Determinants of household energy choices in rural sub-Saharan Africa: An example from southern Ethiopia

This study analyses the determinants of rural household energy choices for cooking and lighting in southern Ethiopia by using data from a cross-sectional study of 660 sample households and direct observational studies. Chi-square tests and Multivariate Probit (MVP) model were used to analyse the data. The findings showed that most of the rural households depend on fuelwood (90.70%) while only 3.14% use clean fuels as primary sources of energy for cooking. In contrast, 50% use kerosene, 29% electricity, 19% solar, and 1.98% biogas as primary lighting energy sources. The Chi-square tests revealed that a statistically significant relationship exists between household cooking fuel choices and distance to wood source, household size, income level, and location. Empirical results of the MVP model showed that rural household energy choices for lighting are significantly influenced by income level, family size, access to road, location, education level, cost of technology, and distance to market. Wealthier and more educated households residing near road access were more likely to use cleaner lighting fuels while poorer households residing in areas with limited road access use kerosene and dry-cell batteries. However, higher-income level and grid-connection have not led households to completely forgo the use of traditional cooking and lighting fuels. While income remains a principal factor, the study finds that various non-income factors also play a major role in determining household energy choices and transition. And hence, policymakers and energy planners in Ethiopia and sub-Saharan Africa at large need to consider these diverse factors when designing energy policies and interventions to rural areas.