Assessment of Electricity Consumption of Middle-income Households in Tanzania

Electricity is the foundation of modern society, powering a vast array of daily activities and technological advancements. Despite increased electricity access, the majority of Sub-Saharan African countries face the dilemma of energy consumption outpacing generation. Gaining a good grasp of behavioral drivers of energy use, especially among middle-income households (MIHs), is necessary to reduce energy consumption. This study assesses the electricity consumption from MIHs in a targeted area of Masaki, Dar es Salaam region, Tanzania. The study integrated the household characteristics and electrical load consumption patterns in the electricity consumption of MIHs. The 1-month data, between May 2024 and June 2024, were gathered from 99 respondents using an e-questionnaire. The household characteristics included the number of occupants per household, awareness of energy management programs, adoption rate, and interested features and expectations in energy management programs. The electrical load consumption patterns include types of electrical loads, hourly usage, average monthly bills, and fluctuations in monthly energy bills. Findings revealed that the average number of occupants per household was 6, but only two out of 6 occupants per household were aware of energy management programs. Appliance control was the most adopted energy management program (44.12%) followed by real-time energy monitoring (11.76%) and integration with renewable energy sources (8.82%). Contrary, about 96% of respondents were interested in engaging in energy management initiatives aiming at cost-saving (62%) and convenience (20.7%). Evening hours reported to use the most energy (68.7%), followed by night hours (50.5%). The average monthly energy bills were found to range between TZS 70,000 and TZS 300,000 with 48.5% of respondents reporting large swings in their electricity expenses. The findings of this study provide policymakers with evidence that awareness initiatives should be included when formulating energy consumption and efficiency strategies.