The role of sense of ownership in rural community mini-grid management: qualitative case study from Tanzania

Background: The majority of mini-grids in Tanzania are managed by private entities, faith-based institutions, and the government. In contrast, a limited number of mini-grids under community management strive to survive. Although the concept of “sense of ownership” is considered crucial for mini-grid sustainability in developing countries, there is limited theoretical exploration of the factors that drive this concept and its effects on community mini-grid management. This paper assesses the relationship between the sense of ownership among electricity users and the effective management of two solar community-based mini-grids with different sustainability experience. Results: A sense of ownership plays a role in establishing the decision-making process of mini-grids among village energy committee members toward sustainable or unsustainable management. The mechanisms behind the sense of ownership among community members toward managing mini-grids are largely expedited by the strong leadership of village energy committee members, community participation in decision-making and resource mobilisation, especially in the preparation, design and implementation phases of mini-grids. Conclusions: A sense of ownership is found to influence the effective management of community mini-grids in Tanzania. When designing mini-grid project policies and programs that target respective communities as prospective owners, energy practitioners and policy-makers should consider creating an environment that nurtures a sense of ownership.