The South African government has publicized plans
to install one million solar water heaters in households
throughout South Africa by the year 2014,
with the goals of reducing strain on existing electricity
resources, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions,
creating employment and alleviating poverty. This
paper examines two existing solar water heater
installation projects with the aim of investigating the
social contribution of the installation of solar water
heaters in low-income households in South Africa.
The Sustainable Urban Livelihoods approach
(SULA) was adjusted to provide an analytical
framework for the development of suitable indicators
of social change in the context of renewable
energies and energy poverty. Increases in household
capital and the reduction of household vulnerability
to shocks, stressors and seasonal variability
as the result of solar water heater installation were
investigated in projects in low-income housing
developments in the cities of Cape Town and Port
Elizabeth, South Africa.
Data collected from paired household surveys
(before and after installation) in over 600 households
and qualitative information (Most Significant
Change stories) show that the provision of a constant,
cheap source of heated water contributed
positively to the alleviation of energy poverty.
Household capitals (categorised as Human, Social,
Financial, Physical, Natural and Gender capital),
including aspects such as health benefits and time
and financial savings, were all positively effected by
the installation of solar water heaters. In addition,
improved energy security greatly reduced household
vulnerability to shocks, stressors and seasonal
variability. Comparison between the two projects
revealed that the geographical setting (climatic conditions
in particular), and the approach and strategies
adopted by the implementers of the solar water
heater installation project, greatly determine the
extent to which benefits to the households are
realised.