Fuelwood Use Research Articles

Drivers of species’ use for fuelwood purposes: A case study in the Brazilian semiarid region

Efforts have been taken to understand the criteria for selecting plants for various purposes. However, regarding fuelwood use, there is still disagreement in the literature concerning the processes that drive their use. As a result, wood quality and its availability in the environment have alternated in studies as the main determinants in terms of predictive power. The main goal of this study was to understand the influence of these factors on the behavior of fuelwood gatherers. For this purpose, perceptions of the fuel quality and its availability in the environment were accessed, as well as the availability measured by ecological tools. The study was conducted in a rural community in the Northeast of Brazil, and it was found that a small range of five native species is considered more important locally. We found that biological, as well as ecological aspects influence the use of fuelwood.

HOUSEHOLD’S RESPONSES TO THE ROLES OF TREES AS WIND BREAKER IN DUTSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF JIGAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Wind is a natural process through which air moves in mass from high pressure areas to low pressure areas. There is no doubt when not obstructed can damage several natural features and human-made structures beyond repairs. However, in an open landscape trees provide the most effective protection compared to other biological wind control measures. This study investigated household’s responses to the roles of trees as wind breaker in Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Nigeria. The data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaires coupled with oral interview schedules. A total of five (5) wards namely: Chamo, Dundubus, Limawa, Kaci and Dutse were randomly selected based on the havoc caused by wind in the areas. Fifteen villages were randomly selected from five wards. Thirty (30) respondents were randomly selected from each of the chosen wards; thus, one hundred and fifty (150) respondents make up the sample size for this research while the data were subjected to descriptive statistics analysis. Multistage random sampling was used for this research. The results from this study showed that dominant tree (67%), deforestation (62%), fuel-wood (60%) and tree planting (60%) had the highest percentage. In conclusion, Dutse people are greatly depend on the use of fuel-wood for their domestic uses and also aware of mitigating methods. Therefore, enlighten of the people on the effect of deforestation and also alternative sources of biofuel must be provided in order to maintain ecological balance, and reduce high level of deforestation in the study areas.

The domestic consumption of firewood in preindustrial Seville, 1518–1775. An intensive bias driven by the Mediterranean diet

AbstractFuelwood was the main domestic fuel in the Mediterranean Basin during the early modern age, although the consumption level was lower than in other latitudes. The calculation of annual real prices and per capita household consumption figures in Seville from 1518 to 1775 reveals a complex evolution connected to a European-wide scenario. As expected, low levels of domestic fuelwood use were maintained in accordance with climate and heating requirements, but contrary to prior assumptions, a substantial increase is evidenced as of 1630. The growing supply of firewood from tree-crops, leading to a decrease in real prices, ran parallel to an early diet shift to pulses and the corresponding extension of cooking times.

Non-timber forest product importance for rural household well-being in four coastal communities in Oaxaca, Mexico

Rural household livelihoods usually depend on the use of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) as a strategy for income diversification and survival. Thus, this research seeks to determine the role played by NTFPs at the household level. A survey was conducted with 212 households in four localities with a high degree of marginalization, located on the South Pacific coast of Mexico in Oaxaca State. The results show that, firstly, NTFPs are used by all households, even the wealthiest families, and that the most important products used are fuelwood and medicinal plants. Secondly, the findings indicate that the collection and self-consumption of fuelwood and medicinal plants by households with lower incomes generate savings of at least 20% of their total annual gross income. Thirdly, for the majority of the surveyed households (90%), NTFPs are perceived as important for their well-being. This could be due to traditional or cultural attachment to ancestral practices, such as the use of fuelwood for cooking traditional food and the collection of medicinal plants. Finally, NTFP use is a livelihood diversification strategy and promotes the objective and subjective well-being of rural households. Social and environmental policies need to consider the potential of NTFPs for poverty alleviation and rural development through sustainable use and coordinated actions.

