Energy poverty: exploring households energy constraints and coping strategies : case study of Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana

Abstract: Energy poverty has been recognised as one of the main impediments to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and reducing global poverty. In Africa two out of three households lack access to convenient, efficient and reliable forms of energy to satisfy their basic needs and to perform economic tasks. Many of the people rely on charcoal, firewood, residues, dung, kerosene and candles for cooking, heating and lighting. A business as usual scenario indicates that the situation is likely to remain unchanged in 2030 and may probably be made worse by climate change. The Thesis focuses on energy at the household. It explores households’ experiences with energy in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. It seeks to identify, understand and analyse households’ energy problems and the strategies used by energy poor households to address their energy problems. I tried to understand how access or lack of access to energy for cooking, lighting, heating and cooling impacted on the wellbeing of the people. I also sought to understand how energy and gender interact at the household level. The study found that not only is infrastructure to deliver energy weak, but in cases where infrastructures are available, physical access to energy is hampered by frequent shortages of LPG, irregular supply of grid electricity, frequent power cut, high cost of energy appliances (gas burners, cylinders, improved cookstoves, prepaid meters) and affordability problems among others. These greatly affect the socio-economic activities of members of the households particularly women who have a duty to secure fuel for activities such as cooking.