Appropriate technologies are cheap, use local resources and are affordable
Knowledge of energy technology
Technological choice may be limited by lack of knowledge of what exists. The availability of the energy
technology in question will be compared with available resources in the community or country. Information
must therefore be made available to the community to enable it to make informed choices. Channels and
methods for information delivery should be participatory in order to be effective.
On the other hand, technology choices may be known but may not be available because no one is
producing them due to lack of skills and inputs. Choice of a technology will depend on the needs it is
meant to satisfy and the income levels of those aspiring to acquire it.
Skills required for the use of the energy technology
The extent to which the technology usage differs from the indigenous ways of performing a certain tasks
will influence technology choice. It is therefore important to identify ways through which the community
uses technology under consideration. The purpose and the use of the technology should be related to the
skills. In situations where the user lacks the skills, this will hinder adoption of the technology.
Topic 3.2: Implications of income availability on choice of technology
Objective
• To examine the extent to which household income levels influence access to an energy technology
or the extent to which household income can enable or hinder affordability of an energy
technology.
Time: 1 hour
Content and procedure
• Discuss factors governing accessibility of an energy technology
• Discuss gender differentials in income acquisition between men and women in a household
• Establish who undertakes the decision to purchase an energy technology for use in the home
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