Solar devices are promoted by donors, non-governmental organizations, governments, and the private sector as a key electricity solution for low income households. Solar includes both SHS and standalone panels; non-solar modern sources include grid, generator, and car battery; and low-quality lighting sources include candles, torches (including mobile phone torches), and kerosene lamps. In Malawi, the prevalence of solar device ownership among households has increased significantly over the past decade. In 2022, the Energy Poverty PIRE in Southern Africa (EPPSA) research team and the social enterprise VITALITE Malawi implemented a study focused on the adoption and impact of solar home systems among rural households in the central region of Malawi. Like in other parts of the country, rural households in Lilongwe District, Malawi have very limited access to electricity grid infrastructure and rely on flashlights, candles, and other low-quality lighting sources. Over the years, there has been a proliferation of solar home systems (SHS). SHS are electrical appliance bundles which include a solar-rechargeable battery/inverter along with a set of light bulbs and solar powered radio. These systems are accessible financially through a pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) scheme, where users lease the system and pay for tokens to unlock time use on the device on a monthly, weekly, or daily basis. Whether the increased ownership of SHS has resulted in increased use of solar devices is not clear. Therefore, this study is designed to generate empirical evidence to improve understanding of household adoption, use, and impacts of solar electricity-providing devices and electricity-dependent appliances among rural households in Malawi
