The Use and Impacts of Solar TVs in East Africa
Televisions unlock significant social and economic impacts in rural communities — acting as a conduit for previously unavailable national and global information, serving as income-generating appliances for many business owners and entrepreneurs
By Hannah Blair, Communications Associate at CLASP East Africa, Co-Secretariat to the Efficiency for Access Coalition
Televisions unlock significant social and economic impacts in rural communities — acting as a conduit for previously unavailable national and global information, serving as income-generating appliances for many business owners and entrepreneurs, and bringing about positive changes in well-being.
TVs are among the most desired appliances for household and businesses in off- and weak-grid areas. However, the market for off- and weak-grid appropriate TVs is inhibited by the average customer’s inability to pay and a limited pool of component suppliers. To evaluate the impact of solar TVs, Efficiency for Access Coalition partnered with 60 Decibels to conduct 3,920 interviews between June 2018 and June 2019 with Global LEAP Award-winning solar TV customers in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
Consumer experiences
The new report focused on insights into customer demographics, use cases, and social impacts of solar TVs. The most compelling findings are the impact of solar TVs on quality of life. In the surveys, 92% of customers said that their quality of life had improved as a result of the TV. Notably, Tanzanian and Ugandan customers were most likely to report quality of life improvements, compared to Kenyan customers. This is possibly because a larger portion of Kenyan customers owned TVs prior to this purchase.
Now we can enjoy as a family to watch TV, especially my children.
More than half of customers reported that knowledge and awareness of current affairs, politics, and general knowledge improved significantly. Access to news and information can contribute to higher levels of education access and foster positive behavior change, including financial decision-making, family planning, literacy, and political participation.
Customers also reported that their solar TVs greatly reduced stress levels and increased family connectedness. The majority (82%) of customers said that their stress had reduced ‘slightly’ or ‘very much’ because of their TV. The most frequently mentioned reasons for this was less boredom and better entertainment (25%), more time spent on relaxation and reducing stress (24%), and increased happiness within the family (21%).
Opportunities for market growth
While off-grid solar TVs drive diverse developmental impacts for end-user, users still face challenges characteristic of a nascent market. Many customers report experiencing technical and after-sales challenges, particularly around connection and signal.
Furthermore, only 30% of interviewees lived below the poverty line, indicating that TVs are still too expensive for bottom-of-the-pyramid (BoP) customers. There is a need for further investment and research in the solar TV market to ensure consumers are receiving high-quality, durable, and cost-effective televisions.
Since 2014, the Global LEAP Awards has incentivised innovation and identified best-in-class televisions that are compatible with small-off grid solar energy systems through three rounds of competitions. Winners and Finalists of all rounds were also eligible to participate in the Global LEAP results-based financing (RBF) program, which provides incentives to appliance manufacturers and distributors that partner to distribute large quantities of Global LEAP Awards products. The insights shared this report reflect the experiences of Global LEAP-RBF consumers.