Unbelievable but improved cookstoves are not helpful in reducing firewood demand in Nepal

This paper analyzes the effect of different types of cookstoves on firewood demand at the household level. Using nationally representative household survey data from Nepal, we find that stove type significantly affects the firewood demand for household uses. Traditional mud-stove user households see...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environment and development economics 2011-02, Vol.16 (1), p.1-23
Main Authors: NEPAL, MANI, NEPAL, APSARA, GRIMSRUD, KRISTINE
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air pollution
Alternative energy sources
Biomass
Charcoal
Community forestry
Conservation
Deforestation
Demand
Developing countries
Development economics
Economics
Emissions
Energy efficiency
Energy resources
Environmental economics
Forests
Fuel
Heating
Household consumption
Households
Housing demand
Indoor air pollution
Indoor air quality
Indoor environments
Kitchen stoves
LDCs
Marketing
Mud
Nepal
Ovens & stoves
Standard of living
Stoves
Strategy
Studies
Surveys
Technology
Technology adoption
THEORY AND APPLICATIONS
Wood
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Summary:This paper analyzes the effect of different types of cookstoves on firewood demand at the household level. Using nationally representative household survey data from Nepal, we find that stove type significantly affects the firewood demand for household uses. Traditional mud-stove user households seem to use less firewood than the open-fire stove users. Surprisingly, households with the so-called ‘improved’ stoves seem to use more firewood than the households with mud stoves. Thus, converting traditional open-fire stoves to mud stoves may be a better conservation strategy in the short term rather than installing improved stoves, unless the technology improves. However, in the long run, making cleaner fuel more accessible to rural households is desirable to reduce indoor air pollution.
ISSN:1355-770X
1469-4395
DOI:10.1017/S1355770X10000409