Illuminating energy poverty: a case study of the energy needs and challenges of low-income households in De Aar, a renewable energy hub in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province
| dc.contributor.advisor | Walker, Cherryl | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Borchardt, Stephanie Paula | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-03-05T08:53:47Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-05-18T07:06:40Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-03-05T08:53:47Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-05-18T07:06:40Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023-03 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation aims to examine the energy needs and energy challenges facing low-income households in the small Karoo town of De Aar, in the Northern Cape in the context of a local municipality that is struggling to sustain their electricity distribution. This is then further explored in relation to the significant investment in renewable energy that is currently taking place around the town, as part of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). This dissertation does so through a mixed method case study of household energy poverty and precarity in Kareeville, a low-income neighborhood of De Aar which is supplemented by research on the Emthanjeni Local Municipality regarding its socio-economic challenges and energy infrastructure issues as well as on the contribution that renewable energy companies are making to local economic development. This research made use of a case study design which I have employed through a mixed methods approach involving semi-structured in-depth interviews, observation, social media, policy and document analysis and a survey with key informants, residents from Kareeville, local municipal officials, NGO personal, farmers and representatives from renewable energy companies in De Aar. My primary research findings reveal that energy poverty is endemic in Kareeville residential area. Whilst households have access to electricity, the affordability of the resource remains outside of their grasp. Managing household energy consumption in poor households is therefore a constant source of stress. Households employ various strategies to secure not only electricity but other fuel types such as wood, paraffin, and gas to meet their most basic of needs. Tensions around daily energy challenges play out across gender and generational lines, with household members often pitted against each other in terms of their individual and collective energy needs and preferences. The burden of energy management in financially stressed households is often felt particularly heavily by older women who, because of their gender and age, are unlikely to be working outside the home and are responsible for cooking, cleaning, and childcare. From this perspective renewable energy companies in the local municipality could make an important contribution to local development through securing the towns energy supply and providing affordable electricity to the communities. Their development programmes, while making some contribution, only benefit a select few on a short-term basis. The top-down approach from renewable energy companies towards community development appear as tick-box exercises and remain ineffective with regards to upliftment and empowerment of households. The lack of coordination of development projects and communication amongst the REIPPPP companies and the local municipality only deepens the mistrust between the two and could potentially lead to an explosive engagement. In conclusion, this study raises issues related to policy implementations and impacts that are not playing out as intended. The study stresses the importance of a sustainable development of renewable energy as part of South Africa’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions but also as having the potential to uplift and impact local households in the ‘host’ towns of the REIPPPP. