydropower with climate changes. The Malawi's Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining announced in October 2018 that it must import energy (20MW) from Zambia for the signi cant threat of blackouts (Samarakoon, 2020). The Chinese backed Kam'mwamba Coal Power Station offers to deliver 300 MW of electricity to the national grid, almost doubling the existing national electricity generation output.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Achieving Energy Justice in Malawi: From key Challenges to Policy Recommendations

McCauley

Grant

Mwathunga

2021

Preprint

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Addressing energy provision and access in Sub-Saharan Africa is a key global challenge. This paper builds a deep understanding of how fair and just energy policies and realties are in this context. It qualitatively assesses the perceptions of stakeholders in Malawi, where electricity access remains amongst the lowest in the region. Insufficient and unreliable systems of grid energy generation and distribution limit access to electricity in both urban and rural settings. Using wood fuel remains high for meeting cooking, heating, and lighting needs. Responding to these dual challenges, of lacking electricity access and ongoing wood fuel use, must be rooted in notions of equity, fairness, and justice. This paper argues that energy justice provides key insights into how best to respond to complex and interconnected issues of energy generation and access in low-income settings. Drawing on interviews with key stakeholders in policy and Malawi on addressing these challenges, this paper also outlines recommendations for policy. Overall, a just response to these energy challenges is possible, but only if it is built on local inclusive governance with fairer and effective systems of investment.

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“…[33] The authors say that framing discrepancies between the policy elites and residents represents a reflection of procedural injustice. [34] The authors argued that solar products are celebrated as encouraging development, and there is a limited discourse about the consequences of relying on off-grid solar markets to address energy poverty. The authors presented a case study of Malawi to demonstrate how a poorly regulated solar market has generated injustice in the local settings.…”

Section: Referencementioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainability, Sociocultural Challenges, and New Power of Capitalism for Renewable Energy Megaprojects in an Indigenous Mayan Community of Mexico

et al. 2020

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Sustainable development is an integrated blend of energetic, economic, social, environmental, and governmental actors, making it one of the most challenging and subjective aims of the United Nations. A sustainability project that does not consider any of these parameters can generate resistance among different actors of society. In this work, we have demonstrated that the traditional definition of sustainability encompassing economic development, environmental protection, and social justice does not adequately cover large-scale renewable energy projects. We have presented an illuminating case study of solar development in the Yucatan state of Mexico to show that the traditional three-legged stool of sustainable development fails to accommodate local power relations and their role in energy decision-making. This point is made through a substantive and illuminating ethnography of a solar project in the community of San José Tipceh, which involves the importance of energy democracy and understanding power relations in any assessment of sustainable development. These power relations are an important component of sustainable development, and all megaprojects, especially renewable energy projects, require special attention in the governance processes. Through an analysis of an example of implementation of a mega solar project, we argue that the methodology through which the power is exercised is an exercise of great importance because it leads us to a scientific discussion that structures an international reflection on sustainability. The case study consists of mixed methods, including several techniques to deepen the analysis of sociocultural aspects, and tries to present the limits and show the weakness of the sustainability perspective in such megaprojects. It is concluded that environmental justice as a basic element of the new era of renewable energies is limited and can generate social injustices. In the same way, this work shows how power is exercised in the implementation of energy projects and in the absence of equitable comprehensive governance that does not consider the local sociocultural contexts of the communities, resulting in the generation of new powers and permanent conflicts. At the end of this work, a framework to empower local sociocultural contexts for an equitable energy transition is recommended.

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The troubled path to ending darkness: Energy injustice encounters in Malawi’s off-grid solar market

Cited by 58 publications

References 40 publications

Environmental Impact of Solar Home Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa

Environmental Impact of Solar Home Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa

Achieving Energy Justice in Malawi: From key Challenges to Policy Recommendations

Sustainability, Sociocultural Challenges, and New Power of Capitalism for Renewable Energy Megaprojects in an Indigenous Mayan Community of Mexico

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