Consumption of liquefied petroleum gas and its determinants: A prospect for indiscriminate tree harvesting in Imo State, Nigeria

The study analysed the consumption of liquefied petroleum gas and its determinants as a prospect for indiscriminate tree harvesting in Imo State, Nigeria. A total number of 96 questionnaires were distributed but only 90 of them were returned. Data collected were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Result shows that the weekly fuel wood and liquefied petroleum gas consumed by the households in the study area were 514.326MJ (37.27KG) and 65.92MJ (1.43KG) respectively. The result also identified indoor pollution, eye defect and loss of biodiversity with weighted means of 2.64, 3.00 and 2.67 respectively as very serious problems of fuel wood use. Result showed that clean fuels (as well as afforestation), ethanol cook stove, crop residue/animal dung and solar/water energy sources which ranked 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively were the major prospects for indiscriminate tree harvesting in the study area. Results also indicated that at 1% levels of significance, price of liquefied petroleum gas, price of kerosene, household expenditure, household size and number of times electricity was available per month were the majordeterminants of liquefied petroleum gas consumption in the study areas. Given the urgency of the clean energy access, the paper recommends that relevant stakeholders should prioritize efforts and financial supports geared toward the alleviation of the problems of indiscriminate tree harvesting. It also advocates for LPG subsidization to encourage more users of the fuel.
 Keywords: Indiscriminate wood harvesting, loss of bio-diversity, clean energy

Women's experiences with mixed use of wood and gas cookstoves and fuels in rural Lambayeque, Peru

Introduction: Despite program efforts to encourage use of clean cookstoves and fuels to mitigate climate change, many communities continue to use wood-fueled open fires. Objectives: Describe experiences of participants with mixed use of cooking and fuel technologies (e.g. open fires and chimney stoves using wood and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stoves) in rural Lambayeque, Peru in 2018. Material and methods: Fifteen participants were interviewed using a qualitative exploratory research design. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results: Four categories emerged: decisions about acquiring cooking fuels are primarily based on cost; plastic trash is used to light wood-burning stoves; decisions to use gas over wood are based on quick food cooking time; and benefits and health problems are recognized, but mixed use of fuels persist. Conclusion: Use of both traditional wood cookstoves and plastic trash to ignite fires were used frequently because both are free or cheap. The environmental impact of cutting down trees isn't considered important, but interviewees did notice detriments to their wellbeing. Although gas stoves are used and benefits were mentioned, use of traditional stoves persists. We recommend that policy makers in Peru begin to address barriers to full adoption of new clean cooking technologies and consider governmental subsidies to meet families' spending priorities.

Freshwater use of the energy sector in Africa

The fast economic and population growth in the African continent will lead to an important increase in demand for energy and water resources. Unfortunately, very few studies have addressed water use for energy production in Africa. This study focuses on water consumption and withdrawals throughout the different stages of energy production (fuel production, power plant construction and operation) in African countries. An in-depth analysis of water loss through evaporation in hydropower reservoirs is also performed due to the important role it plays in many countries and its severe impacts on electricity generation during the increasingly frequent droughts in Africa. The results indicate that in the year 2016, a total of 42 billion cubic meters of water was lost through evaporation in hydropower reservoirs compared to 1.2 billion cubic meters from all the other fuel types combined. Oil extraction and refining dominate water use for fuel production and non-hydro renewable energies have an almost negligible impact on the overall water use (10 million cubic meters). Fuelwood is shown to be a high consumer of water accounting for 4.5 billion cubic meters. The use of non-hydro renewable energies instead of fossil fuels can contribute significantly to reduce water use while covering the growing energy needs in Africa. Modern technologies that substitute fuelwood use in households would also reduce the impacts on water resources. The hydropower potential remains largely untapped in several regions of the continent. Nevertheless, new hydropower developments need to be carefully considered especially in regions characterized by severe water scarcity.

