The impact of rural electrification and institutional quality on agricultural output : a case of Sub-Saharan Africa

Submitted by Stephanie Scott on
EfD Authors:

Agriculture is the means of livelihood for most rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. In order for small-scale farmers to meet the basic needs of their families and semi-large-scale farming for trading purposes, rural farmers seek to expand their output. To this end, the kind of input employed in the crop production process is very important. In terms of labour, most rural farmers employ their children or other family members and or members of the community where they use traditional farming tools. The use of energy and for that matter, electricity is very little.

Agriculture, Energy

Dynamics of Connectedness in Clean Energy Stocks

Submitted by César Salazar on
EfD Authors:

This paper examines the dynamics of connectedness among the realized volatility indices of 16 clean energy stocks belonging to the SPGCE and the implied volatility indices of two important stock markets—the S&P 500 and the STOXX50—and two commodities markets—the crude oil and gold markets. The empirical results show a unidirectional connectedness from the implied volatility indices to the clean energy stocks. Our analysis further reveals similar volatility connectedness behaviors among companies in the same energy production subsector.

Climate Change, Energy

The persistence of energy poverty: A dynamic probit analysis

Submitted by Eugenia Leon on

This paper contributes to the growing literature on energy poverty in developing countries. We use a dynamic probit estimator on three rounds of panel data from urban Ethiopia to estimate a model of the probability of being energy poor and to investigate the persistence of energy poverty. We also study the impact of energy price in!ation,which Ethiopia experienced during 2007–2009, on energy use and energy poverty.We"nd strong evidence of state dependence in energy poverty. A household that is energy poor in one round is up to 16% more likely to be energy poor in the subsequent round.

Energy

The importance of incorporating intertemporal and spatial log market dynamics in projections of residue-based biomass supply for liquid biofuel production in western Oregon and Washington, USA

Submitted by Stephanie Scott on
EfD Authors:

New methods of fiber pre-processing and cellulosic fermentation may allow production of isoparaffinic kerosene, a bio-based jet fuel, from abundant post-logging biomass residues in western Oregon and Washington, USA. Since production of these residues is characterized by complex spatial patterns that can shift markedly over time, and since residues may comprise roughly one-fifth of annual refinery operating costs, careful evaluation of residue supply (quantity/price) behavior is warranted.

Energy

ifo DICE Report 1 / 2020 (Spring): Carbon Pricing

Submitted by Eugenia Leon on

Since 2003, ifo DICE Report has offered a forum for the discussion
of institutional questions written by internationally renowned experts. The editorial team’s aim was to present findings on current topics in an accessible way. In 2019, we asked readers of all ifo publications how we can make our offer even more useful for their work. Many respondents said their focus was on relevance and topicality, no matter if the topic is presented from a macroeconomic or an institutional economics view. And they would like to have the

Implementation and scale-up of a biomass pellet and improved cookstove enterprise in Rwanda

Submitted by Stephanie Scott on

This paper reviews the experience of a for-profit firm in Rwanda promoting biomass pellets and a fan micro-gasification improved cookstove as a clean cooking alternative to charcoal. Consumers purchase locally produced biomass pellets and receive the improved cookstove on a lease basis. The cost of the pellets and stove(s) is lower than the cost of cooking with charcoal in the urban setting where our study takes place. Inyenyeri has been piloting its business model since 2012.

Energy, Health

Household Air Pollution (HAP), Microenvironment and Child Health: Strategies for Mitigating HAP Exposure in Urban Rwanda

Submitted by Stephanie Scott on

Exposure to household air pollution (HAP) from cooking and heating with solid fuels is major risk factor for morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Children under five are particularly at risk for acute lower respiratory infection. We use baseline data from randomized controlled trial evaluating a household energy intervention in Gisenyi, Rwanda to investigate the role of the microenvironment as a determinant of children's HAP-related health symptoms. Our sample includes 529 households, with 694 children under five.

Energy, Health