Investing in the cheapest form of energy: efficiency practices of SMEs in rural Ghana

Ishmael Ackah

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: Efficiency has been identified as the cheapest and cleanest source of fuel. Whilst effort has been made in the advanced countries to promote technology and efficiency, little is known about efficiency in emerging economies in Africa. The purpose of this study is to identify the energy efficiency practices of SMEs in rural Ghana and also examine the barriers to energy efficiency practices. First, a descriptive analysis was used to examine the barriers and energy efficiency indicators. Finally, autometrics is used to examine the relationship between energy efficiency and productivity at the aggregate level. The study finds that lack of information on energy efficiency practices is the most important barrier to energy efficiency. On the practices, methods such as putting off electrical appliances when not in use or when closed, using new electrical appliances and using less appliances to achieve the same goal are some of the common ones adopted by SMEs in rural Ghana. The study recommends that the Ghana Energy Commission should intensify its energy efficiency education and extend this to rural areas.

Keywords: Efficiency; Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs); autometrics; Energy Consumption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q2 Q20 Q21 Q4 Q42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015-05-14
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-cse, nep-eff and nep-ene
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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