Socio-economic impact of solar home systems in rural Sri Lanka: a case-study

Abstract

The use of solar photovoltaic systems of 25 Wp to 50 Wp (frequently called solar home systems, or SHSs) has been spreading fast in the rural areas of Sri Lanka as a source of energy used for domestic lighting, mainly because of the financial incentives provided by the donor agencies and aggressive marketing strategies of the SHS dealers in rural areas.

This paper presents the outcome and the analysis of a study conducted with the objective of investigating the social, economic and environmental impact of SHSs in rural Sri Lanka. The study involved conducting a survey of 125 households having SHSs, in the Uva province of Sri Lanka, through personal visits.

It was evident that the households are extremely satisfied with the technology that has replaced their kerosene lamps, which had been providing household lighting requirements. The quality of life, in terms of activities such as longer study hours of children, longer TV watching hours for the family and lessening the risk of fatal kerosene lamp accidents, has improved with the introduction of the SHSs.

It is concluded that the large-scale penetration of solar home systems in Sri Lanka has helped rural communities both in terms of improved socio-economic conditions and reduced adverse environmental impacts, contrary to the belief that the financial burden of such systems imposed on the families outweighs the benefits. But when comparing the benefits of SHSs against the extension of the national grid, the country needs to seriously examine its options for the areas currently targeted by SHS dealers.