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Household air pollution (HAP) from cooking with solid fuels used during pregnancy has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. The Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) trial was a randomized controlled trial that assessed the impact of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stove and fuel intervention on health in Guatemala, India, Peru, and Rwanda. Here we investigated the effects of the LPG stove and fuel intervention on stillbirth, congenital anomalies and neonatal mortality and characterized exposure-response relationships between personal exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC) and carbon monoxide (CO) and these outcomes. Pregnant women (18 to

Residential cooking with non‐renewable energy sources, such as firewood, charcoal, natural gas, participate in the emission of more than a gigaton of CO2 per year, which represents 2% of the global CO2 emissions. Additionally, toxic particles including sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and mercury are released leading to elevated levels of indoor air pollution, and adversely affecting the health of the inhabitants. The residential sector's non‐renewable energy cooking devices also pose significant problems, consuming approximately 30%–40% of global energy usage, with over 80% dedicated to cooking applications. To mitigate the negative impacts of traditional cooking on health and the environment, various renewable energy‐based cooking technologies have been developed recently. The primary contributions of our paper are to: (a) present a comprehensive review of concentrated solar thermal cooking technologies, assessing their social, economic, and environmental impact across different climatic zones in developing countries like India; (b) classify and compare different solar cooking technologies, highlighting their advantages and limitations in various scenarios; (c) evaluate the energy efficiency of diverse solar cooking technologies; (d) analyze the impact of solar cookers on communities in developing countries; and (e) identify the challenges and future directions for solar cooker technologies, particularly in solar community kitchens. Our novel findings demonstrate that using solar cooking devices can reduce energy consumption by up to 56% in Indian schools. Moreover, the payback period ranges from 3 to 6 years, contingent on the technology's cost, climatic conditions, and available subsidies. Consequently, significant positive impacts on society, the economy, and the environment are observed when traditional cooking devices are replaced by solar cooking devices. This study provides a unique and thorough analysis, contributing to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable cooking solutions and their potential to transform energy consumption patterns in developing regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The present study draws motivation from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and explores the nexus between access to modern cooking energy sources, responsible energy consumption, climate change mitigation, and economic growth. Using 2018 demographic and health survey data, the study examines the influence of key socioeconomic and demographic factors on household choice of cooking energy in Nigeria. Results The empirical results show that traditional energy sources are dominant among Nigerian households (74.24%) compared to modern energy sources (25.76%). Regarding energy demographics, male-headed households show more usage of modern energy sources (19.86%) compared to female-headed households (5.90%). Regional analysis reveals that the northwest region predominantly uses traditional energy sources (18.60% of the share of total traditional energy sources), while the southwest region shows the greatest usage of modern energy sources (10.52% of the share of total modern energy sources). Binary logistic regression analysis reveals the positive and statistically significant influence of wealth index, education, and geopolitical region on the likelihood of utilizing modern energy sources. Conversely, household size and place of residence indicate an inverse relationship with the likelihood of adopting modern energy sources. Conclusions These findings have important policy implications for energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and improving the quality of life in Nigeria, which is currently plagued with significant energy poverty, especially in rural communities.

Burning tropical forests to establish lucrative agricultural crops ignores potentially important health externalities of the resulting air pollution. These health externalities are often poorly understood, especially if other environmental hazards, such as indoor pollution, are not taken into account. Given the potential for joint, contemporaneous harms, we estimate the impacts of outdoor and indoor air pollution on respiratory health in Indonesia. To address the endogeneity of air pollution exposure, we use panel fixed effects estimation and instrument for outdoor pollution using upwind forest fire intensity. We find that outdoor air pollution exposure reduces lung capacity and decreases overall health status. Subgroup analysis reveals that these impacts are higher among the youngest and oldest individuals in our sample. Critically, we find suggestive evidence that outdoor air pollution exposure is more harmful to the health of individuals living in households that use clean cooking fuels. Thus, policies aimed at reducing environmental health harms are not substitutable—that is, reductions in both indoor and outdoor air pollution exposures are necessary for achieving health targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study draws motivation from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and explores the nexus between access to modern cooking energy sources, responsible energy consumption, climate change mitigation, and economic growth. Using 2018 demographic and health survey data, the study examines the influence of key socioeconomic and demographic factors on household choice of cooking energy in Nigeria. Results: The empirical results show that traditional energy sources are dominant among Nigerian households (74.24%) compared to modern energy sources (25.76%). Regarding energy demographics, male-headed households show more usage of modern energy sources (19.86%) compared to female-headed households (5.90%). Regional