Energy is a measurable property of a system that gives it the ability to
perform work. Energy can mainly be classified as kinetic or potential. Kinetic
energy is associated with motion whilst Potential energy is a function of
position. Common forms of Kinetic energy are mechanical e.g. wind, thermal e.g.
heat, electromagnetic radiation e.g. x-rays and electrical. Potential energy includes
gravitational, electromagnetic and nuclear. Human beings need chemical energy to grow and be active. Energy,
therefore, is provided by the carbohydrate, protein and fat in the food and
drinks that are consumed.
The law of conservation of energy states that energy can neither
be created nor destroyed but only changes form. Energy
can change its form by using a device called a transducer. Transducers deal
with different types of energies such as mechanical, electrical energy, light
energy, chemical energy, thermal energy, acoustic energy, electromagnetic
energy etcetera.
Access to energy in their various unique forms is not equally
distributed due to the availability of these transducers. Goal 7 of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals
aims to correct this enormous imbalance by ensuring everyone has access to
affordable, reliable, and modern energy services by the year 2030. However, increased energy access may not always directly
lead to improved livelihoods and economic development. The productive use of
energy, therefore, is aimed at enhancing income generation opportunities and
productivity. Examples include healthcare, agricultural, educational, business,
and industrial activities that would not be possible without the input of
energy.
In the paper titled “Productive Uses of Renewable Energy: A Review of Four
Bank-GEF Projects”, Kamal Kapadia employs a broad definition of
productive uses of energy as activities “that involve the utilization of
energy, both electric and non-electric energy in the forms of heat or
mechanical energy, for activities that enhance income and welfare. However,
other specialists like Ron
White define productive use of energy by taking into account only uses of
energy that render outcomes that can be measured in monetary terms i.e. activities
that involve the application of energy to create goods and/or services either
directly or indirectly for the production of income or value.
In Malawi, productive use of electric energy is
the basis for rural electrification programs like Malawi Rural Electrification
Program (MAREP). However, productive usage of electric energy in rural setup
has been slow due to absence of social programs that need to accompany MAREP
projects in order to consolidate and optimize the social element that focuses
on productivity with electric energy as the main input.
Lack of productive usage of energy has
hampered growth in sectors like renewable energy due to high initial cost of
investment in these technologies. Unfortunately, the market for such investments
are very weak because end usage of the same is mostly limited to basic
activities like lighting, barbershops, small scale agricultural activities etcetera.
If the electric energy industry in Malawi
is to grow, there is need for multi-sectoral approach in harnessing productive
use of energy in rural setting, which as it stands, remains the highest
untapped potential currently sitting at approximately 88% of the population.
