Economic Status and Use of Complimentary Energy Sources to Electricity among Households within Nakuru Municipality

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the relationship between economic status and use of complimentary energy sources to electricity among households within Nakuru Municipality. The study was premised on the desire of Kenya to be a middle income economy by the year 2030, in which case a substantial capacity of electrical energy will be required to power the anticipated industrial activity hence the need to conserve electrical energy which would in turn be utilized in the manufacturing sectors. Households are considered to play a role in inefficient usage of electricity. Literature reviewed has revealed that in rural areas of Kenya 52% use kerosene for lighting and 60% for cooking, this study however has found out that electricity is dominantly used for lighting within households of the Municipal Council of Nakuru (MCN), the households prefer solar energy as an alternative to electricity. However affordability is a challenge owing to the prohibitive capital cost compounded by house ownership issue. This study adopted correlational survey design and relied on both qualitative and quantitative data. Descriptive and Chi–Square Tests were used in data analysis to establish the relationship between the two variables. The population of the study was the entire houses owned by the MCN which in total add up to 5434 houses. A representative random sample size of 358 households was used in the study. Data was collected using Questionnaires and key informants interviews. The study found out that electricity was commonly used for lighting and normal domestic use. The study revealed a positive relationship between economic status of households and usage of complimentary energy sources to electricity among the households. The researcher recommended a further study on the evaluation of electricity usage among owner occupied residential houses that have a greater flexibility of choosing the kind of electrical installation as opposed to tenants.