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die proefskrif bestudeer die energie behoeftes en -uitdagings wat lae inkomste huishoudings in die klein Karoodorpie, De Aar, in die Noord-Kaap in die gesig staar te ondersoek in die konteks van 'n plaaslike munisipaliteit wat sukkel om hul elektrisiteitsnetwerk en verspreiding vol te hou. Dit word dan verder ondersoek in verband met die aansienlike ontwikkeling in hernubare energie wat tans rondom die dorp plaasvind, as deel van Suid-Afrika se Hernubare Energie Onafhanklike Kragprodusente-verkrygingsprogram (REIPPPP). Die studie analiseer die karakter en omvang van energie-armoede in die huishoudings van Kareeville, ʼn lae inkomste buurt in De Aar, deur van die die gemengde-metode gevallestudie ontwerp gebruik te maak. Aanvullend tot die studie is ʼn ondersoek na die Emthanjeni Plaaslike Munisipaliteit se sosio-ekonomiese uitgadings en energieinfrastruktuurkwessies; sowel as die bydrae wat hernubare energie maatskappye tot plaaslike ontwikkeling lewer. Die navorsingsmetodes sluit die volgende in: ʼn verteenwoordigende studie van huishoudings in Kareeville, opvolgende in-diepte semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met ʼn steekproeftrekking van inwoners in Kareeville, in-diepte semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met sleutelinformante (munisipale personeel, NGOs boere, en verteenwoordigers van hernubare energie maatskappye), in plek waarneming en sosiale media, en beleide en dokumentêre analise. Die konseptueleraamwerk sentreer op die begrip van volhoubare ontwikkeling; asook drie nie-onderhandelbare morele verpligtinge: (die bevrediging van menslike behoeftes, versekering van sosiale regverdigheid, en die respekteer van omgewingsbeperkings). Additioneel sal ander konsepte gebruik word soos die van skaal (op watter vlakke en skaal beluite geneem word), die konsep van energie-armoede, geslag en die Minerale-Energie Kompleks (MEC). Die hoof navorsingsbevidnige van hierdie studie bevestig dat energie-armoede endemies in Kareeville is. Alhoewel huishoudings aan die elektrisiteitsnetwerk gekoppel is, kan baie min genoeg elektrisiteit vir hul maandlikse behoeftes, bekostig. Die bestuur van huishoudelike-energieverbruik is in arm huishoudings ʼn konstante bron van spanning. Huishoudings maak van verskillende strategieë gebruik om te verseker dat hulle energie het. Huishoudings gebruik verskeie strategieë om nie net elektrisiteit te versker nie, maar ook ander brandstoftipes soos hout, paraffin en gas om in hul mees basiese behoeftes te voorsien. Spanning rondom daaglikse energie-uitdagings speel af oor geslag en generasielyne met huishoudelike lede wat dikwels teen mekaar staan in terme van hul individuele en kollektiewe energiebehoeftes en -voorkeure. Die las van energiebestuur in huishoudings wat nie finansieël stabiel is nie, word dikwels veral swaar gevoel deur ouer vroue wat weens hul geslag en ouderdom waarskynlik nie buite die huis sal werk nie en verantwoordelik is vir kook, skoonmaak en kindersorg. Vanuit hierdie perspektief kan hernubare energiemaatskappye in die plaaslike munisipaliteit ʼn belangrike bydrae tot plaaslike ontwikkeling lewer deur die dorp se energievoorsiening te verseker en bekostigbare elektrisiteit aan die gemeenskappe te verskaf. Hulle ontwikkelingsprogramme, terwyl hulle ʼn mate van bydrae lewer, bevoordeel slegs ʼn paar uitgesoekte op ʼn korttermynbasis. Die bo-na-onder-benadering van hernubare energiemaatskappye tot gemeenskapsontwikkeling verskyn as regmerkie-oefeninge en bly ondoeltreffend met betrekking tot opheffing en bemagtiging van huishoudings. Die gebrek aan koördinering van ontwikkelingsprojekte en kommunikasie tussen die REIPPPP-maatskappye en die plaaslike munisipaliteit verdiep net die wantroue tussen die twee en kan moontlik lei tot ʼn plofbare verbintenis. Ten slotte stel hierdie studie kwessies wat verband hou met nasionalebeleidsimplementerings wat nie ʼn impak op die plaaslikevlak maak soos bedoel nie. Die studie beklemtoon die belangrikheid van ʼn volhoubare ontwikkeling van hernubare energie as deel van Suid-Afrika se verbintenis tot die vermindering van koolstofvrystellings, maar ook dat dit die potensiaal het om plaaslike huishoudings in die 'gasheer' dorpe van die REIPPPP op te hef en te beïnvloed. | af_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Doctoral | en_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | xviii, 333 pages : illustrations | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127145 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Energy consumption -- South Africa -- Northern Cape | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Poverty -- South Africa -- Northern Cape | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Energy security -- South Africa -- Northern Cape | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Renewable energy sources -- South Africa -- Northern Cape | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Renewable Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPP) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.name | UCTD | |
| dc.title | Illuminating energy poverty: a case study of the energy needs and challenges of low-income households in De Aar, a renewable energy hub in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |
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