Rural Energy Sources and Energy Consumption Pattern in Selected Districts of Jimma and Illubabor Zones, South-western Ethiopia

Abstract

The study looks in to identifying rural energy sources and energy consumption pattern in the selected representative rural districts and villages of Jimma and Illubabor zones. It also aims at identifying the existing cooking stoves and generates essential information for further interventions in their improvement and promotion activities. The analysis of the result indicates that the study area is characterized by covering almost the whole household energy consumption by fuel wood and very insignificant of free and renewable energy sources, such as hydro and solar energy sources. Vast majority of the rural households (more than 97%) use traditional cooking and baking stoves well known in losing fuel energy and very low level of promotion and access to improved rural energy technologies was also identified as main factor aggravating deforestation and health problems of rural families. Leaving rural inhabitants to continue on the course of the current use pattern of traditional energy sources, will have highly negative consequences for the rural economy at large, as well as the environment and the ecosystem balance.

Based on results and analysis solutions for curving rural energy related problems with minimum