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

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