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A Capabilities-Led Approach to Assessing Technological Solutions for a Rural Community

Authors :
Xinfang Wang
Rosie Day
Dan Murrant
Antonio Diego Marín
David Castrejón Botello
Francisco López González
Jonathan Radcliffe
Source :
Energies, Vol 14, Iss 5, p 1398 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2021.

Abstract

To improve access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy in rural areas of the global south, off-grid systems using renewable generation and energy storage are often proposed. However, solution design is often technology-driven, with insufficient consideration of social and cultural contexts. This leads to a risk of unintended consequences and inappropriate systems that do not meet local needs. To address this problem, this paper describes the application of a capabilities-led approach to understanding a community’s multi-dimensional energy poverty and assessing their needs as they see them, in order to better design suitable technological interventions. Data were collected in Tlamacazapa, Mexico, through site visits and focus groups with men and women. These revealed the ways in which constrained energy services undermined essential capabilities, including relating to health, safety, relationships and earning a living, and highlighted the specific ways in which improved energy services, such as lighting, cooking and mechanical power could improve capabilities in the specific context of Tlamacazapa. Based on these findings, we propose some potential technological interventions to address these needs. The case study offers an illustration of an assessment method that could be deployed in a variety of contexts to inform the design of appropriate technological interventions.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
19961073
Volume :
14
Issue :
5
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Energies
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.02c31252b664aeeac9c3553d2671163
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/en14051398