Assessing the Role of Renewable Energy Adoption in the Manufacturing Sector for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Kigali City, Rwanda

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The growing threat of climate change has increased the need for sustainable energy transitions, especially in developing economies like Rwanda. This study assessed the role of renewable energy adoption in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within Kigali City’s manufacturing sector. The research focused on five key objectives: identifying the types of renewable energy sources used, assessing emission reduction trends, evaluating the effectiveness of existing policies, analyzing the impact of renewable energy adoption between 2020 and 2024, and identifying the main challenges hindering widespread adoption. Using a quantitative research design complemented by qualitative interviews, data were collected from 183 respondents across various manufacturing sub-sectors using stratified random sampling. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to interpret findings. The results showed that hydropower (M = 4.54) and solar energy (M = 4.49) are the most utilized renewable sources, while wind and geothermal remain less common due to cost and technical limitations. Respondents agreed that renewable adoption has contributed to visible declines in CO₂ and CH₄ emissions, with over 90% reporting improved air quality and workplace health. Policy effectiveness was also rated high (overall mean = 4.67), indicating strong government enforcement and frequent policy reviews supporting industrial energy transition. Regression analysis revealed a strong positive relationship (R² = 0.883) between renewable energy adoption and GHG reduction, confirming that clean energy use has significantly reduced emissions while improving operational efficiency. However, key barriers persist, including high installation costs (M = 4.53), limited access to financing (M = 4.58), and lack of technical expertise. The study concludes that renewable energy adoption plays a pivotal role in reducing GHG emissions and promoting sustainable manufacturing in Kigali. It recommends scaling up financial incentives, improving technical capacity, and strengthening policy implementation to accelerate Rwanda’s transition toward a low-carbon industrial economy.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Abstract i
• Table of Contents iii
• CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1
• 1.1 Background of the study 1
• 1.2. Purpose of the Research 3
• 1.3. Purpose of the Research 4
• 1.4. Research Questions 5
• 1.4.1. Primary Question 5
• 1.5. Research Hypotheses 5
• 1.6. Significance of the research 6
• 1.7. Scope of the Research 7
• 1.8. Contents of the Research 8
• CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 9
• 2.1.7. Reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions 15
• 2.1.8. Improving Air Quality 16
• 2.2. Empirical Studies Review and Identified Research Gaps 19
• 2.3. Conceptual Framework 26
• CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 27
• 3.0. Introduction 27
• 3.2. Population of the study 28
• 3.3. Sample Size 28
• 3.4. Sampling Techniques 29
• 3.5. Data Collection Instruments 29
• 3.5.2 Administration of Questionnaires 29
• 3.6. Data Processing and Analysis Methods 30
• 3.6.1. Data Cleaning and Preparation 30
• 3.6.3 Correlation Analysis 30
• 3.6.4 Multiple Linear Regression Analysis 31
• 3.7. Ethical Considerations 31
• 3.8. Limitations of the Study 31
• CHAPTER 4: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND DISCUSSION OF FIN
• DINGS 33
• 4.1. Profile of Respondents 34
• 4.2. Descriptive statistics findings on the objectives of the study 40
• 4.2.1. Findings on the types of renewable energy sources currently utilized in Kigal
• i’s Manufacturing sector; 40
• 4.1.2. Findings on the trends in greenhouse gas emissions reduction in Kigali City;
• . 46
• 4.2.3. The effectiveness of existing Rwandan policies in minimizing GHG emissions;
• . 49
• 4.2.4. The Impact of renewable energy adoption on GHG Emission reduction in the
• Manufacturing sector; 51
• 4.2.4. The Key challenges limiting the widespread adoption of renewable energy te
• chnologies in Kigali’s Manufacturing industry; 54
• 4.3. Inferential analysis Results 56
• 4.4. Discussion of the Findings 66
• CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 73
• 5.1. Summary of Major Findings 73
• 5.1.1. Types of Renewable energy sources used in Kigali’s Manufacturing sector 73
• 5.1.2. Trends in Greenhouse Gas Emissions reduction in Kigali city 74
• 5.1.3. Effectiveness of existing policies in minimizing GHG Emissions 74
• 5.1.4. Impact of renewable energy adoption on GHG reduction (2020–2024) 75
• 5.1.5. Key challenges limiting the widespread adoption of renewable energy 76
• 5.2. Conclusion 77
• 5.3. Recommendations 77
• REFERENCES 80
• 국문 초록 87
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 89