analysis reveals that the northwest region predominantly uses traditional energy sources (18.60% of the share of total traditional energy sources), while the southwest region shows the greatest usage of modern energy sources (10.52% of the share of total modern energy sources). Binary logistic regression analysis reveals the positive and statistically significant influence of wealth index, education, and geopolitical region on the likelihood of utilizing modern energy sources. Conversely, household size and place of residence indicate an inverse relationship with the likelihood of adopting modern energy sources. Conclusions: These findings have important policy implications for energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and improving the quality of life in Nigeria, which is currently plagued with significant energy poverty, especially in rural communities. Highlights: Examination of household energy utilization in Nigeria. We found that traditional energy utilization is accounted for by 74.24% of households. Clean energy source is accounted for by 25.76% of the household. 19.86% and 60.86% of male-headed households utilize clean and traditional energy, respectively. 5.90% and 13.38% of female-headed households utilize clean and traditional energy, respectively. 18.60% and 7.14% of Northwestern region and Southwest region has the highest traditional and cleaner energy sources, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Household air pollution from solid cooking fuel use during gestation has been associated with adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. The Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) trial was a randomized controlled trial of free liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stoves and fuel in Guatemala, Peru, India, and Rwanda. A primary outcome of the main trial was to report the effects of the intervention on infant birth weight. Here we evaluate the effects of a LPG stove and fuel intervention during pregnancy on spontaneous abortion, postpartum hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and maternal mortality compared to women who continued to use solid cooking fuels. Pregnant women (18-34 years of age; gestation confirmed by ultrasound at 9-19 weeks) were randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 1593) or control (n = 1607) arm. Intention-to-treat analyses compared outcomes between the two arms using log-binomial models. Among the 3195 pregnant women in the study, there were 10 spontaneous abortions (7 intervention, 3 control), 93 hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (47 intervention, 46 control), 11 post postpartum hemorrhage (5 intervention, 6 control) and 4 maternal deaths (3 intervention, 1 control). Compared to the control arm, the relative risk of spontaneous abortion among women randomized to the intervention was 2.32 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.60, 8.96), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy 1.02 (95% CI: 0.68, 1.52), postpartum hemorrhage 0.83 (95% CI: 0.25, 2.71) and 2.98 (95% CI: 0.31, 28.66) for maternal mortality. In this study, we found that adverse maternal outcomes did not differ based on randomized stove type across four country research sites.

Abstract Residential cooking with non‐renewable energy sources, such as firewood, charcoal, natural gas, participate in the emission of more than a gigaton of CO2 per year, which represents 2% of the global CO2 emissions. Additionally, toxic particles including sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and mercury are released leading to elevated levels of indoor air pollution, and adversely affecting the health of the inhabitants. The residential sector's non‐renewable energy cooking devices also pose significant problems, consuming approximately 30%–40% of global energy usage, with over 80% dedicated to cooking applications. To mitigate the negative impacts of traditional cooking on health and the environment, various renewable energy‐based cooking technologies have been developed recently. The primary contributions of our paper are to: (a) present a comprehensive review of concentrated solar thermal cooking technologies, assessing their social, economic, and environmental impact across different climatic zones in developing countries like India; (b) classify and compare different solar cooking technologies, highlighting their advantages and limitations in various scenarios; (c) evaluate the energy efficiency of diverse solar cooking technologies; (d) analyze the impact of solar cookers on communities in developing countries; and (e) identify the challenges and future directions for solar cooker technologies, particularly in solar community kitchens. Our novel findings demonstrate that using solar cooking devices can reduce energy consumption by up to 56% in Indian schools. Moreover, the payback period ranges from 3 to 6 years, contingent on the technology's cost, climatic conditions, and available subsidies. Consequently, significant positive impacts on society, the economy, and the environment are observed when traditional cooking devices are replaced by solar cooking devices. This study provides a unique and thorough analysis, contributing to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable cooking solutions and their potential to transform energy consumption patterns in developing regions.

Background Nearly one-third of the world's population (2.4 billion people) rely on unclean cooking fuel sources. The study assessed the association of the type of cooking fuel and hypertension risk in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods The study analysed pooled data from 97 942 individuals in the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) between 2014 and 2021 in 10 SSA countries. