RURAL ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: SOUTH AND EAST SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

BY

T. C. LITHOLE

University of Cape Town

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Cape Town in fulfilment for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering.

The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgement of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only.

Published by the University of Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author.

University of Cape Town DECLARATION

I, Thifhelimbilu Christopher Lithole, submit this thesis in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science in Engineerin~/ I claim that this is my original work and that it has 1'1ot been submitted in this or in ·a similar form for a degree at any other University. I

T. C. Lithole BSc. (Hons) Energy Studies

___University day of ______of Cape_ 1997 Town -i-

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

There are some common chabcteristics of rural communities throughout the world. They tend to lack a good econo,~ic infrastructure, essential social amenities, tourist potential, good road infrastructure, literacy, and most importantly, scarcity of sufficient energy supply to meet basic needs, and deteriorating environments due to increasing pressure on available traditional energy resources.

Furthermore, rural areas in the developing countries of South and East Sub-Saharan Africa are characterised by high population ratios, low levels of income, concentration of poverty, significant ~?cio-economic disparities relative to urban area, and a high rate rural-urban migration. According tQ.the figure below, the percentage rural population in the region was over 70% in 1993, with Rwanda and Uganda 94% and 88% respectively.

Mozambique ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Zambia .•,.

South Africa ~<;· .

Zaire ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-..-..-..-..~...... ~-..-..-..~~~~l

Sudan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Uganda .Somalia

Rwanda ~-..;..;..;..;..;..;..;..;..;..;..;..;..;..;..;..;..;.;.;..;..;.;..;..~;..NN;..;..nNNNNN~:t"-..NNN;..;..~-..-..-..-..-..-_.-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..~-,,.-,,.)

0 20 40 60 80 100

Rural Population (%of total) University of Cape Town Rural Population as % of total population for selected countries in the region

The availability of adequate and convenient energy is essential in addressing these priorities of rural development. The development of energy resources for rural areas is, therefore, closely linked to the economic, social and environmental concerns of mainstream rural development. Unlike growth-driven energy development for industrialisation and urbanisation, rural energy development must consider social and environmental development. More importantly, it must be people-oriented.

The result of the study has indicated that the pace of energy transition from traditional to commercial energy in the rural areas of countries in the region has lagged behind that in urban areas, a similar situation to that existing between developing countries and developed countries. Significant rural-urban inequalities in commercial energy supply and consumption exist. Rural communities still continue to rely heavily on traditional energy, mainly biomass - ii - resources. The per capita consumption of eriergy by these countries was found to be generally low, especially when compared with developed countries, whereas a different situation exist with energy intensity, with developing countries consuming more energy per GDP than developed countries as reflected by the figure below.

Tanzania Zimbabwe South Africa Mozambique Kenya Ethiopia

Japan USA Norway Germany France Australia

0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00