A Case Study Analysis of Barriers and Opportunities for Transitions to Modern Fuels in Rural India

Abstract

Nearly half the world population continues to rely on unimproved use of solid fuels including wood, dung, crop waste, and coal for their most basic energy needs of cooking and heating. These solid fuels release large quantities of toxic smoke inside homes, severely damaging the lungs of the occupants, particularly women and children. A mother cooking on an unimproved biomass fire inhales the equivalent of two to five packs of cigarettes every day. Domestic biomass smoke contributes to the premature deaths over 1.45 million people every year (one death every 20 seconds). Furthermore, inefficient domestic biomass fires are also a significant source of emissions that contribute to climate change. India contains 32% of the world population dependent on unimproved biomass. Unfortunately, 45% of India's population (466 million people) are rural non-paying biomass users, lying outside the reach of many clean cooking transition strategies that typically succeed only in areas where people pay for fuel. This study examines the puzzle of creating successful fuel transitions in rural places. At the center of this work is a qualitative and quantitative case study analysis of Avani—a social enterprise with an innovative approach that directly addresses the systematic challenges of rural fuel transitions in Uttarakhand. This study assimilates a wide range of interrelated factors at different levels, incorporating primary data collection including lab analysis of pine needles as a fuel, financial analysis of Avani's model, and field observations from Kumaoni homes. Eleven different stove/fuel options are evaluated for fitting Avani's approach through a comparative framework that includes expected cost, health benefits, and strengths/weaknesses of the value proposition to the end users and the implementing organization. Finally, this study extracts insights pertinent for other organizations aiming to increase the viability of clean cooking in rural India. Abu Dhabi has taken a lead role internationally in the promotion of renewable energy and sustainability, and was accordingly selected as the site of the International Renewable Energy Agency in part for its potential to bridge between developing and developed countries. Increasing access to modern energy services and reducing the negative environmental and health impacts of traditional biomass fuels is a crucial challenge in this domain. This work contributes to positioning Masdar Institute and Abu Dhabi as a thought leader in policies and strategies for sustainable development.

Date of Award	2011
Original language	American English
Supervisor	Scott Kennedy (Supervisor)