Determinants of Urban Residential Electricity Consumption in Burkina Faso: A Study of Dwelling, Household, Socio-Economic and Appliance-Related Factors

Abstract

This study analyses the dwelling, household, socio-economic and appliance-related determinants of urban domestic electricity use in Burkina Faso. A survey of 387 households in Ouagadougou was conducted and combined with their electricity use, collected from energy bills. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first large-scale, city-wide household electricity study undertaken in Burkina Faso. Linear regression models were applied to the data to assess the influence of household, dwelling, socio-economic and appliance-related factors on electricity use. Significant and unambiguous predictors of urban domestic electricity use included household income, dwelling tenure type and ownership, and use of lighting fixtures, television sets, fridges, fans, freezers and air conditioners. Dwelling, household and socio-economic factors explained 70.2% and 70.5% of the variance in electricity use, respectively, when combined with appliance ownership and use factors. This study provides an understanding of the driving factors of domestic electricity use and discusses the implications and applications of this research for a range of stakeholders in the electricity sector.