Survey of energy use and costs in rural kenya for community microgrid business model development

A key input to any responsible energy development project is the current state of energy consumption in the local community as well as the associated expenses. This information can be used to guide the design of the system and to plan for the project´s long-term financial viability. This paper describes residential energy use and costs in Muhuru Bay, Kenya. The results are based on a 2013 household energy survey with 69 respondents as well as two focus groups. The survey included questions regarding the use and cost of kerosene, batteries, candles, price to recharge mobile phones, along with demographic information. It is demonstrated how the results of the survey are incorporated into the development of a sustainable business plan of a community charging station microgrid project at a school in Muhuru Bay, Kenya. Best practices of conducting energy surveys and lessons learned are provided based on experiences in Kenya and elsewhere.