THE RENEWABLE ENERGY-EQUITY NEXUS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: AN ANALYSIS OF THE GOVERNANCE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR ELECTRICITY ACCESS IN THE REGION

Abstract

How does the transition from traditional to renewable forms of energy impact electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa? Though the rhetoric of SDG 7 combines the promotion of sustainable energy and attaining universal energy access as a single objective, whether equitable distributional outcomes have indeed accompanied energy transition remains ambiguous. I demonstrate empirically that access to electricity is correlated with overall quality of governance of renewable energy for 34 Sub-Saharan countries from 2010 to 2015. Countries with (1) financial and regulatory incentives for private production of renewables and (2) clear guidelines on network connection are found to have higher access to electricity rates, even after I account for standard control variables and country fixed effects. I contextualize these findings through a case study of South Africa’s governance of renewable energy. Taken together, my research suggests that strong national policy and regulation of renewable energy are critical to realizing a just transition.