International Journal of Sustainable Development Research

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LPG Cookstove Use and Fuel Subsidies in the Cuzco Region of Peru

Received: Mar. 24, 2020    Accepted: Apr. 09, 2020    Published: Apr. 23, 2020
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Abstract

2.8 billion people around the globe continue to use open fires and biomass stoves for cooking and heating. Household air pollution is a serious health hazard, especially for women and children. A solution involves promoting so-called clean fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The purpose of this research is to examine the use of LPG cookstoves in the Cuzco Region of Peru. A specific focus is on the Peruvian government’s FISE gas subsidy program. Surveys were administered to seventy-seven households in four indigenous agriculturalist communities over two different years. The results show the widespread use of gas stoves, but only as a supplement to wood and other biomass. We concluded that FISE is well organized, easy to use, and properly targets low income households. However, while the LPG subsidy program does promote the use of some gas, it is insufficient to prompt a complete fuel switch given current prices and resource availability. This research critiques the energy ladder model for fuel switching, and the results reveal that the use of multiple fuels, or fuel stacking, continues to be the norm. Furthermore, the data suggest an increase in eucalyptus and pine reforestation efforts, which will impact the relative scarcity of fuels, fuel choice, and health in the rural areas of the Cuzco Region.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20200601.13
Published in International Journal of Sustainable Development Research ( Volume 6, Issue 1, March 2020 )
Page(s) 14-21
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

LPG Cookstoves, Household Air Pollution, Fuel Subsidies, Peru

References
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  • APA Style

    James Keese, Carolina Guzman Vazquez, Maya O’Brien, Brooke Richter. (2020). LPG Cookstove Use and Fuel Subsidies in the Cuzco Region of Peru. International Journal of Sustainable Development Research, 6(1), 14-21. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20200601.13

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    ACS Style

    James Keese; Carolina Guzman Vazquez; Maya O’Brien; Brooke Richter. LPG Cookstove Use and Fuel Subsidies in the Cuzco Region of Peru. Int. J. Sustain. Dev. Res. 2020, 6(1), 14-21. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20200601.13

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    AMA Style

    James Keese, Carolina Guzman Vazquez, Maya O’Brien, Brooke Richter. LPG Cookstove Use and Fuel Subsidies in the Cuzco Region of Peru. Int J Sustain Dev Res. 2020;6(1):14-21. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20200601.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijsdr.20200601.13,
      author = {James Keese and Carolina Guzman Vazquez and Maya O’Brien and Brooke Richter},
      title = {LPG Cookstove Use and Fuel Subsidies in the Cuzco Region of Peru},
      journal = {International Journal of Sustainable Development Research},
      volume = {6},
      number = {1},
      pages = {14-21},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijsdr.20200601.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20200601.13},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsdr.20200601.13},
      abstract = {2.8 billion people around the globe continue to use open fires and biomass stoves for cooking and heating. Household air pollution is a serious health hazard, especially for women and children. A solution involves promoting so-called clean fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The purpose of this research is to examine the use of LPG cookstoves in the Cuzco Region of Peru. A specific focus is on the Peruvian government’s FISE gas subsidy program. Surveys were administered to seventy-seven households in four indigenous agriculturalist communities over two different years. The results show the widespread use of gas stoves, but only as a supplement to wood and other biomass. We concluded that FISE is well organized, easy to use, and properly targets low income households. However, while the LPG subsidy program does promote the use of some gas, it is insufficient to prompt a complete fuel switch given current prices and resource availability. This research critiques the energy ladder model for fuel switching, and the results reveal that the use of multiple fuels, or fuel stacking, continues to be the norm. Furthermore, the data suggest an increase in eucalyptus and pine reforestation efforts, which will impact the relative scarcity of fuels, fuel choice, and health in the rural areas of the Cuzco Region.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - LPG Cookstove Use and Fuel Subsidies in the Cuzco Region of Peru
    AU  - James Keese
    AU  - Carolina Guzman Vazquez
    AU  - Maya O’Brien
    AU  - Brooke Richter
    Y1  - 2020/04/23
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20200601.13
    T2  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
    JF  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
    JO  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
    SP  - 14
    EP  - 21
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-1832
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20200601.13
    AB  - 2.8 billion people around the globe continue to use open fires and biomass stoves for cooking and heating. Household air pollution is a serious health hazard, especially for women and children. A solution involves promoting so-called clean fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The purpose of this research is to examine the use of LPG cookstoves in the Cuzco Region of Peru. A specific focus is on the Peruvian government’s FISE gas subsidy program. Surveys were administered to seventy-seven households in four indigenous agriculturalist communities over two different years. The results show the widespread use of gas stoves, but only as a supplement to wood and other biomass. We concluded that FISE is well organized, easy to use, and properly targets low income households. However, while the LPG subsidy program does promote the use of some gas, it is insufficient to prompt a complete fuel switch given current prices and resource availability. This research critiques the energy ladder model for fuel switching, and the results reveal that the use of multiple fuels, or fuel stacking, continues to be the norm. Furthermore, the data suggest an increase in eucalyptus and pine reforestation efforts, which will impact the relative scarcity of fuels, fuel choice, and health in the rural areas of the Cuzco Region.
    VL  - 6
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Social Sciences Department, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, USA

  • Social Sciences Department, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, USA

  • Social Sciences Department, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, USA

  • Social Sciences Department, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, USA

  • Section