Exploring household energy transitions in rural Zambia: user perspective

This research paper examines the adoption of electricity services from a 60 kW solar mini-grid in Mpanta, Zambia, using service design approaches to identify barriers to household energy transitions.

• The study identifies that a slow and partial shift in household energy use is caused by limited integration of local socioeconomic dynamics into mini-grid service design—specifically regarding affordability—and poor management of expectations.
• Renewable energy mini-grids are viewed as critical for achieving universal access to modern energy services in rural Africa, especially where extending the grid is financially or technically unviable, though they often struggle with sustainability once initial funding ceases.
• The paper suggests that incorporating the user perspective during the design, evaluation, and implementation of mini-grids can assist in adapting services to the local context and identifying barriers to adoption.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2018). Exploring household energy transitions in rural Zambia: user perspective. https://www.sei.org/publications/exploring-household-energy-transitions-in-rural-zambia-user-perspective/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Exploring household energy transitions in rural Zambia: user perspective. 2018. https://www.sei.org/publications/exploring-household-energy-transitions-in-rural-zambia-user-perspective/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Exploring household energy transitions in rural Zambia: user perspective |date=28 June 2018 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/exploring-household-energy-transitions-in-rural-zambia-user-perspective/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2018exploring, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Exploring household energy transitions in rural Zambia: user perspective}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2018}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/exploring-household-energy-transitions-in-rural-zambia-user-perspective/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }