Cooking energy use in Bangladesh: Evidence from technology and fuel choice

Abstract

This study explores the socioeconomic determinants of energy poverty in clean cooking in Bangladesh, through analyzing the factors that determine the choice of cleaner cook stoves and cooking fuels among different segments of the population. Ordered probit and ordered logit models are used to analyze a country wide dataset from the Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019, to estimate the strength of influence of household characteristics on these choices. It was found that houses with more ventilation facilities tend to use less clean fuels and more primitive forms of stoves, whereas rented houses use cleaner fuels and technologies. Households with female or older heads have lower use of cleaner cooking solutions. Larger households use cleaner cooking less, but households with more and younger children use cleaner cooking more. Household wealth positively relates to choice of cleaner cooking solutions. Higher education and greater electricity access do not necessarily lead to movement up the cooking energy and technology ladder. Urban areas use cleaner cooking solutions more, as does the capital city area compared to other locations. Increasing the distribution of cleaner fuels and stoves across rural regions and among lower income communities is recommended for achieving the national clean cooking target. .