In 2012, the Peruvian government launched the public-private initiative for energy inclusion (FISE) to promote equitable access to subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders. The objective of this study was to explore cooking patterns, attitudes towards the FISE-programme, and factors influencing LPG use in rural Andean Peru. Forty-eight women from four communities completed a paper-based questionnaire

Biomass-burning improved cookstoves (ICS) are often seen as a promising intermediate technology solution along the path of household transition to cleaner cooking. This study reports on the results of an experimental evaluation of a carbon finance-enabled program conducted in rural villages in Rajasthan, India. Half (or 20) of 40 purposively-selected treatment villages were randomly assigned to an

Electric vehicles (EVs) are widely heralded as the silver bullet for greening personal transport. However their eventual impact in South Africa, a developing country with a low-capacity carbon-heavy grid, is questionable. This paper examines the potential impact of electrification of the vehicle fleet in South Africa, and explores the concept that large employers (or car park owners) could take advantage

Efficient and effective thermal management of Li-ion battery pack for electric vehicle application is vital for the safety and extended-life of this energy storage system. In this paper, the thermal management system of a battery module is presented as an integral part of the electric vehicle air conditioning system. The refrigerant is bifurcated from the main system through a pipe and expansion valve

Electric cooking has the potential to improve quality of life for people who cook using biomass, both by improving health by eradicating harmful emissions and by removing the need to collect fuelwood, thus freeing up time for other activities. This paper reports on a study that introduced electric cooking as an alternative to biomass-based cooking in 10 households in Simli, a rural Western Nepali community

Depreciating costs of solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity, increasing government support and initiatives, and rising prices of grid electricity have spurred the production of electricity through solar PV systems. The Chandigarh government in India has installed a 200 kWp on-grid PV system on the roofs of pre-fabricated portable cabins (PPC) to fulfil their local energy demand at the Indian Reserve

Industrial process heating has been identified as a potential field for solar thermal applications. In this paper, a comparative study was carried out on the performance of an individual solar collector under laboratory conditions and performance of the collector array under field condition. Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) has been used as a solar collector for the application of boiler feed

Cross-border power trade in the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) has been very low for nearly 15 years since its inception in 2005. This analysis uses a least-cost generation and transmission capacity expansion model to assess economic and CO2 emissions reduction benefits from different levels of integration. These benefits are assessed for several policy scenarios around renewable energy, national

Electricity access and appliance usage are integral parts of developing a modern economy in rural areas. Unfortunately, many households in rural India struggle to access reliable electricity and, therefore, are unable to power appliances throughout the day. We use household survey data from 10,249 households across the Indian states of Bihar, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh to explore potential

Solar inverter providers optionally offer plant operators online access to their installed photovoltaic (PV) systems. Benefits consist of better system monitoring, faster response to maintenance needs, and a more comfortable data acquisition. Data mining from an online database enables a comparative statistical analysis for a large number of plants about specific productivity parameters, emission reductions

The Indonesian Government, in the last decade, attempted to increase modern energy consumption through the implementation of the Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) conversion program and the construction of numerous power generators. The attempt hoped to increase access to modern energy. This study investigates the Government modern energy projects by assessing both the accessibility and affordability of modern

Ghana is one of the few countries within the sub-Saharan region which has been successful in reducing energy poverty. However, ensuring energy security, affordability, and environmental sustainability remains a significant challenge for the future development of the sub-region. Here, we examine how the electricity supply can evolve into the future to meet potential emission obligations for the period

Recent development in spectral selective metamaterials makes daytime radiative cooling possible by engineering the material surface to achieve high reflectance in the solar irradiation waveband (0.3–2.5 μm) but high emissivity in the 8–13 μm atmospheric window. In this paper, a spectral selective polymer-based metamaterial was applied on top of a shallow aluminum box that contained with an enclosed

Off-grid renewable energy technologies are important in improving electricity access for rural communities. However, methods for ensuring their sustainable operation are often poorly understood. In this article, existing approaches for the assessment of off-grid projects are examined. Reliability of the technology, financial viability and community engagement are identified as the 3 key areas governing

This paper presents an experimental performance analysis based on results attained from monitoring a 9.5 kWp photovoltaic grid-connected for 3 years; from 2016 to 2018. This system is composed of three 3.2 kWp sub-systems installed on the flat roof of the Renewable Energy Development Institute (CDER) in Algeria. This plant covers electricity needs required by the lab and feeds the excess into the low

Optimal design of hybrid renewable mini-grids requires both economic and power quality considerations. Existing modeling approaches address these considerations via separate or loosely coupled models. Here, we extend REopt—a techno-economic optimization model developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory—to consider both within a single model. REopt formulates the design problem as a mixed-integer

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is considered to be a clean burning domestic cooking fuel across the world. The Government of India is promoting use of LPG as cooking fuel among Indian population. Refilling of LPG is not affordable to poor families. It is difficult for the Government to reduce price of LPG cylinders. In such a situation, to make LPG affordable, it is necessary to investigate methods

Modern buildings are operationally classified as fully naturally ventilated (free running, FR), fully mechanically ventilated and conditioned (air-conditioned, AC) or intermediary (mixed mode, MM). Each strategy implies (i) the selection of different internal comfort models and controls, e.g. adaptive thermal comfort + operable windows in FR and static thermal comfort (Predicted Mean Vote - PMV) + non-operable

Wave energy is extracted from the motion of sea waves. The technologies to convert this energy into electricity have not yet reached maturity and there is no clear dominant design. In this work, a design methodology is proposed for a two-body Wave Energy Converter (WEC) with a novel configurable electromechanical Power-Take-Off (PTO) that allows setting its parameters for optimal power output according

Space heating is a key source of residential air pollution that causes adverse effects on individuals' health, especially children. However, school heating approaches and their impacts have been rarely evaluated. In the survey, 41,439 children aged 6–17 from 316 schools was conducted to assess the school heating approaches in China. And a comparison of school heating and home heating was made. In cold

Developing countries are giving increasing attention to industry development in renewable energy industries. Previous research highlights the influence of technology characteristics on such catching-up policies, distinguishing between complex products produced in small batches, and mass-produced simple products. We suggest that catching-up policies should move beyond this binary distinction between

The importance of the charcoal sector is growing rapidly in Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to providing an affordable energy source for residents in the continent's growing urban centers, the charcoal value chain offers a critical income source for millions of people. Despite recent studies suggesting that women are taking on an increasing role in charcoal value chains, data and analysis on the role

This study estimates the cost of heating and domestic hot water (DHW) with wood chips, under climatic conditions and forest biomass availability in Valdivia, a middle size city in central-southern Chile. The demand for heating and DHW is established for a typical residential building with different thermal insulation conditions. Results of wood chip technology were compared with conventional firewood

Over the years, a significant need has been established to develop stove testing protocols that reflect the performance of fuel/stove combinations in the field better. This is particularly true for alcohol-based liquid fuels, widely seen as a future replacement for kerosene fuels in the informal and less affluent communities of South Africa. This paper aimed to evaluate three liquid-fuelled stoves

In this short communication piece, we draw attention to the discussion on policies for reducing energy poverty in European Union member states. We urgently need a policy approach able to support the transition from the current rising levels of energy poverty to a sustainable community with a greener and healthier future. Analysing energy prices, the policy framework and household income, we conduct

Economic growth, urbanization and changes in lifestyles are leading to a transition from traditional fuels to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and electricity in Indian households. We use National Sample Survey data – 43rd (1987–88) and 68th (2011−12) rounds – to show that contrary to concerns about rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fossil-fuel use, switching to LPG and electricity provides health

The focus of this research is the potential of biomethane in Britain's gas grid. It examines its relative ability to address Britain's sustainability and energy security challenges from an economic perspective. Such research is important because UK is wedded to gas for heat production and power generation and is increasingly dependent on imported gas, in line with shrinking domestic production, and

In this paper, we have examined scaling reliable electricity access in India from two perspectives. First, given past policies, we examine the ability of mini grids to achieve profitability at the unit level as well as potential for scaling. We find that many mini grid developers have shown profitable unit economics and are getting ready to scale; however, they face increased challenges given India's

With increasing global uptake of variable-speed (inverter-driven) air conditioners (ACs), the globally uniform energy-efficiency ratio (EER) metric has given way to various region-specific part-load and seasonal performance AC metrics in many markets. As a result, policymakers around the world lack comparative data that might help them create more effective AC efficiency market-transformation programs

In 2016, the government of Cameroon, a central African country heavily reliant on wood fuel for cooking, published a Masterplan for increasing primary use of LPG from 20% to 58% of households by 2035. Developed via a multi-sectoral committee with support from the Global LPG Partnership, the plan envisages a 400 million Euro investment program to 2030, focused on increasing LPG cylinder numbers, key

The National Biodigester Program (NBP) was established in 2006 to build and maintain household biodigesters in Cambodia. In its first six years, the program installed almost 20,000 biodigesters and established an in-country network of local financiers, construction companies, skilled masons, bioslurry specialists and after-care technicians accessible to rural users in 14 of 24 Cambodian provinces.

This paper analyses the Africa Biogas Partnership Program (ABPP) in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. ABPP was established in 2009 to promote adoption of biodigesters by rural households in sub-Saharan Africa. We use the RE-AIM framework (Reach, Effectiveness, Implementation, Adoption, Maintenance) with information from literature, internal documents, primary data from user surveys and interviews with sector

Background Approximately 80% of Ethiopia's energy consumption is dominated by woody biomass fuel use, resulting in 91.2 million tons of firewood and 4.2 million tons of charcoal consumed annually. Ethiopia's dependency on non-sustainable energy, especially for cooking, has been a major concern for the nation for the past 30 years, contributing to deforestation, climate change, and adverse human health

A recently completed randomized controlled study in Nigeria that transitioned pregnant women from traditional fuels to ethanol in their cook stoves demonstrated improved pregnancy outcomes in mothers and children. We subsequently conducted a pilot study of 30 households in Lagos, Nigeria, to determine the acceptability of blended ethanol/methanol as cooking fuel and willingness to pay for the Clean

Approximately 3 billion people, most of whom live in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, rely on solid fuels (i.e. wood, crop wastes, dung, charcoal) and kerosene for their cooking needs. Exposure to household air pollution from burning these fuels is estimated to account for approximately 3 million premature deaths a year. Cleaner fuels - such as liquefied petroleum gas, biogas, electricity, and certain

Household air pollution generated using solid-fuel cookstoves is a leading risk factor for morbidity and mortality worldwide. Many studies have quantified cookstove emissions with respect to the main fuels used (e.g., wood, charcoal and other biomass fuels). Anecdotal evidence suggests a variety of fuels are used to ignite cookstoves, however quantitative information on startup fuel types is lacking

This paper reviews the experience of a for-profit firm in Rwanda promoting biomass pellets and a fan micro-gasification improved cookstove as a clean cooking alternative to charcoal. Consumers purchase locally produced biomass pellets and receive the improved cookstove on a lease basis. The cost of the pellets and stove(s) is lower than the cost of cooking with charcoal in the urban setting where our

Introduction Over 80% of rural households in Peru use solid fuels as their primary source of domestic energy, which contributes to several health problems. In 2016, 6.7 million Peruvians were living in rural areas. The Fondo de Inclusión Social Energético (FISE) LPG Promotion Program, which began in 2012 and is housed under the Ministry of Energy and Mining, is a government-sponsored initiative aimed

Background In 2007, the Indonesian Government instigated a national program to convert domestic kerosene users to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking. This was primarily motivated by the rising cost of kerosene subsidies. Objective To review the national conversion program and LPG scale up by evaluating its impacts, including assessing sustained changes in cooking behaviour and consequent reductions

After more than three decades of access to low-cost liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) financed by large direct government subsidies, more than 90% of Ecuadorian households cook primarily with LPG. Due to the large fiscal burden of the LPG subsidy, increases in electricity from hydropower, and other sociopolitical factors, the Government of Ecuador launched a major induction stove program (PEC) to reduce

Development and implementation of clean cooking technology for households in low and middle income countries (LMICs) offer enormous promise to advance at least five Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 3. Good health and well-being; 5. Gender equality; 7. Affordable and clean energy; 13. Climate action; 15. Life on land. Programs are being implemented around the world to introduce alternative cooking

National governments and other key stakeholders in developing countries are grappling with how to reduce household air pollution (HAP) resulting from cooking with solid fuels using traditional cooking technologies. Recent studies have shown that improved cookstoves may offer reductions in fuel use and harmful emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), yet there is little

Replacing traditional stoves with advanced alternatives that burn more cleanly has the potential to ameliorate major health problems associated with indoor air pollution in developing countries. With a few exceptions, large government and charitable programs to distribute advanced stoves have not had the desired impact. Commercially-based distributions that seek cost recovery and even profits might