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed, including basic descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. The independent variable of interest was the type of cooking fuel, while hypertension served as the outcome variable. Results Women using unclean cooking fuel were 1.21 times more likely to be hypertensive compared with those using clean cooking fuel (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.21 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.11 to 1.31]). Older age (aOR 5.78 [95% CI 5.04 to 6.62]), higher education (aOR 1.14 [95% CI 1.05 to 1.23]), being married (aOR 1.64 [95% CI 1.49 to 1.80]), working in sales and services occupations (aOR 1.34 [95% CI 1.24 to 1.44]), frequent health facility visits (aOR 1.59 [95% CI 1.51 to 1.68]), higher wealth index and exposure to media were significantly associated with hypertension risk. Conclusions Efforts to reduce reliance on unclean cooking fuel at both the household and population levels need to be intensified in SSA countries. Promoting the use of clean cooking technologies and fuels and implementing supportive policies for transitioning from unclean cooking fuels are crucial. Targeted interventions to reduce hypertension risk in SSA should focus on women using unclean cooking fuel, older women, individuals from wealthier households and those with higher education levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Gallbladder cancers (GBC), unique to certain geographical regions, are lethal digestive tract cancers, disproportionately affecting women, with limited information on risk factors. Methods: We evaluated the association between household cooking fuel and GBC risk in a hospital-based case–control study conducted in the North-East and East Indian states of Assam and Bihar. We explored the potential mediation by diet, fire-vents, 'daily exposure duration' and parity (among women). We recruited biopsy-confirmed GBC (n = 214) men and women aged 30–69 years between 2019 and 2021, and controls frequency-matched by age, sex and region (n = 166). Information about cooking fuel, lifestyle, personal and family history, female reproductive factors, socio-demographics, and anthropometrics was collected. We tested associations using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results: All participants (73.4% women) were categorised based on predominant cooking fuel use. Group-1: LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) users in the previous 20 years and above without concurrent biomass use (26.15%); Group-2: LPG users in the previous 20 years and above with concurrent secondary biomass use (15.9%); Group-3: Biomass users for ≥ 20 years (57.95%). Compared to group-1, accounting for confounders, GBC risk was higher in group-2 [OR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.00–4.07] and group-3 [OR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.08–3.73] (p-trend:0.020). These associations strengthened among women that attenuated with high daily consumption of fruits-vegetables but not with fire-vents, 'daily exposure duration' or parity. Conclusion: Biomass burning was associated with a high-risk for GBC and should be considered as a modifiable risk factor for GBC. Clean cooking fuel can potentially mitigate, and a healthy diet can partially reduce the risk among women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing number of evidence is linking household air pollution (HAP) with the respiratory and general health of people. In this context, this study tries to review and synthesize the Indian evidence on exposure to household air pollution and respiratory health outcomes from the epidemiological studies conducted in India. The literature is gathered by searching national and international databases and selected using PRISMA guidelines. Included 11 studies that suggested higher odds of developing respiratory illness in HAP-exposed individuals than the non-exposed ones. Most of the studies focused on respiratory health outcomes following exposure to HAP among women and children. Household air pollution was found to be associated with an increased risk of acute lower respiratory infections in children. Though Indian evidence is limited, household air pollution in combination with increasing ambient air pollution can have a significant health impact on the Indian population. Along with current legislative, administrative, and community efforts, higher individual and collective efforts are essential to reduce the overall impact of household air pollution in Indian settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the impacts of improving housing conditions and transitioning to clean cooking fuels on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among middle-aged and elderly populations in rural China. Methods: Using a 10-year longitudinal follow-up study, we examined changes in housing conditions, cooking fuel use, and HRQOL among 690 Chinese adults aged 45 above in rural areas. HRQOL was assessed using the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions 3 Levels (EQ-5D-3L) questionnaire. Generalized estimating equations were utilized to analyze correlations between variables. Results: Using four-period balanced panel data of 10 years, there were significant differences in the self-reporting of mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain / discomfort and anxiety / depression in rural middle-aged and elderly people (p

Background: In Sub-Saharan Africa, the place of cooking and choice of fuel for cooking have detrimental effects on health due to excessive exposure to smoke. This study explores household-level exposure to the risk of cooking smoke and its associated determinants. Methods: Using a quantitative approach, we pooled the most recent waves of the Demographic Health Survey dataset yielding 442,339 households from 33 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, we first construct disaggregated measures of smoke exposure risk, determine the extent of households’ vulnerability to this risk, and investigate the associated determinants. We used the ordered probit regression to examine the socio-demographic and economic determinants of the levels of household smoke exposure risk in SSA. Results: We found evidence that 67 % of households cook indoors while 86 % use smoke-producing fuels for cooking which, may indicate a high level of vulnerability to smoke exposure. As expected, 53 % of households have a high risk of smoke exposure. Our findings reveal factors such as wealth, size, educational level, and age of household heads as the key determinants of the disaggregated smoke exposure risk measures. For robustness, we grouped households by their rural-urban locations to establish evidence of the determinants. Conclusions: The study identifies socio-economic characteristics as essential variables in determining a household's level of exposure to cooking smoke risk in SSA. We, therefore, propose to policymakers in the sub-region to improve the accessibility to clean cooking fuels, especially to all rural households. In this light, we recommend the promotion, subsidization, and enforcement of policies to encourage households to use clean cooking fuels.