Exposure to wood smoke particles leads to inflammation, disrupted proliferation and damage to cellular structures in a human first trimester trophoblast cell line

The ongoing transition to renewable fuel sources has led to increased use of wood and other biomass fuels. The physiochemical characteristics of biomass combustion derived aerosols depends on appliances, fuel and operation procedures, and particles generated during incomplete combustion are linked to toxicity. Frequent indoor wood burning is related to severe health problems such as negative effects on airways and inflammation, as well as chronic hypoxia and pathological changes in placentas, adverse pregnancy outcome, preterm delivery and increased risk of preeclampsia. The presence of combustion-derived black carbon particles at both the maternal and fetal side of placentas suggests that particles can reach the fetus. Air pollution particles have also been shown to inhibit trophoblast migration and invasion, which are vital functions for the development of the placenta during the first trimester. In this study we exposed a placental first trimester trophoblast cell line to wood smoke particles emitted under Nominal Burn rate (NB) or High Burn rate (HB). The particles were visible inside exposed cells and localized to the mitochondria, causing ultrastructural changes in mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Exposed cells showed decreased secretion of the pregnancy marker human chorionic gonadotropin, increased secretion of IL-6, disrupted membrane integrity, disrupted proliferation and contained specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the particles. Taken together, these results suggest that wood smoke particles can enter trophoblasts and have detrimental effects early in pregnancy by disrupting critical trophoblast functions needed for normal placenta development and function. This could contribute to the underlying mechanisms leading to pregnancy complications such as miscarriage, premature birth, preeclampsia and/or fetal growth restriction. This study support the general recommendation that more efficient combustion technologies and burning practices should be adopted to reduce some of the toxicity generated during wood burning.

Exposure to Wood Smoke and Associated Health Effects in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review.

Background:Observational studies suggest that exposure to wood smoke is associated with a variety of adverse health effects in humans.Objective:We aimed to summarise evidence from sub-Saharan Africa on levels of exposure to pollutants in wood smoke and the association between such exposures and adverse health outcomes.Methods:PubMed and Google scholar databases were searched for original articles reporting personal exposure levels to pollutants or health outcomes associated with wood smoke exposure in Sub-Saharan African population.Results:Mean personal PM2.5 and carbon monoxide levels in the studies ranged from 26.3 ± 1.48 μg/m3 to 1574 ± 287μg/m3 and from 0.64 ± 2.12 ppm to 22 ± 2.4 ppm, respectively. All the reported personal PM2.5 exposure levels were higher than the World Health Organization’s Air Quality Guideline (AQG) for 24-hour mean exposure. Use of wood fuels in domestic cooking is the major source of wood smoke exposure in this population. Occupational exposure to wood smoke included the use of wood fuels in bakery, fish drying, cassava processing and charcoal production. Females were exposed to higher levels of these pollutants than males of the same age range. Major determinants for higher exposure to wood smoke in SSA included use of unprocessed firewood, female gender and occupational exposure. We recorded strong and consistent associations between exposure to wood smoke and respiratory diseases including acute respiratory illness and impaired lung function. Positive associations were reported for increased blood pressure, low birth weight, oesophageal cancer, sick building syndrome, non-syndromic cleft lip and/or cleft palate and under-five mortality.Conclusion:There is high level of exposure to wood smoke in SSA and this exposure is associated with a number of adverse health effects. There is urgent need for aggressive programs to reduce wood smoke exposure in this population.

The Implementation of Biogas Production from Municipal Solid Waste in Nigeria

The deployment of clean energy systems has increased over the years as a result of the attendant effects of convectional fuel-based plants. A good set of goals, inclusive of clean and affordable energy initiative, have been set and implemented in many developing countries by the United Nations. However, the commitment to reduce greenhouse emission with clean energy technologies in Nigeria has faced several implementation challenges. This study presents a technical and economic feasibility analysis of an 8m 3 fixed-dome family biogas digester to replace the use of fuelwood in rural community households in selected states of the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Based on the economic analysis from the results, the use of biogas-digester is more economically viable with a quick return on investment, low maintenance cost, and availability of raw materials at little or no cost. The results also revealed other benefits such as avoided greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, reduced deforestation due to very low dependence on fuelwood, health benefits; eliminating hazardous particulate matter, fatigue, and health conditions for women and children as a result of long-distance travelled and hours spent fetching fuelwood. Additionally, the time wasted in collecting fuelwood can be reduced and maximized for other gainful and laudable activities such as learning. This paper recommends sustainable policies pertinent to the development and proliferation of biogas plants in rural communities of Nigeria. Following the 2013 economic rebasing, Nigeria happens to be the West African country with the largest economy. Considering the robustness of the country’s economy, public and private investments in clean technologies like biogas system, will not only help us meet household demands but also consolidate the energy sector, thereby opening many opportunities. Therefore, the significance of this study is that many households in rural populace would be empowered to meet their energy demand and reduce dependence on fuelwood. There are existing economic, regulatory and institutional frameworks to sustain this transformation, and Nigeria will witness the change it sets to achieve. Keywords: clean technology, biogas, municipal waste, economic analysis, policy DOI : 10.7176/JETP/10-1-06 Publication date: February 29 th 2020

