Energy poverty and the perception of, and satisfaction with, renewable energy technologies: The case of solar villages in Pakistan

Abstract

This paper assesses users' satisfaction with renewable energy technologies (RET) and compares it with non-users' perception of RET. Non-users' perception of RET was investigated in nearly 600 households in 25 rural communities in Punjab province, Pakistan. User's satisfaction with RET was assessed in two solar villages in northern Punjab that had been equipped with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in 2004-2005 as an alternative to on-grid electricity. Our results reveal major discrepancies between perceptions of RET in non-RET communities and users' satisfaction with solar PV systems in RET communities. Rural households in non-RET communities have extremely high expectations of RET, especially of solar PV systems; by contrast, households who had adopted solar PV systems showed high levels of resentment, anger, and disappointment toward this technology. Our findings also show that deployment of solar PV systems has not led to the expected improvements in user households' energy poverty status. Thus, merely providing appropriate technology to the poor is not enough to ensure success. A sense of ownership and acceptance of the technology among local residents is needed in order for the technology to contribute to development and, eventually, poverty alleviation.