Despite the efforts to achieve universal electricity access by 2030, more than 850 million people live without electricity, predominantly in the Global South. This reality severely limits the capabilities out of modern energy services, community development, and these groups' overall quality of life. Although electrification is underway in many of these communities, many barriers still exist to achieving it. Moreover, in the course of electrification, several social aspects are decisive for more positive outcomes from such projects. Our group investigates these social dimensions and the design of a comprehensive social impact assessment method using Quality of Life indicators. We conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses in Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and The Philippines.
Research items:
JSER Conf 2021a, IOP Conf 2021, Energies 2020, ERSS Conf 2019
Funding:
JASTIP (JST), Hitachi Foundation, JSPS, Murata Foundation
As one component of household energy services, efficient appliances are another essential part of reducing energy use and carbon footprints in the residential sector. Many sustainable consumption studies set forth the hypothesis that gender and the roles of household members are crucial factors affecting efficient appliance purchases. However, studies examining this premise are still scarce. Our group also researches household roles that determine more efficient appliance acquisition and use. We concentrate on urban contexts in the Philippines and Indonesia and develop new frameworks to understand the relationships and critical factors for differences.
Energy, appliances, and home features are critical constituents of energy services, which are fundamental for human life and well-being. The diversity in the configuration of energy services among social groups is one crucial aspect of household energy use. In particular, the cultural reasons behind energy services preferences directly impact the conceptions and measurements of sustainability of residential energy consumption. Our research includes the development of methods to analyse energy services characterisation and its implications. Our purpose is to provide valuable information energy cultures studies and the design of localised policies for sustainable energy use and community development.
The design of methods to measure energy deprivation is a fundamental issue for energy and development policies. However, the measurement of energy deprivation has traditionally focused on aspects departed from a more disaggregated view of energy use, such as the energy services perspective proposed by our group. Our group aims to establish an alternative measurement of deprivation and access to different energy services considering household conditions, equipment, and the level and types of energy in use. The analyses are also aimed to consider local socio-cultural elements, such as regional preferences and customs. Critical aspects neglected today in the design of energy policies are also discussed, such as the relationship with social inclusion, spatial differentiation, poverty and well-being, and new proposals to create energy access indicators and measurements alternative to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Input your search keywords and press Enter.