Transition vers les énergies renouvelables en bien-être des ménages ruraux : Une analyse empirique au Bénin
Abstract
La pauvreté énergétique constitue un frein majeur au développement rural au Bénin, où une large proportion des ménages agricoles dépend encore de sources d’énergies traditionnelles, telles que le bois-énergie et le charbon de bois. Cette dépendance engendre des coûts économiques élevés, des effets négatifs sur la santé et l’éducation, ainsi qu’une pression accrue sur l’environnement. Dans ce contexte, la transition vers des sources d’énergie renouvelables apparaît comme un levier potentiel d’amélioration simultanée du bien-être des ménages et de la qualité de l’environnement.
Cette étude analyse l’impact de l’adoption des technologies solaires domestiques sur le bien-être des ménages agricoles ruraux et sur la qualité de l’environnement dans le département de l’Atacora, situé au nord-ouest du Bénin. Cette zone est fortement impliquée dans les initiatives de transition énergétique et d’électrification rurale. Les données utilisées proviennent d’une enquête de terrain réalisée en janvier 2025 auprès de 300 ménages répartis dans trois communes de l’Atacora, à l’aide d’un questionnaire structuré administré en face-à-face.
La qualité de l’environnement est mesurée à partir des perceptions des ménages, tandis que le bien-être est appréhendé à travers plusieurs indicateurs complémentaires, notamment le revenu du ménage, la stabilité financière, le statut de pauvreté et les dépenses alimentaires par habitant. L’analyse empirique repose sur un modèle Probit afin d’évaluer l’effet de l’adoption de l’énergie solaire sur la qualité perçue de l’environnement, ainsi que sur la méthode d’appariement par score de propension pour estimer l’impact causal de cette adoption sur le bien-être des ménages.
Les résultats montrent que l’adoption de l’énergie solaire améliore significativement la probabilité pour les ménages de percevoir un environnement plus propre, ce qui traduit une réduction de la dépendance aux combustibles traditionnels. Par ailleurs, les estimations issues de l’appariement indiquent un effet positif et robuste de l’énergie solaire sur le bien-être des ménages ayant adopté l’énergie solaire, se traduisant par une augmentation des revenus, un renforcement de la stabilité financière, une réduction de la pauvreté et une hausse des dépenses alimentaires. Ces résultats confirment que la promotion des énergies renouvelables constitue un levier essentiel pour soutenir une transition énergétique durable et inclusive au Bénin.
Energy poverty remains a major constraint to rural development in Benin, where a large share of agricultural households continues to rely on traditional energy sources such as firewood and charcoal. This reliance generates high economic costs, adverse effects on health and education, and increasing pressure on the environment. In this context, the transition toward renewable energy sources, particularly solar energy, represents a potential pathway to improve both household well-being and environmental quality.
This study examines the impact of household solar energy adoption on rural households’ well-being and perceived environmental quality in the Atacora department, located in north-western Benin, a region actively involved in rural electrification and energy transition initiatives. The analysis is based on primary data collected through a field survey conducted in January 2025 among 300 rural households across three municipalities, using a structured face-to-face questionnaire.
Environmental quality is measured using households’ perceptions, while well-being is captured through multiple indicators, including household income, financial stability, poverty status, and per capita food expenditure. A Probit model is employed to assess the effect of solar energy adoption on perceived environmental quality, while Propensity Score Matching is used to estimate the causal impact of solar adoption on household well-being.
The results indicate that solar energy adoption significantly increases the probability that households perceive their environment as cleaner, reflecting reduced dependence on traditional fuels. Furthermore, the matching estimates reveal a positive and robust effect of solar energy adoption on household income, financial stability, poverty reduction, and food consumption. Overall, the findings suggest that promoting solar energy in rural areas can effectively support a sustainable and inclusive energy transition in Benin.
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