TY - JOUR
T1 - Technological innovation and dispersion
T2 - Environmental benefits and the adoption of improved biomass cookstoves in Tigrai, northern Ethiopia
AU - Gebreegziabher, Zenebe
AU - Van Kooten, G. Cornelis
AU - Van Soest, Daan P.
PY - 2017/9/1
Y1 - 2017/9/1
N2 - This paper empirically analyzes adoption and fuel savings efficiency of improved biomass cookstove technology using survey data from a cross-section of 200 farm households from the highlands of Tigrai, northern Ethiopia. Results indicate that these farm households are willing to adopt improved biomass cookstove innovations if this leads to economic savings. Moreover, results suggest significant positive environmental externalities. On a per household basis, we found that adopters collect about 70 kg less wood and about 20 kg less dung each month. The adoption of improved biomass cookstoves reduces harvest pressure on local forest stands: assuming an average of 120 metric tons of biomass per ha, we find the potential reduction in deforestation amounts to some 1400 ha per year – an important saving. Further, the reduced use of dung as a fuel has a positive impact on soil productivity in agriculture.
AB - This paper empirically analyzes adoption and fuel savings efficiency of improved biomass cookstove technology using survey data from a cross-section of 200 farm households from the highlands of Tigrai, northern Ethiopia. Results indicate that these farm households are willing to adopt improved biomass cookstove innovations if this leads to economic savings. Moreover, results suggest significant positive environmental externalities. On a per household basis, we found that adopters collect about 70 kg less wood and about 20 kg less dung each month. The adoption of improved biomass cookstoves reduces harvest pressure on local forest stands: assuming an average of 120 metric tons of biomass per ha, we find the potential reduction in deforestation amounts to some 1400 ha per year – an important saving. Further, the reduced use of dung as a fuel has a positive impact on soil productivity in agriculture.
KW - improved cookstoves and fuel-savings
KW - economic development
KW - land degradation
KW - technological adoption
U2 - 10.1016/j.eneco.2017.08.030
DO - 10.1016/j.eneco.2017.08.030
M3 - Article
VL - 67
SP - 337
EP - 345
JO - Energy Economics
JF - Energy Economics
SN - 0140-9883
ER -