The Effects of Solid Cooking Fuel on Children's Schooling in Rural Vietnam

Gathering fuelwood for cooking and heating represents a considerable time burden for households in rural Vietnam. In this paper we examine the effects of fuelwood use on children’s school attendance using a panel of households from the Vietnam Living Standards Survey (VNLSS). We match individual households in the VNLSS to satellite imagery measuring leaf coverage at the time and location of each survey, providing a robust instrument to examine the impacts of resource collection on schooling. We find that using fuelwood as the primary energy source is associated with an 84 percentage point decrease in the likelihood of fulltime school attendance overall. Further, we do not observe any differences in the effects on boys or girls. Our results suggest that household energy choices and diminishing resource availability can have a lasting impact on childhood schooling and long-run poverty.

Estimation of fuelwood-induced carbon emission from the use of improved cook stoves by selected households in Kwara State, Nigeria

This study estimates the fuelwood-induced carbon emission of a 4-year national project called National Assembly Intervention on Clean Cooking Initiative (NAICCI), which involved the distribution of improved wood-saving stoves and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and burners to poor households in Kwara State of Nigeria between 2014 and 2018. Questionnaires were used to collect primary data from a sample of 161 households out of 1000 covering variables such as average dry weight of fuel wood used per household, average dry weight of fuel wood used in the production of charcoal, and area logged per year. A randomized experimental design was deployed across the study area covering Asa, Ilorin West, Ilorin East, and Ilorin South Local Government Areas. NAICCI was aimed at reducing carbon emission from the use of fuelwood for cooking, which was estimated using Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Decision Support Tool (REDD+ DST) to arrive at an estimate of 8.6 tonnes of carbon emission (CO2e) per capita for the period under review translating to 2.2 tCO2e/year. For fuelwood-induced carbon emissions to be sustainably reduced, we recommend enforcement of prevention of illegal logging to prevent indiscriminate deforestation, use of satellite technology in improving carbon reduction estimates, use of bioethanol from biowaste and nonfood crops, and use of Vulnerability Scoping Diagrams (VSDs) for targeted selection of beneficiaries. We conclude that the use of improved cook stoves and fuels for cooking could help in forest conservation and reduce CO2e emissions in Nigeria.

Assessment of Forest Resource Exploitation in the Rural Communities of District Jhelum, Pakistan

18 October, 2019 Accepted: 25 October, 2019Abstract: Forest resources are deteriorating and experiencing decline around the globe due to unsustainable use andover exploitation. The present study was an attempt to determine the relationship between human activities, forestresource utilization, extraction methods and practices of forest resource exploitation in the district Jhelum of Pakistan.For this purpose, primary sources of data were used which were collected from 8 villages through structuredquestionnaire and tabulated in Microsoft Excel 365 and SPSS 22 was used for multiple linear regression analysis. Theresults revealed that farming, wood cutting, animal husbandry and agro-forestry were the major occupations in thestudy area. Most commonly used resources included timber 26%, fuelwood 25% and fodder 19%. Methods used forresource extraction included gathering 49%, plucking 34% trapping 11% and cutting 6%. Population growth, increaseddemand of fuelwood and land conversion were the main reasons behind forest degradation. Results for multiple linearregression revealed that Forest based activities, sources of energy production, methods used for wood harvesting andresource extraction and use of fuelwood for energy production contributed significantly towards extensive forestresource exploitation with p value <0.5 within the study area. The study suggests that effective measures should betaken by forest department to control the unsustainable use of forest resources by stringent management interventionsand awareness campaigns in Jhelum district.

