Sustainability of Renewable Sources of Energy for Rural Communities in Anambra State

Abstract

This study assessed the sustainability of different alternative renewable sources of energy for rural communities in Anambra State. Through literature review a number of sustainability criteria were established and used in assessing the identified alternative sources of renewable energy in the state. A systematic SWOT analysis was further performed to synthesise the characteristics of individual renewable energy resource. 42 experts were engaged and given a structured questionnaire where they were expected to score each of the renewable energy sources on a 5-point scale based on the selected sustainability criteria. A scale of 1-5 was used to examine and rate the sustainability of each of the identified renewable energy options based on environmental social and economic criteria. Based on their individual scores, the total average score for each of the energy sources was computed and used in rating their level sustainability. The study found that among the six alternative renewable energy options considered, biomass was ranked the most sustainable renewable energy source for electricity provision in rural communities in the state with a sustainability score of 35.0. Solar and hydro energy resources were ranked 2 nd and 3 rd with scores of 31.2 and 31.0 respectively, while geothermal (24.5) energy was ranked the least. This implies that harnessing and investing in biomass, solar and hydro energy technologies in Anambra State could lead to sustainable energy provision in the rural Communities in Anambra State. The study further avers that genuine commitment through government investments in biomass, solar and hydro energy technologies with strong policy framework could minimise the electricity challenges of the rural communities in the state, and at the same time reduce pressure on urban infrastructure due to rural-urban migration.

A review on safety knowledge and skills for reducing human error and accidents in construction

“…Safety knowledge refers to the information obtained from understanding based on experience, habits, and learning [16]. It can increase workers' ability to detect hazards, prevent accidents, and reduce or eliminate risks [14][15][16], and determine safety behaviour, as well as the link between safety climate and safety performance [14].…”

“…Safety knowledge refers to the information obtained from understanding based on experience, habits, and learning [16]. It can increase workers' ability to detect hazards, prevent accidents, and reduce or eliminate risks [14][15][16], and determine safety behaviour, as well as the link between safety climate and safety performance [14]. Using these several definitions, an identification process was conducted to capture various types of safety knowledge that can reduce human error and accidents in the construction industry.…”

“…It can also serve as an early warning of accidents, be used as a basis for risk assessment, and inform risk response considerations [19,35]. Hallowell [20] Zhang et al [21] In this study, safety regulations are defined as knowledge gained from safety work regulations that serve as guidelines for ensuring worker health and safety [13,16,19,21].…”

“…Despite efforts to improve safety, the number of accidents in the construction industry remains high, due to lack of knowledge [13][14]. Safety knowledge can increase workers' ability to detect hazards, prevent, reduce, or eliminate the risk of accidents [14][15][16], and determine safety behaviour, as well as the link between safety climate and safety performance [14]. This indicates that adequate safety knowledge is necessary for safety improvement.…”

“…Safety skills are essential for workers to carry out their tasks and responsibilities [17], recognizing and managing hazards [18], to work safely [16]. Safety skills can also influence the implementation of safety management tasks and improve safety climate [1].…”