Energy Needs within the Rural Community in Makueni County, Kenya
| dc.contributor.author | Kitetu,Job | |
| dc.contributor.author | Thoruwa,Thomas | |
| dc.contributor.author | Omosa,Isaiah | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-09-24T09:33:44Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-09-24T09:33:44Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024 | |
| dc.description | Research article | |
| dc.description.abstract | Literature shows that only 56% of Kenyan households had access to electricity,with rural areas having the lowest access rate at percent. The high cost ofextending the power grid to remote areas and power losses on distribution aresignificant challenges facing rural electrification. In addressing power accessibil-ity problems, especially in rural areas, there is a need for tapping hydropowergeneration through the invention and implementation of in‐duct turbines tomaximize the utilization of already existing pressurized water ducts that supplywater in various parts of Kenya for hydropower generation. Makueni County isendowed with gravity‐fed water ducts with high potential for hydropower whichcan innovatively be produced by application of in‐duct turbines. This paperfocuses on the assessment of energy needs and applications in rural areas. Theresearch design was exploratory and experimental in nature. It was exploratorybecause, through an assessment, it sought to explore and identify the potentialareas within the water supply lines for the production of hydropower to supplyhydropower in Makueni County. It was experimental because the researcherdeveloped (designed and fabricated) a hydro turbine for use in the production ofhydropower from gravity water ducts of a diameter raging 100 mm. The researchrevealed that 62% (98) used solar power for lighting their homes, while 17% (28),12% (20), and 8% (12) used lanterns, electricity, and kerosene lamps, respectively.Among the fuels assessed was firewood which was identified as the most usedfuel at 89% (140). This was followed at a distance far by paraffin at 6% (9) ofrespondents. The households at 100% (158) identified electricity as a potentialsource of lighting for their household. The study recommends harnessinghydropower to enhance reach to 100% of the rural communities. The energyavailability will provide opportunities for communities and institutions in ruralareas to open their minds to business development and engage in income‐generating activities like the rearing of poultry and the development of lightindustries like the gridding of maize and other cereals | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Kitetu J, Thoruwa T,Omosa I. Energy needs within the ruralcommunity in Makueni County, Kenya. Energy SciEng. 2024;12:3540‐3549 | |
| dc.identifier.other | https://doi.org/10.1002/ese3.1839 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/31454 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. | |
| dc.title | Energy Needs within the Rural Community in Makueni County, Kenya | |
| dc.type | Article |