Africa's Energy Availability-Deficiency Paradox: Lessons from Small-scale Biogas Technology and Policy Implications.

The energy crisis associated with energy poverty in Africa continues to keep millions of men, women and children in absolute poverty due to inadequate access to clean energy. Despite its widely recognised importance for sustainable development, theoretical and policy discourses have largely remained dormant with respect to the role that the paradox of energy deficiency plays in the underdevelopment of Africa. This study illustrates how the exploitation of energy potential can be tailored to exert a positive impact on household livelihoods and sustainable development in Africa. Specifically, this study was aimed at determining the impact of biogas technology on the livelihood of beneficiaries and estimating the environmental benefits of biogas technology in terms of global warming potential in order to provide policy recommendations. The results show that the beneficiaries' livelihood assets, including the human, physical, financial and social capital, were positively impacted by the use of biogas technology. The dominant impact of biogas technology was financial, as the beneficiaries witnessed a significant increase in their household incomes. This was possible through the reduction of the expenditure on fuelwood and the sale of digestate. The environmental benefits of disseminating biogas technology as a cleaner energy source were significant, providing evidence that mobilising the biogas potential in Africa would lead to significant decarbonisation of household energy supply. This shows that integrating the livelihood enhancement components in energy interventions amid the enormous unexploited energy potential would contribute to the sustainable transformation of the African continent. In resonance with Agenda 2030, we conclude by contributing to repositioning energy availability, affordability, and reliability as critical components of an energy revolution for sustainable development in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]