Can community based solar energy initiatives deliver on women's empowerment in India? Evidence from rural Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

The empowerment of women as an outcome of efforts towards realizing clean energy access is understudied and merits systematic investigation. To develop a local ecosystem for sales and services of energy technologies, a multi-state solar lamp initiative provided technical and entrepreneurial training to assemble, sell and repair solar lamps in rural communities of India. At the end of the project, women were encouraged to start their own energy enterprises. This study explores the impact of providing skills-based training through a solar lamp initiative on women's empowerment. Longitudinal data from 313 women associated with the solar initiative in the states of Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, were collected. Linear regression models to predict three indicators of women's empowerment — assertiveness, decision-making, and satisfaction, were developed. This study observed the progress of women providers over one year and found that their perception of assertiveness, satisfaction, and decision-making ability significantly changed. Skills positively and significantly predicted women's ability to express their opinion in public. Decision-making on work, children, mobility, and control over money was significantly associated with the skills and occupations of women. Satisfaction was strongly associated with education, income, and occupation. The study demonstrated that as skill level increased, assertiveness and decision-making improved. Empowerment is a complex, multi-dimensional, and long-term process. However, results from this yearlong study indicate that the solar energy initiative in providing skills and training for women could be instrumental towards their empowerment. Results suggest the significant potential of energy programs in empowering women as energy providers in rural areas of India.