Renewable energy policies and household solid fuel dependence

Abstract

What effects do domestic and international policies have on household solid fuel consumption? Previous studies analyze some of the policies that national governments and international organizations have implemented to reduce solid fuel dependence, but these studies tend to examine one policy and/or one country at a time. In contrast, this article seeks to provide a more systematic analysis of whether and to what extent domestic and international policies can encourage transition to less polluting fuels. Using data on the proportion of population using solid cooking fuels, and domestic and international programs promoting renewable energy, we evaluate the association between renewable energy policies and household solid fuel dependence. Our statistical tests show that such policies, regardless of their domestic or international origins, matter in explaining the level of solid fuel dependence. As the number of domestic policies increases, the share of population using solid fuels tends to decline. International efforts to promote renewable energy are also linked to reduced solid fuel dependence in countries where such international programs are implemented.