Sustained use of liquefied petroleum gas following one year of free fuel and behavioral support in Puno, Peru

• Published in: Energy for sustainable development 2023-04, Vol.73, p.13-22
• Main Authors: Williams, Kendra N., Kephart, Josiah L., Fandiño-Del-Rio, Magdalena, Nicolaou, Laura, Koehler, Kirsten, Harvey, Steven A., Checkley, William
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Clean cooking; Household air pollution; Household energy; Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG); Mixed methods research; Sustainability
• ISSN: 0973-0826
• DOI: 10.1016/j.esd.2023.01.005

Existing efforts to promote cleaner fuels have not achieved exclusive use. We investigated whether receiving 12 months of free liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and behavioral support could motivate continued purchase and use. The Cardiopulmonary outcomes and Household Air Pollution (CHAP) trial enrolled 180 women. Half were randomly assigned to an intervention group, which included free LPG delivered in months 1–12 followed by a post-intervention period in which they no longer received free fuel (months 13–24). For the purposes of comparison, we also include months 1–12 of data from control participants. We tracked stove use with temperature monitors, surveys, and observations, and conducted in-depth interviews with 19 participants from the intervention group at the end of their post-intervention period. Participants from the intervention group used their LPG stove for 85.4 % of monitored days and 63.2 % of cooking minutes during the post-intervention months (13–24) when they were not receiving free fuel from the trial. They used a traditional stove (fogón) on 45.1 % of days post-intervention, which is significantly lower than fogón use by control participants during the intervention period (72.2 % of days). In months 13–24 post-intervention, participants from the intervention group purchased on average 12.3 kg and spent 34.1 soles (10.3 USD) per month on LPG. Continued LPG use was higher among participants who said they could afford two tanks of LPG per month, did not cook for animals, and removed their traditional stove. Women described that becoming accustomed to LPG, support and training from the project, consistent LPG supply, choice between LPG providers, and access to delivery services facilitated sustained LPG use. However, high cost was a major barrier to exclusive use. A 12-month period of intensive LPG support achieved a high level of sustained LPG use post-intervention, but other strategies are needed to sustain exclusive use. •Exclusive clean fuel use is necessary for realizing full health and other benefits.•Mixed methods investigation to inform achievement of sustained LPG use in Peru•One year of free fuel motivated sustained (but not exclusive) LPG use post-trial.•Sustained use motivated by becoming accustomed to LPG and training during trial•Consistent LPG supply, multiple distributors, and delivery services were also key.