IMPACT OF PUBLIC SOLAR PV ELECTRIFICATION IN RURAL MICRO-ENTERPRISES. (A CASE STUDY IN TWIFO-HEMAN AND ASSIN NORTH DISTRICT IN THE CENTRAL REGION)

ABSTRACT

The development of micro-enterprises in rural off grid areas in Ghana is linked with the increase in access and use of solar PV electricity services, leading to changes in micro-enterprises, and changes in livelihood characteristics of entrepreneurs, employees and community members in areas where these enterprises located. The thesis was to evaluate the impact public of solar PV in micro-enterprises in off grid rural areas. Convinience sampling techniques was used for this study, 60 solar PV powered shop owners were sampled in Twifo Heman Community. The study was to examine the economic benefits and identify challenges; financial, technical and maintenance of solar PV systems in rural electrification on micro-enterprises and also to evaluate job performance after and before micro-enterprises where connected to solar PV installations. The main aim of this research was to explore linkages between increased access to solar PV electricity services and micro-enterprise development in off grid rural areas in Ghana. This project investigated changes in both micro-enterprises and livelihood of people involved in enterprises after uptake of solar electricity services for operation. Livelihood context was used to contribute to understanding of the changes happening in micro-enterprises both within and between each other after up taking of solar electricity services. The findings of the study shows that the growth rate of micro-enterprises were noticeably higher in areas with electricity services, but the proportion was low compared to micro-enterprises growth rate and time of solar electricity introduction.