The dynamics of urban household energy poverty and energy transition in Mozambique

Carlos Shenga,Matthew Cotton,Lorraine Howe,Joshua Kirshner

doi:10.3351/ppp.2022.4945826875

Abstract

The dynamics of urban household energy poverty and energy transition in Mozambique

Highlights

The global energy system faces three primary challenges in meeting the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 7 to ‘ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy’
In this paper we explore these dynamics through qualitative research in Mozambique
Since this study is focused on urban households, where access rates are typically higher ranging between 57 per cent (IEA, 2020) and 73 per cent (World Bank, 2021) depending on which data source is used, we explore the concept of energy transition from the perspective of renewable energy

Summary

Introduction

The global energy system faces three primary challenges in meeting the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 7 to ‘ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy’. It faces an urgent need for energy transition to improve the scale of energy service provision, reduce the carbon-intensity of fuel sources, and provide fair and equal access These include: the growing risk of energy supply disruption, environmental damage caused by energy production and use (notably towards climate change and air pollution), and alleviating entrenched energy poverty (Birol, 2007). Reduction in the use of domestic biomass fuels (notably charcoal) has potential respiratory health benefits, reduces risks of injury or property damage from fire, and ameliorates forest habitats from deforestation (Mensah et al, 2020) These benefits are firmly established in the political imagination, such that expansion of grid access is prioritised as a matter of social justice for development organisations and state authorities, as well as a popular (and vote-winning) issue amongst urban and rural publics (Imami et al, 2020). Technical factors: such as balancing of centralised (usually fossil-fuel powered) electricity generation and decentralised (often renewable) electricity grids (Brisbois, 2020; Williams and Short, 2020), the public expenditure contribution differential between fossil fuel subsidisation and renewables-based electricity

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion