Sub-Saharan Africa is the region in the world where the deficit in access to electricity is the most significant, with approximately 50% of the population without this basic need. Off-grid electrification, such as the photovoltaic solar system, is an opportunity to substantially improve populations’ access to energy services. In this context, it is important to examine the impact of owning solar PV systems on households’ income. This study focuses on the likelihood of a household with solar panel belonging to the highest income by considering three regions of Burkina Faso. Using primary data covering 6289 households, the entropy balancing method to control for any potential selection bias is performed. We find that owning solar PV has a positive effect on the likelihood of households belonging to the highest income group. Furthermore, the use of solar PV also benefits the poorest populations from the lowest income group. Examining the effects of solar PV by region, the poorest regions appear to benefit the most from the income growth resulting from this technology.

Innovation Income Entropy balancing Solar PV