International Science Community Association International Research Journal of Environmental Sciences 2319-1414 9 1 2020 01 22 Alternative energy sources used by Nkulumane residents in Bulawayo, the case study of Nkulumane 12, Zimbabwe 64 68 EN E. Jayantakumar Singh 1 Department of Chemistry, Manipur University, Canchipur, Imphal, India N. Rajmuhon Singh 2 Department of Chemistry, Manipur University, Canchipur, Imphal, India Rahul K. Kamble 1 Centre for Higher Learning and Research in Environmental Science, Sardar Patel College, Ganj Ward, Chandrapur 442 402, India M.S. Rahman 1 Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh M.A. Islam 2 Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh M.S. Hossen 3 Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh Kassaye Gurebiyaw 1 Department of Natural Resources Management, College of Agriculture and Environmental sciences, University of Gondar, Ethiopia Melese Yigzaw 2 Department of Natural Resources Management, College of Agriculture and Environmental sciences, University of Gondar, Ethiopia Hailu Kendie 3 Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI), Soil and Water Conservation Directorate, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia Gebretsadik Melak 4 Department of Natural Resources Management, College of Agriculture and Environmental sciences, University of Gondar, Ethiopia Mohammed Raffi1 5 Department of Natural Resources Management, College of Agriculture and Environmental sciences, University of Gondar, Ethiopia Alemtsehay Hagos 6 Department of Natural Resources Management, College of Agriculture and Environmental sciences, University of Gondar, Ethiopia M. Rezai 1 Department of Engineering, Ibn-e-Sina University, Kabul, Afghanistan Nihal Thakare 1 Department of Environmental Engineering, K.I.T.′s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur, India Bharat Ingavale 2 Department of Environmental Engineering, K.I.T.′s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur, India Noel Dube 1 Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Zimbabwe Open University, Box 346, Gwanda, Zimbabwe > Case Study 2019 3 14 2020 01 22 The purpose of the study was to establish the coping strategies adopted by the residents of Nkulumane in light of the introduction of the pre-paid system of payment for electricity. For this study the author opted for the descriptive survey research. The subjects of the study were 120 household heads in 100 randomly selected houses of Nkulumane 12 from a population of 1000 houses. The major sources of energy used for cooking by the Nkulumane 12 residents are firewood, electricity, gas gel and paraffin, however with most residents using a variety of sources. The most widely used source of energy for cooking is electricity which is used by 92.5% of the residence in combination with other sources of energy. Most residents (31.7%) use electricity and paraffin for cooking followed by those who use electricity, firewood and paraffin (19.2%). There was a surprisingly low use of gas in all age groups with most residents claiming to use gas when there was no electricity. Only 9 out of the 120 households interviewed said they use solar for lighting and all of them were in the above US$600 per month level of income. The major reason given for not using solar energy was that it was expensive. When asked about the costs of solar lighting units 90% of the residents said they had never bothered to find the cost of solar lighting units. From the interviews it was estimated that households spend on average US$1.43 on candles. Based on the 2012 costs of solar lighting units it was estimated that residents would spend on average US$0.12 per month based on a 25 year lifespan for solar panels and US$0.58 based on a 5 year life span for solar panels. The results indicate that the residents of Nkulumane spend most of their money on electricity with 33.3% spending more than US$20 a month whilst 34.2% spend between US$11 and US$20 and about 32.5% spending less than US$10 on electricity per month. Copyright@ International Science Community Association