The combustion of cooking fuels generates detrimental gases significantly impacting human health, particularly for vulnerable populations like expectant mothers. Prenatal exposure of such hazardous emissions raises the probability of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW). Our research aims to explore the association between cooking fuel utilization and adverse birth outcomes in rural Ma'anshan, Anhui Province. A prospective cohort study was executed, employing the Maternal and Infant Health Assessment questionnaire to classify fuels into clean (natural gas, electricity) and polluting energy sources (coal, coal gas, firewood). Multivariate logistic regression models were conducted to evaluate the association between fuel consumption and postpartum maternal and infant outcomes. Among the 442 surveyed pregnant women, 38.2% (N=169) utilized polluting fuels. After adjusting for covariates such as age and BMI, the relative risks of preterm birth, low birth weight, and postpartum hemorrhage in the polluting fuel group compared to the clean fuel group were OR: 3.27, 95% CI: 1.34, 8.00; OR: 3.50, 95% CI: 1.12, 10.90; and OR: 3.18, 95% CI: 1.06, 9.46, respectively. These results indicate that the usage of polluting fuels during pregnancy may heighten the risk of adverse birth outcomes. Consequently, additional research is advised to mitigate the harmful emissions generated by cooking fuels and advocate for clean energy adoption, enhancing maternal and infant well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When cooking with biomass and fossil fuels, their incomplete burning can lead to air pollution, which can trigger pernicious effects on people's health, especially among the elderly, who are more vulnerable to toxic and harmful environmental damage. This study explored the association between different cooking fuel types and the risk of cancer and all-cause mortality among seniors constructing Cox regression models. Data were obtained by linking waves of 6, 7, and 8 of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, which included a total of 7269 participants who were 65 years old and over. Cooking fuels were categorized as either biomass, fossil, or clean fuels. And the effects of switching cooking fuels on death risk were also investigated using Cox regression models. The results indicate that, compared with the users of clean fuels, individuals using biomass or fossil fuels were at a greater death risk for cancer [HR (95% CI): biomass, 1.13 (1.05–1.20); fossil, 1.16 (1.06–1.25)] and all causes [HR (95% CI): biomass, 1.29 (1.16–1.42); fossil, 1.32 (1.22–1.50)]. Furthermore, compared with sustained users of biomass fuels, individuals converting from biomass to clean fuels significantly reduced death risk for cancer [HR (95% CI): 0.81 (0.72–0.95)] and all causes [HR (95% CI): 0.76 (0.64–0.93)]. Similarly, all-cause death risk [HR (95% CI): 0.77 (0.62–0.93)] was noticeably reduced among these participants converting from fossil to clean fuels than persistent users of fossil fuels. Subgroup analyses revealed that males had a greater cancer and all-cause death risk when exposed to unclean fuels. These findings can inform the development of policies and the implementation of measures related to cooking fuel use to promote the health of older people and reduce the burden of disease on society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooking, an important household activity is often done using heavy polluting fuels by a majority of households in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA). In this study, we examine how the choice of cooking fuel affects women empowerment using nationwide household level data from Ghana. We examine whether fuel choices could lead to women's social and economic empowerment. By employing the Survey-based Women Empowerment Index (SWPER) and Principal Component Analysis to construct comprehensive indices of women empowerment, we find that using clean cooking fuel has significant positive associations with women empowerment across all domains and could consequently help reduce inequality to the advantage of women. Other socioeconomic factors such as household size and wealth were found to significantly determine women empowerment status. Both clean cooking fuel use and the reduction of social and economic inequalities are important targets to be met under the Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the health and environmental impacts of using biomass fuels for cooking are well-established in the literature, there is little empirical evidence on the impacts of such dirty cooking fuels on household food security. In this paper, we assess the impact of using biomass fuels on the daily number of meals consumed in India using a household-level panel covering six districts over the period (2015–2018). We apply Poisson fixed effects models and Kernel matching difference-in-difference estimation and find that using dirty fuel as primary cooking fuel reduces the number of meals per day with an estimated 1.5%. We derive that the effect of cooking fuel type is equivalent to an impact on nutrition from a 2.6 to 6.25% change in household expenditures, given estimated calorie-income elasticity for India in the literature. In addition, our results reveal that the use of dirty cooking fuel is associated with increased time for cooking, increased frequency of fuelwood collection and lower satisfaction with the cooking arrangement – which can partially explain the negative effect on nutrition. In terms of policy implications, the results thus highlight important synergies not only between the type of cooking fuel and food security, but also the time saving associated with a clean cooking fuel could imply a considerable improvement in women's wellbeing and could be beneficial from a gender equality perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) have been set up in India to tackle sewage. With the growing awareness that gas produced while treatment is a rich source of methane and can be used for heating purposes, these STPs are upgraded with bio-methane technology wherein methane is transformed into electricity to run the plant itself. However, most of these plants are running under-capacity due to a shortage of funds for operation and maintenance. This study aims to determine whether biofuel produced within STPs can be marketed as a cooking fuel (compressed bio-methane (CBM) gas) to fund these plants' revenue-generated operation to promote clean technology and circular economy. A SWOT analysis has been conducted, and the average willingness to pay for CBM equivalent to14.2 kg LPG in calorific value is INR 340 (USD 4.55), whereas its average variable cost is approximately INR 240 (USD 3.21). Moreover, since the net present value of marketing CBM is positive (INR 219 million/USD 2.93 million), and the internal rate of return is 33%, the study concludes that marketing CBM for cooking is economically viable. Through its findings, this study instigates further research to check the marketability of this biofuel as a cooking fuel in the case of other existing STPs with lesser treatment capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Household air pollution from solid cooking fuel use during gestation has been associated with adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. The Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) trial was a randomized controlled trial of free liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stoves and fuel in Guatemala, Peru, India, and Rwanda. A primary outcome of the main trial was to report the effects of the intervention on infant birth weight. Here we evaluate the effects of a LPG stove and fuel intervention during pregnancy on spontaneous abortion, postpartum hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and maternal mortality compared to women who continued to use solid cooking fuels. Pregnant women (18–34 years of age; gestation confirmed by ultrasound at 9–19 weeks) were randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 1593) or control (n = 1607) arm. Intention-to-treat analyses compared outcomes between the two arms using log-binomial models. Among the 3195 pregnant women in the study, there were 10 spontaneous abortions (7 intervention, 3 control), 93 hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (47 intervention, 46 control), 11 post postpartum hemorrhage (5 intervention, 6 control) and 4 maternal deaths (3 intervention, 1 control). Compared to the control arm, the relative risk of spontaneous abortion among women randomized to the intervention was 2.32 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.60, 8.96), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy 1.02 (95% CI: 0.68, 1.52), postpartum hemorrhage 0.83 (95% CI: 0.25, 2.71) and 2.98 (95% CI: 0.31, 28.66) for maternal mortality. In this study, we found that adverse maternal outcomes did not differ based on randomized stove type across four country research sites.