Assessment of Forest Resource Exploitation in the Rural Communities of District Jhelum, Pakistan

18 October, 2019 Accepted: 25 October, 2019Abstract: Forest resources are deteriorating and experiencing decline around the globe due to unsustainable use andover exploitation. The present study was an attempt to determine the relationship between human activities, forestresource utilization, extraction methods and practices of forest resource exploitation in the district Jhelum of Pakistan.For this purpose, primary sources of data were used which were collected from 8 villages through structuredquestionnaire and tabulated in Microsoft Excel 365 and SPSS 22 was used for multiple linear regression analysis. Theresults revealed that farming, wood cutting, animal husbandry and agro-forestry were the major occupations in thestudy area. Most commonly used resources included timber 26%, fuelwood 25% and fodder 19%. Methods used forresource extraction included gathering 49%, plucking 34% trapping 11% and cutting 6%. Population growth, increaseddemand of fuelwood and land conversion were the main reasons behind forest degradation. Results for multiple linearregression revealed that Forest based activities, sources of energy production, methods used for wood harvesting andresource extraction and use of fuelwood for energy production contributed significantly towards extensive forestresource exploitation with p value <0.5 within the study area. The study suggests that effective measures should betaken by forest department to control the unsustainable use of forest resources by stringent management interventionsand awareness campaigns in Jhelum district.

Fuel choices and fuelwood use for residential heating and cooking in urban areas of central-southern Chile: The role of prices, income, and the availability of energy sources and technology

This paper empirically analyzes the determinants of fuel choices and intensity of fuelwood use for residential heating and cooking in central-southern Chile. By using information from a sample of 2761 households in nine urban areas, we first investigate households’ choices of the main fuel used for heating by means of multinomial models. Then we examine the intensity of fuelwood use through fractional probit models. These models allow analyzing the interdependence of fuel use by households, while taking into account households’ individual heterogeneity. Our results indicate that households’ fuel choices are mainly driven by socioeconomic and dwelling characteristics. Moreover, while there is a component of fuelwood use that cannot be influenced by energy policies, such as meteorological conditions across the country, there are a number of characteristics that influence the share of the households’ energy production which is generated by fuelwood. These factors range from socioeconomic characteristics to the households’ perceptions regarding the link between air pollution and use of fuelwood, which presents an opportunity for designing future policy interventions aimed at incentivizing the adoption of cleaner devices.

A comparative study of the land required for food and cooking fuel in rural India

Land is a limited resource that provides food and cooking fuel to the rural population. In this paper, we determine the land required for food production and compare it with the land required for cooking fuel (i.e. fuelwood) for six different regions of India. We use regional data to assess the land requirements for both food and fuelwood. Dietary patterns and agricultural yields are the major drivers of land demand for food production. The average land requirement for food is about 1000 m2/cap/yr, but the values range between 800-1300 m2/cap/yr. The greatest proportion of this land requirement is for cereals, especially rice and wheat. Determining the land needed for cooking fuel requires biomass productivity and fuelwood use. We found that the average land requirement for fuelwood is about 3 to 7 times larger than the area required to produce food. Thus, there is a wide disparity in land demand between all the regions of India. Dietary change is not an option as rural inhabitants are already consuming less than their urban counterparts. Changes to cooking fuels could be another option. This comparative study shows the high demand for land for cooking fuel in comparison to food. It implies that, from a land requirement perspective, reducing the fuelwood consumption and shifting to a more efficient cooking fuel would be a better option.

Making cooking champions: Perceptions of local actors on private sector development in Uganda

Most households in Uganda depend on traditional use of wood fuels associated with huge environmental and health issues. Even with the future development of a sustainable national grid, small-scale solutions like efficient biomass stoves, biochar, and biogas installations will remain important. Despite the apparent benefits from clean cooking resulting from “dissemination” programs since the 1980's, many developing country households have been slow to adopt them. Hence, questions arise concerning commercially viable business development. This study takes a qualitative approach and actors-based perspective from the major players at the supply-side of the clean cooking on biomass market sector. A field research in Kampala (Uganda) explored the success factors according to local private actors' perceptions. The confrontation between these perceptions and a literature-based success-factor framework revealed original insights in terms of enabling conditions to strengthen the supply-side, related to the demand-side and the clean cooking market. First, becoming a ‘clean cooking champion’ is still highly dependent on the role of supportive and intervening development programs, especially in terms of financing, capacity-building, and awareness-raising. Second, up to now, carbon finance is an additional incentive rather than a determining factor for business activities in the clean cooking sector. Third, while some policies and targets exist, private sector respondents lament the lack of a level playing field and the competition of the informal cooking sector. Thus, this research provides an empirical basis for a possible approach to leverage private sector experience and expertise to improve access to clean cooking on biomass in Uganda.

