Examining justice issues in minigrids for rural electrification: a participatory and interdisciplinary study

Electricity is necessary for many basic needs, but globally over 700 million people lack access. Economic modelling suggests that minigrids or solar home systems are often the most cost-effective solution in unelectrified rural areas. There has been an increase in the role of the private sector in delivering these projects, which leads to justice questions about implementation. This thesis uses participatory and interdisciplinary approaches to explore justice issues in minigrids for rural electrification in Tanzania. Six rural minigrids were visited across the country, with one village, Mpale, forming the main case study. Data collection methods include interviews, focus groups, surveys, observations and participatory activities. Data were analysed using a grounded coding methodology in NVivo and through economic and technical approaches. This included a distributional analysis of tariff costs and a comparison of measured load profiles with customer survey data. The use of participatory methods in this research provided additional insights, developed through more equal relationships with communities, as well as outputs that benefited the communities I worked with and the minigrid sector in Tanzania. I have found that energy justice issues manifest in many ways. Poorer households often pay more per unit of electricity than others. Under some tariffs, households self-disconnect, which also influences the load profiles of minigrids. Community perspectives are often only considered to a limited amount and are not given adequate information. There is discordance between community expectations and project realities, particularly regarding tariff costs. Load-profile modelling doesn’t adequately consider the local context, particularly the affordability of tariffs and desired demand compared to actual usage. I conclude that there needs to be consideration of justice issues in rural minigrids. Increased participation of communities in policy and project planning would help to ensure their needs are better considered, which may also increase the likelihood of projects being successful.