Abstract With an increasing prevalence of hypertension, indoor air‐pollution factors began to attract extensive attention. However, the association of cooking fuel with the incidence of hypertension was inconsistent. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of household air‐pollution caused by cooking fuel with the incidence of hypertension. Data were derived from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Participants aged 18 years or older were eligible. A validated questionnaire was used to collect the information on the type of cooking fuel, including electricity, natural gas, coal, and wood/charcoal. Participants with a systemic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mmHg or /and a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 90 mmHg without use of anti‐hypertensive medications, or participants with an SBP/DBP

This study explored whether using a coal or biomass stove for cooking was associated with a greater risk of red blood cell (RBC) folate insufficiency among pregnant women compared to using clean energy. A researcher-designed questionnaire was used to collect information on exposure-related factors and confounding factors. RBC folate concentrations were examined by microbiological assay. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors related to RBC folate insufficiency. The use of coal or firewood for cooking was associated with an increased risk of RBC folate insufficiency (<906 nmol/L) compared to gas. In subgroup analyses, associations between the use of polluting cooking fuels and folate insufficiency were positive for both urban and rural residents and statistically significant for rural women. Efforts to promote the use of clean energy and proper ventilation, especially in rural areas, are recommended to improve the health of pregnant women and their offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the economic viability at the pre-feasibility level of a hybrid methanol and biomethane plant based on biogas coupled to a photovoltaic (PV) power plant and a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. The reference case settled in Uganda consisted of two units powered by a 200 kW PV plant and grid power: a 25 Nm3/h anaerobic digester and a 140 kW PEM electrolyzer-based methanol plant. Its production of 33.3 tons of methanol and 70.1 tons of biomethane per year can provide cooking fuel for 750 households. Response Surface Methodology was used to evaluate the impact of the three main factors on the simple payback period (PBP). The size of the PV plant had the most significant impact on PBP, followed by the cost of electricity, the interaction between these factors, and the PEM electrolyzer capital cost reduction, in this contribution order. These findings point to energy generation costs as the primary factor affecting the economic viability of these small-scale designs, even more than the PEM's capital cost. The response surface analysis revealed that only in a reduced region of the design space are values found that meet the threshold of 10 years for plant economic viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The attainment of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal 7 is significantly impeded by the slow pace of clean cooking fuel adoption in Ghana and most parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite continuous government efforts, firewood and charcoal remain the dominant cooking fuel choice in Ghana, posing health risks to households through indoor air pollution. Researchers have identified households' economic status, family size, the educational level of household heads, and access to fuel as factors that influence household cooking fuel choices in rural and urban areas. However, there is a dearth of research on the determinants of household cooking fuel choices in mining host communities despite the peculiarity of socio-economic, environmental and cultural factors in these settings. Using descriptive statistics and a multinomial logit regression model of 426 randomly surveyed households in the Newmont Ahafo Mines catchment areas in Ghana, this study showed that every unit increase in households' income index was associated with a 65 % higher chance of choosing Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) for cooking over charcoal. Conversely, larger families are less likely to choose electricity over charcoal but more likely to choose firewood over charcoal for cooking. Notably, the study found that households closer to the mine site were less likely to choose either LPG or kerosene over charcoal for cooking, suggesting that host communities in closer proximity to mine sites might have limited access to clean fuel options such as LPG. Based on these findings, the study suggests subsidies for clean fuels, and improving access to infrastructure for LPG distribution as a means to advance the transition to clean cooking fuels in mining host communities. • Households in closer proximity to mine sites are less likely to choose Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) over charcoal for cooking. • Wealthier households are more likely to choose cleaner fuels such as LPG over charcoal. • Larger households are less likely to choose cleaner fuels such as electricity or LPG over biomass-based cooking fuels. • Unstable electricity in sub-Saharan Africa hinders households from switching from charcoal to electricity for cooking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the spatial and non-spatial patterns of household fuel choice and the factors influencing choices using data from rural and urban areas of Maswa District, Tanzania. Household spatial information was collected using a handheld Garmin Trex Global Positioning System to enable modeling and visualization of energy consumption. The Hot Spot Analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*) method was used to map the clusters of different types of cooking fuels. The non-spatial data were fitted to a Multinomial Logit model to estimate the significance of the factors that influence the choice of cooking fuels. A transition from traditional to modern fuels as explained in the “energy ladder” model suggests that with increasing affluence, a progression is expected from traditional biomass fuels to more advanced and less polluting fuels. Contrary to this model, however, multiple-fuel use or fuel stacking was more prevalent than fuel switching. Fuel stacking constituted traditional (firewood, 63.9% of the households), transitional (charcoal, 66.6%), and modern (kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, and electricity, 25.4%) fuels. Demographic and socio-economic factors were essential in household fuel choices. Overall, biofuels are the most common energy sources both in rural and urban areas, albeit at a varying degree of magnitude and significance. These results suggest the need to increase the production of biomass resources and end-use efficiency while promoting the use of clean fuels.

