Efficacy of solar power units for small-scale businesses in a remote rural area, South Africa
- Authors: Hajat, A , Banks, D , Aiken, R , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2009
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6636 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006860
- Description: Much work has considered the practicalities and affordability of solar systems for domestic energy supplies in remote rural areas. There is less understanding of its utility for small-scale business enterprises in such areas. We examined the patterns of use of two 12 V and one 24 V systems for small-scale enterprises housed in transportable containers. Monitoring of load shed and top of charge indicated that the 12 V systems were inadequate to meet the requirements of the enterprises. The 24 V operation performed a lot better. Despite some technical limitations the system offered a number of social, economic and environmental positives; primarily the offering of business products not otherwise available in the area, incomes to the entrepreneurs and greater connectivity with regional centres through office services such as cell-phone charging and faxing. Customers of the small-scale enterprises felt that their presence in the area saved them some money because they no longer had to travel as frequently to regional urban centres.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Exploring the options for fuelwood policies to support poverty alleviation policies: Evolving dimensions in South Africa
- Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M , Buiten, Erik , Annecke, W , Banks, D , Bester, J , Everson, T , Fabricius, Christo , Ham, C , Kees, M , Modise, M , Phago, M , Prasad, Gisela , Twine, Wayne , Underwood, Michael , von Maltitz, Graham P , Wentzel, P
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181213 , vital:43709 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14728028.2007.9752604"
- Description: Access to secure and affordable energy supplies is widely acknowledged as a critical foundation for sustainable development; inadequate access exacerbates household poverty. In the developing world poor households are frequently reliant upon fuel wood for all or most of their energy needs. However, national poverty alleviation policies commonly do not consider fuelwood within their strategies, and similarly, energy policies rarely consider the poverty alleviation potential of a comprehensive fuelwood strategy. Consequently, synergies between poverty alleviation and energy policies—with fuelwood (and its derivates) as the bridge—are needed. This paper discusses this potential using South Africa as a case example. The current policy environment that either favours or hinders a linkage between the poverty and energy sectors and policy options and strategies available to develop such links, are discussed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007