This doctoral dissertation award will support an investigation of rural energy systems in Morocco. Energy is of major importance for the improvement of household living standards, increased agricultural production and storage, the development of local industries, and the access of rural communities to area and national markets. The research will focus on the interdependencies between energy use and village social organization in a cluster of 12 representative villages. The purpose of the project is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the role of energy in the economy of the study villages. Based on an in-depth survey of the food-fuel-fodder- fertilizer cycle, a detailed picture will be developed of energy use in the study region. Information related to energy usage patterns, distribution networks, and availability constraints will be acquired through a variety of survey research techniques. Environmental input-output analyses will be used to determine energy balances, flow diagrams, and the potential for interfuel substitution. The project will enhance our understanding of energy as a pivotal production frontier for economic and social development and will offer a model framework for assessing future energy requirements and technological interventions in the region. It will provide knowledge essential to our understanding of the global economy.