In India, a significant portion of the population is still dependent on traditional biomass as fuel for household cooking. The combustion of conventional fuel for cooking usually negatively impacts human health and the environment. Biogas can have multiple benefits; it includes saving time to collect firewood, is a clean fuel, and may reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A national program on biogas is implemented in India since the 1980s. However, there is a considerable difference between the potential and its utilization. Also, biogas' emission through leaks and intentional release is regular with poorly maintained digesters, which questions the environmental benefits it might have. This paper assessed the significance of biogas as a cooking fuel. The results show that, if adequately maintained, biogas result in minimum GHGs emissions than other fuel options. However, if not, this will result in a harmful impact on the environment. Furthermore, annually 1181.31 PJ of useful energy is required for cooking in India. However, currently the contribution of biogas is <0.5 %. In addition, it is also found that in the current scenario, overall GWP from household cooking is about 204,479.92 Gg CO 2 eq. If energy from surplus animal dung is harnessed correctly, 321.62 PJ per annum of useful energy can be harnessed. The use of biogas can reduce 20 % of GWP from India's household cooking. Economic analysis shows that installing a biogas digester is an economic viable option with IRR of 54 %. Overall, the use of biogas is beneficial from environmental, resource and economic point of view. • Anaerobic digesters can be a huge source of GHG emissions. • Comparison of biogas' environmental affects with different fuel used for cooking. • Current status of energy supplied and GHG emissions by different fuels in India. • Intervention of biogas can reduce overall GHG emission from household cooking sector. • This study will help government in guiding policy related to small scale biogas plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution in households is a prime contributor to health issues in developing countries, as in the case of India. According to the latest National Family Health Survey Report 2022, more than half of India's rural population and 41 per cent overall still depend on solid or unclean fuel combustions, which may reflect in future health hazards. Thus, it is crucial to understand the issue empirically. To that end, the study traces the transitional pattern of unclean cooking fuel users towards clean fuel over the last 30 years using responses from all five National Family Health Survey rounds. Further, the study uses an adjusted probit model to analyse the determinants that lead to the choice of cooking fuel in a household and a logistic model to examine the association between the choice made and the respiratory health of children under five. The empirical results show that the number of households using unclean fuel has declined over the years, with a slightly higher decline in the last five years. Moreover, it also shows that poverty status and place of residence significantly influence cooking fuel choice. Additionally, children residing in households that use clean fuels are less likely to suffer respiratory infections. In conclusion, the present study provides strong evidence to ameliorate the existing policies in a way that exhorts clean energy use. The authors propose pro-poor, pro-rural policies to expedite the clean energy transition, benefitting the most vulnerable households.

Background: Solid fuel use was found to be associated with under-five mortality in low- and lower-middle income countries (LMICs) though current understanding is lacking for Bangladesh. This study investigated the associations between HAP and neonatal, infant and under-five child mortality in Bangladesh. Methods: We analysed 4189 mother-child dyads data extracted from the 2017/18 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey data. Fuel types and levels of exposure to HAP (unexposed, moderately exposed, highly exposed) were considered as exposure variables and several forms of child mortality was considered as outcome variables. Relationships between the exposure and outcome variables were explored by using the multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression model adjusting for possible confounders. Results: Solid fuels were found to be used in nearly 80% of the total mothers analysed. A higher likelihood of mortality was found among neonates (aOR, 3.78; 95% CI, 1.14–12.51) and infants (aOR, 2.93; 95% CI, 1.60–6.15) of the women who used solid fuels as compared to the mothers who used clean fuel. The association was found strongest when we considered solid fuel used together with place of cooking. The likelihood of neonatal and infant mortality was found 4.33 (95% CI, 1.16–16.23) and 2.05 (95% CI, 1.18–7.23) times higher among mothers who were highly exposed to solid fuel used as compared to the mothers who were unexposed to solid fuel used. Conclusion: Solid fuels used is an important cause of neonatal and under-five mortality in Bangladesh. Administrative initiatives to increase clean fuel use are need to be prioritized in the national level policies and programs. Awareness building programs covering adverse effects of solid fuels used on human health, particularly child health, should also be taken to motivate mothers not to bring their under-five aged children in the cooking place.

