Transition vers les Énergies Renouvelables et Bien-être des Ménages Ruraux : Une Analyse Empirique au Bénin
Abstract
La pauvreté énergétique demeure un obstacle majeur au développement rural au Bénin, où la majorité des ménages agricoles continue de dépendre des sources traditionnelles comme le bois-énergie et le charbon de bois. Cette dépendance entraîne des coûts élevés pour les ménages, des impacts négatifs sur la santé et l’éducation, et une pression croissante sur l’environnement. Cette étude se concentre sur le département de l’Atacora, au Nord-Ouest du Bénin, choisi pour sa forte implication dans des projets de transition énergétique et d’électrification rurale. Elle analyse les effets de l’adoption de technologies solaires domestiques sur le bien-être des ménages ruraux agricoles et la qualité de l’environnement. L’étude repose sur un échantillon de 300 ménages répartis dans trois communes de l’Atacora. Les résultats montrent que l’adoption de l’énergie solaire améliore significativement le bien-être des ménages, notamment en augmentant les revenus, en renforçant la stabilité financière, en réduisant la pauvreté et en augmentant les dépenses de consommation alimentaire. Sur le plan environnemental, les ménages adoptants perçoivent une amélioration de la qualité de leur environnement immédiat, avec une réduction de la dépendance aux combustibles traditionnels. Ces résultats confirment que la promotion des énergies renouvelables constitue un levier efficace pour soutenir une transition énergétique durable et inclusive au Bénin.
Energy poverty remains a major obstacle to rural development in Benin, where the majority of agricultural households continue to depend on traditional sources such as wood fuel and charcoal. This dependence results in high costs for households, negative impacts on health and education, and increasing pressure on the environment. This study focuses on the department of Atacora in northern Benin, chosen for its strong involvement in energy transition and rural electrification projects. It analyzes the effects of adopting domestic solar technologies on the well-being of farming households and the quality of the environment. The study is based on a sample of 300 households in three municipalities in Atacora. The results show that the adoption of solar energy significantly improves household well-being, particularly by increasing income, strengthening financial stability, reducing poverty, and increasing food consumption expenditure. In environmental terms, households that adopt solar energy perceive an improvement in the quality of their immediate environment, with a reduction in dependence on traditional fuels. These results confirm that the promotion of renewable energy is an effective lever for supporting a sustainable and inclusive energy transition in Benin.
Downloads
References
2. Araújo, M. (2014). Understanding energy transitions: Theoretical perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches. Energy Research & Social Science, 4, 1‑10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2014.08.001
3. Banque Mondiale. (2022). Access to electricity (% of population) – Benin. The World Bank Group. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS?locations=BJ
4. Carabajal, A. T., Orsot, A., Moudio, M. P. E., Haggai, T., Okonkwo, C. J., III, G. T. J., & Selby, N. S. (2024). Social and economic impact analysis of solar mini-grids in rural Africa: A cohort study from Kenya and Nigeria. Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability, 4(2), 025005. https://doi.org/10.1088/2634-4505/ad4ffb
5. Cherp, A., Jewell, J., & Goldthau, A. (2018). Governing global energy: Systems, transitions, complexity. Cambridge University Press.
6. Diallo, A., & Moussa, R. (2020). The effects of solar home system on welfare in off-grid areas: Evidence from Côte d’Ivoire. Energy, 194, 116835. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2019.116835
7. Dosi, G., Freeman, C., Nelson, R., Silverberg, G., & Soete, L. (1982). Technical change and economic theory. Pinter.
8. Freeman, C., & Louca, F. (2002). As time goes by: From the industrial revolutions to the information revolution. Oxford University Press.
9. Geels, F. W. (2002). Technological transitions as evolutionary reconfiguration processes: A multi-level perspective and a case-study. Research Policy, 31(8-9), 1257‑1274. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-7333(02)00062-8
10. Geels, F. W., & Schot, J. (2007). Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways. Research Policy, 36(3), 399‑417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2007.01.003
11. Guta, D. (2020). Determinants of household use of energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies in rural Ethiopia. Technology in Society, 61, 101249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2020.101249
12. IEA. (2021). World energy outlook 2021. OECD/IEA. https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2021
13. Johnson, B. (1998). Technological innovation and system perspectives. Edward Elgar.
14. Kabir, E., Kim, K.-H., & Szulejko, J. E. (2017). Social impacts of solar home systems in rural areas: A case study in Bangladesh. Energies, 10(10), 1615. https://doi.org/10.3390/en10101615
15. Kemp, R., Schot, J., & Hoogma, R. (2007). Regime shifts to sustainability through processes of niche formation: The approach of strategic niche management. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 10(2), 175‑198.
16. Khandker, S. R., Barnes, D. F., & Samad, H. A. (2014). Welfare impacts of rural electrification: Evidence from Vietnam. Energy Economics, 45, 179‑188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2014.06.008
17. Kowsari, R., & Zerriffi, H. (2011). Three dimensional energy profile: A conceptual framework for assessing household energy use. Energy Policy, 39(8), 4380‑4387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2011.05.051
18. Lancaster, K. (1966). A new approach to consumer theory. Journal of Political Economy, 74(2), 132‑157. https://doi.org/10.1086/259131
19. Leech, J. (1992). Household energy demand in developing countries. Energy Economics, 14(1), 45‑57. https://doi.org/10.1016/0140-9883(92)90016-A
20. Li, H., Li, Y., Zheng, G., & Zhou, Y. (2024). Interaction between household energy consumption and health: A systematic review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2023.113859
21. Masera, O., Saatkamp, B., & Kammen, D. (2000). From linear fuel switching to multiple cooking strategies: A critique and alternative to the energy ladder model. World Development, 28(12), 2083‑2103. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(00)00076-0
22. McFadden, D. (1974). Conditional logit analysis of qualitative choice behavior. In P. Zarembka (Ed.), Frontiers in econometrics (pp. 105‑142). Academic Press.
23. Muller, A., & Yau, Y. (2016). Household energy transition in sub-Saharan Africa: Determinants and policy implications. Energy for Sustainable Development, 31, 123‑133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2016.01.007
24. Rotmans, J., Kemp, R., & van Asselt, M. (2001). More evolution than revolution: Transition management in public policy. Foresight, 3(1), 15‑31.
25. Samad, H. A., Khandker, S. R., Asaduzzaman, M., & Yunus, M. (2013). Solar home systems and household welfare: Evidence from Bangladesh. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, 6403. https://doi.org/10.1596/1813-9450-6403
26. Thiam, D. R. (2011). Renewable energy, poverty alleviation and developing nations: Evidence from Senegal. Journal of Energy in Southern Africa, 22(3), 23‑34.
27. van den Berghe, S., & Oosterhuis, F. (2005). Understanding socio-technical transitions: A conceptual approach. Technological Forecasting & Social Change, 72(7), 689‑706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2004.09.001
28. van der Kroon, B., Brouwer, R., & Van Beukering, P. (2014). The energy ladder: Theoretical myth or empirical truth? Results from a meta-analysis. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 20, 504‑513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2012.11.045
29. Verbong, G., & Loobach, D. (2012). Multi-level perspectives on sustainable energy transitions: A critical review. Energy Policy, 50, 196‑203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2012.06.013
30. Wagner, N., Rieger, M., Bedi, A., Vermeulen, J., & Demena, B. (2021). The impact of off-grid solar home systems in Kenya on energy consumption and expenditures. Energy Economics, 99, 105314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2021.105314
Copyright (c) 2025 Jiles Nounassou Houngbo, Michel Atchikpa, Zakou Amadou, Jacob Afouda Yabi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
