Renewable Energy for Development

of all South African householdscurrently have access to electricity. Over 80 % of ur-ban households and about 46 % of rural households are connected to the national grid. An ambitious rural electrifi-cation program has more than doubled the share of electrified households in less than ten years. Does this mean that South Africa is well on its way to addressing energy and development goals for poor rural households? The answer requires going beyond the statis-tics to deeper level questions about the impact of electricity on rural people’s livelihoods. Has access to electricity stimulated the growth of small businesses? What impacts does it have on household energy use patterns? Is the use of fuelwood reduced? Does access to electricity de-crease household expenditure on fuels? Wha