Agent-based modeling of “cleaner” cookstove adoption and woodfuel use: An integrative empirical approach

Heavy reliance on biomass for cooking and heating raises concerns of deforestation and forest degradation in rural India. We developed an agent-based model to spatially and temporally understand woodfuel consumption from local forests, and the role of adoption of cleaner cookstoves in alleviating woodfuel pressure from nearby forests. First, we calculated the aboveground woody biomass present in forests accessed for woodfuel using randomized forest sampling. Second, we quantified household woodfuel consumption for cooking and heating from the household surveys. Third, we developed four different scenarios over 20 years varying the adoption of "cleaner" cookstoves (LPG and Induction). Finally, we synthesized information in an agent-based model to estimate the spatial patterns and temporal trends of woodfuel collection from nearby forests in a watershed located in Himachal Pradesh, India. The total annual woodfuel consumption was 2200 t across eight villages located in the selected watershed. Households with at least one non-biomass-based cookstove consumed on average 0.38 t less woodfuel than households with only biomass-based cookstoves. The total aboveground woody biomass for 235.8 ha of forest area accessed for woodfuel collection was 95,505 t. From the model, we found that the total aboveground woody biomass increased from 95,505.2 to 110,352.5 t over 20 years. The aboveground woody biomass increased in larger forest areas at the end of 20 years, whereas in smaller forest areas it decreased considerably. We postulate that instead of focusing on measures to reduce consumption at the household level, policies may be more effective by focusing on supply side reforms such as promoting alternative sources for woodfuel, along with alternatives to not just “cleaner” cooking but heating as well.

Assessing the impacts of rising fuelwood demand on Swedish forest sector: An intertemporal optimization approach

An increase in the demand for fuelwood has the potential to affect traditional timber production. Based on a partial equilibrium model of the Swedish forest sector, this paper evaluates the supply and price of sawlogs, pulpwood and fuelwood under differing levels of future fuelwood demand. The results indicate that an increasing demand for fuelwood would intensify the competition between pulpwood and fuelwood, which would cause the prices of pulpwood and fuelwood to increase. The pulpwood supply would decrease and the fuelwood supply would increase in response to fuelwood demand expansion. An increasing demand for fuelwood would affect the harvest of sawlogs positively, though the effect would be small. It is concluded that an increase in the use of fuelwood would affect mainly the pulp and paper industry in terms of the provision of raw materials. Besides, the annual increment of forest standing volume would exceed the harvest in all the scenarios analyzed, implying that the Swedish forests are a carbon sink.

Residential energy transition and thermal efficiency in an arid environment of northeast Patagonia, Argentina

We have studied changes in energy use and practices due to a program which partially replaced firewood by fossil fuels. The program has been running for nearly five years in rural dwellings in Patagonia Argentina, where limited provision of fuelwood and social vulnerability are found. As a case study we focused on the community of Laguna Blanca, Province of Río Negro, located in the Patagonian steppe. Dwellings are one-family houses which were built with no energy efficiency measures, exposing reinforced concrete structures, fired-clay bricks, metal roofs and single-glass windows to severe weather. Since 2014, a government program fully subsidized the refilling of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) to vulnerable rural communities, which were provided with a 200-kg gas tank and a gas heater in each household. An expected decrease in the use of fuelwood was observed, along with a very high consumption of LPG (around 650 kWh/m2 year), which can be for the first time assessed due to the known amount of LPG provided. The lack of energy efficiency policies led to very high operational costs and environmental impacts. Based on the dwellings' characteristics, we have also found that the LPG subsidies saved in 2.2 years would return the investment for a thermal insulation that would reduce 50% the gas consumption and substantially improve comfort.