Does internet use promote clean energy use for cooking by women-headed rural households in China?

Abstract

Using the China Family Panel Studies, this study examined the effect of internet use on women-headed rural households' clean energy use with the Probit model and examined the mechanism of action of this effect. The results found that women-headed rural households were more likely to use clean energy than male-headed households. Furthermore, internet access greatly facilitated women-headed rural household use of clean energy. The mechanism analysis found that internet use expands residents' access to information, engages participation in off-farm employment, enhances the frequency of social interaction, and thus leads to clean energy use in women-headed rural households.