Determinants of household choice of cooking energy-mix in a peri-urban setting in Tanzania

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between household choice of cooking energy-mix or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and households' socio-economic attributes. It applies logit and multinomial regression models on a survey of 345 randomly selected households carried out in both Kigamboni-urban and -rural settings. The results verify the energy ladder hypothesis by showing that even in a context of energy stacking, an increase in income raises the odds and probability of choosing the energy-mix with a high share of LPG and the use of LPG. Households' awareness of the hazardous environmental and health consequences of fuelwood and access to LPG market information increase the odds and probability of choosing the energy-mix with a high share of LPG and the use of LPG. However, an increase of the propensity of households to hold that LPG is unsafe reduces the probability of utilising it. Policy instruments: enhancing households' incomes, increasing LPG market information and awareness of the hazardous environmental and health consequences of fuelwood, and ensuring the safety of LPG to households are crucial to enhancing the use of LPG and the choice of the energy-mix with a high share of LPG.