Robin Hood and Donkey Principles: renewable energy proposals for Ghana Emmanuel Ndzibah 1 1 Industrial Management Unit,University of Vaasa,Finland P.O. Box 700, 65101. Vaasa – Finland. Tel: +358 44 5321752, E-mail: endzi@uwasa.fi Abstract: This study proposes a reliable way of distribution and transfer of electricity cost to both the urban and rural consumers in Ghana. While the Robin Hood principles borrows the essence of the strategy used in this model by a British folklore character by the same name, in providing resources for the deprived and in this context an equitable demand and supply of electricity. The Donkey principle highlights the strategic billing policy used in Ghana, which suggests that urban communities should carry some of the cost burden of energy used by rural communities. The study aims at promoting strategies and educating the public on realistic solutions to the energy crisis. In Ghana, people in the rural communities lacks credit to afford almost any form of renewable energy system due to irregular source of income, although the bulk of consumables (agro based) are produced by them. Infrastructure in some rural communities is inadequate. In contrast, majority of the urban dwellers have access to credit and spend a reasonable amount of their earnings on electricity primarily focused on business and leisure. The study also addresses cost, motive, frequency and reasons for acquiring and using a secondary source of energy (SSE). The results of the study suggest a more just and equal system of distribution and billing of electricity cost. Keywords: Robin Hood, Donkey, Secondary Source of Energy (SSE), Distribution, Ghana 1. Introduction Rapid increase in population and increased material consumption always has its toll on the general resources of any given economy. Energy seen as the bedrock of every society is vital for a growing economy to flourish. In Ghana, many rural sectors do not have access to electricity 1, 4, and 8 . The government often spread out the hope of embarking on an extensive electrification project. However, lack of capacity, quality planning and sound framework always turns up to become the “Achilles´ heel” in economic development and environmental sustainability. For those rural areas that are accessible to the national electricity grid, lack of technical and economic capacity undermines the efficiency and reliability of systems; these are plagued with unauthorized excessive power failures making it impossible for the citizens in these communities to be able to utilize the full potential of the energy to increase productivity. Over the years, there have been advocacy for a solar home solution (SHS) for the rural communities of developing countries. As thoughtful as some of these arguments and proposed models might sound, they most often than not miss the point in their generalization of systematically unproven panacea for the entire energy situation in all rural communities in developing countries. These experts end up re-grouping at the theory-formulation table to either revise their theories or come up with newer perceived solutions convinced that it would work the next time round. For instance, Srinivasan 7 proposed pre-payment system as a way to curb SHS acquisition defaults as well as enhance the degree of acquisition in the rural communities. As laudable as the proposal is, it seems to ignore or did not anticipate some factors that have direct or indirect influence in such systems. To date, many energy service providers in developing countries have battled the complex nature of the process of prepayment and its collection system, thus meriting a careful scrutiny. It is noteworthy to examine some of the impacting 875