Background: We aimed to investigate associations of unclean cooking fuels with depression and anxiety symptoms in a large sample of adults aged ≥65 years from six low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).Methods: Cross-sectional, community-based, nationally representative data from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) were analyzed. Unclean cooking fuel referred to kerosene/paraffin, coal/charcoal, wood, agriculture/crop, animal dung, and shrubs/grass. Depression referred to DSM-IV depression based on past 12-month symptoms or receiving depression treatment in the last 12 months. Anxiety symptoms referred to severe/extreme problems with worry or anxiety in the past 30 days. Multivariable logistic regression analysis and meta-analysis were conducted.Results: Data on 14,585 people aged ≥65 years were analyzed [mean (SD) age 72.6 (11.5) years; maximum age 114 years; 55.0% females]. After adjustment for potential confounders, unclean cooking fuel was associated with a significant 2.52 (95%CI = 1.66-3.82) times higher odds for depression with a low level of between-country heterogeneity (I2 = 0.0%). For anxiety symptoms, unclean fuel use was not significantly associated with anxiety symptoms (OR = 1.13; 95%CI = 0.77-1.68; I2 = 0.0%).Limitations: 1. Cross-sectional design. 2. Self-reported measures. 3. No information about outdoor pollution exposure, personal exposure, and smoke composition of different cooking fuels.Conclusions: Unclean cooking fuel was significantly associated with higher odds for depression, but not anxiety, with little observed variability between settings. Findings from the present study provide further support and call for action in appropriate implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Goal 7, which advocates affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With an increasing prevalence of hypertension, indoor air-pollution factors began to attract extensive attention. However, the association of cooking fuel with the incidence of hypertension was inconsistent. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of household air-pollution caused by cooking fuel with the incidence of hypertension. Data were derived from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Participants aged 18 years or older were eligible. A validated questionnaire was used to collect the information on the type of cooking fuel, including electricity, natural gas, coal, and wood/charcoal. Participants with a systemic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mmHg or /and a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 90 mmHg without use of anti-hypertensive medications, or participants with an SBP/DBP < 140/90 mmHg but having hypertensive history or currently being taking anti-hypertensive medication were identified as hypertension. Multilevel Cox regressions were employed to examine the association of cooking fuel with incident hypertension. Compared to participants using electricity, participants using wood/charcoal had a higher incidence of hypertension (HR: 1.581; 95% CI: 1.373-1.821; and P < .001), which was independent of sex and living areas. Furthermore, this significant association was observed only in the participants aged 18-39 years (HR: 1.443; 95% CI: 1.131-1.840; and P = .003). Compared to participants using non-polluting energy, participants using solid fuel were more likely to develop hypertension (HR: 1.309; 95% CI: 1.191-1.439; and P < .001). In conclusion, household air-pollution was associated with the incidence of hypertension among Chinese adults. Using wood/charcoal or solid fuel in youth was associated with a higher incidence of hypertension later in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution poses a threat to human health, with pregnant women and their developing fetuses being particularly vulnerable. A high dual burden of ambient and indoor air pollution exposure has been identified in Ethiopia, but studies investigating their effects on adverse birth outcomes are currently lacking. This study explores the association between ambient air pollution (NOX and NO2) and indoor air pollution (cooking fuel type) and fetal and neonatal death in Adama, Ethiopia. A prospective cohort of mothers and their babies was used, into which pregnant women were recruited at their first antenatal visit (n = 2085) from November 2015 to February 2018. Previously developed land-use regression models were utilized to assess ambient concentrations of NOX and NO2 at the residential address, whereas data on cooking fuel type was derived from questionnaires. Birth outcome data was obtained from self-reported questionnaire responses during the participant's postnatal visit or by phone if an in-person meeting was not possible. Binary logistic regression was employed to assess associations within the final study population (n = 1616) using both univariate and multivariate models; the latter of which adjusted for age, education, parity, and HIV status. Odds ratios (OR) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. Within the cohort, 69 instances of fetal death (n = 16 miscarriages; n = 53 stillbirths) and 16 cases of neonatal death were identified. The findings suggest a tendency towards an association between ambient NOX and NO2 exposure during pregnancy and an increased risk of fetal death overall as well as stillbirth, specifically. However, statistical significance was not observed. Results for indoor air pollution and neonatal death were inconclusive. As limited evidence on the effects of exposure to ambient air pollution on adverse birth outcomes exists in Sub-Saharan Africa and Ethiopia, additional studies with larger study populations should be conducted.

Many households in Rwanda rely on firewood and charcoal for cooking with inefficient-burning stoves. To mitigate the issue of cooking with traditional fuels, the government of Rwanda has promoted the use of alternative energy such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). This study aims to assess the determinants behind the transition from traditional biomass to clean cooking technology in Rwanda and analyzes the consumers' preferences in choosing cooking fuels. A self-administered questionnaire was employed to collect data to people living in urban areas in Rwanda through simple random sampling method. A total of 460 valid responses were then collected, which were subsequently analyzed using statistical analysis with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Excel. The results showed a progress in adopting LPG fuel for households' cooking, despite biomass fuel still accounting a high rate of household's users. The results also revealed that fuels stacking is a common practice among households where half of the respondents cook with LPG as a primary cooking fuel, with predominance of charcoal as the secondary cooking fuel choice. Meanwhile, the study also identified high cost of stoves and fuels as well as safety risks as major barriers hindering the choice of LPG as primary cooking fuel and finally provided some policy recommendations to increase the adoption of LPG. This study fills the gap in literature and may assist in policy formulation to accelerate the uptake of LPG as a primary cooking fuel in Rwanda. • Users' perspectives in adopting LPG as primary cooking fuel in urban Rwanda are investigated. • Fuel stacking is predominant among Rwanda households. • Socio-economic factors affect the choice of clean cooking fuels. • High upfront cost and safety risks largely hinder the adoption of LPG as primary cooking fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the factors affecting access to clean cooking fuel among rural Indian households during the COVID-19 outbreak, based on World Bank's rural impact survey, covering 2731 rural households. Our analysis shows a significant decline in access to clean fuel among rural households from 35% in 2018 i.e. before COVID-19 to 19.7% during the COVID-19 pandemic. This implies that in order to meet their cooking needs, many rural households have switched from conventional fuels, which have numerous health and environmental concerns. The association between states and socio-demographic profiles of rural households with access to sources of cooking fuel shows a significant difference. The analysis results further indicate that socio-demographic characteristics and asset holdings of the rural households are the key factors that determine access to clean cooking fuel during COVID-19. Among the socio-demographic variables, age, gender, family size, social category, and income level are estimated to be significant factors that affect the access to clean fuel for cooking. Similarly, ownership of assets such as exclusive kitchen room, refrigerator, pressure cooker, television, and furniture are significant factors affecting access to clean cooking fuel among Indian rural households. Additionally, this study provides policy insights on developing mechanisms to ensure that rural households have an access to clean cooking fuel during crisis situations such as COVID-19. [Display omitted] • COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the access to clean cooking fuel among the rural households. • Only 19.7% of rural households have reported access to clean cooking fuels, which declined during COVID-19 lockdown • The majority of rural households use conventional sources of cooking fuels, which further increased during COVID-19 outbreak • Socio-demographic characteristics and asset holdings are determining factors on access to clean cooking fuel • A targeted strategy for promoting clean cooking fuel in rural India is essential [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Malnutrition is a critical public health concern in India. We aimed to understand the prevalence of stunting and its association between cooking fuel type and breastfeeding among Indian infants (≤ 6 months of age). Methods: This study used information from a National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS) conducted between 2015 and 2016. From all eligible infants, information on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics was obtained. Univariate and multivariable binary logistic regression was performed to examine the factors associated with stunted children. Results: Of the 15,120 infants, the median (Inter Quartile Range) age was 4 (2-5) months with a female/male ratio of 1:1.06. The prevalence of polluting fuel use and stunting was 68.10% and 20.13% respectively. Stunting among polluting fuel and clean fuel was 22.17% and 15.78%. Stunting among exclusive breastfed and not exclusive breastfed was 20.62% and 19.53%. In adjusted analysis, households using clean fuel (Adjusted Odds Ratio 0.75; 95% Confidence Interval, 0.66-0.86) had lower odds of infants being stunted compared to polluting fuel. Infant currently being breastfed (aOR 0.76; 95% CI, 0.62-0.93) had lower odds of being stunted than infants currently not being breastfed. Conclusion: The present study indicates that polluting cooking fuel and not being breastfed was associated with an increased risk of infant being stunted. A community-based randomized control trial was required to study child and maternal health risks on polluting cooking fuel. Furthermore, the study highlights the urgent need to raise awareness on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding practices.

This study examines whether exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) increases the risk of acute respiratory infections (ARI) among children aged 0–59 months. Study utilized nationally representative data from National Family Health Survey (2015–2016), which adopted two‐stage stratified random sampling. Four mutually exclusive groups based on the type of cooking fuel usage and SHS exposure were created. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistics regression analysis were applied. At the national level, 10.5% prevalence of ARI was reported during 2015–2016. About 47.9% (95%CI 47.7–48.2) of households was exposed to SHS and used solid biomass fuel for cooking. Nearly, 20.7% of households with clean fuel usage was exposed to SHS. Regression analysis suggests that the likelihood of ARI among children who were living in households with solid biomass fuel usage and exposed to SHS was 11% (95%CI 1.06–1.17) greater than children living in households with clean fuel usage with no SHS exposure. Moreover, our results further revealed that the odds of ARI among children living in households with clean fuel but exposed to SHS were 19% (95%CI 1.13–1.25) higher than the children living in the household with no SHS exposure and clean fuel use. Children living in households exposed to SHS are at higher risk of ARI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the spatial and non-spatial patterns of household fuel choice and the factors influencing choices using data from rural and urban areas of Maswa District, Tanzania. Household spatial information was collected using a handheld Garmin Trex Global Positioning System to enable modeling and visualization of energy consumption. The Hot Spot Analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*) method was used to map the clusters of different types of cooking fuels. The non-spatial data were fitted to a Multinomial Logit model to estimate the significance of the factors that influence the choice of cooking fuels. A transition from traditional to modern fuels as explained in the "energy ladder" model suggests that with increasing affluence, a progression is expected from traditional biomass fuels to more advanced and less polluting fuels. Contrary to this model, however, multiple-fuel use or fuel stacking was more prevalent than fuel switching. Fuel stacking constituted traditional (firewood, 63.9% of the households), transitional (charcoal, 66.6%), and modern (kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, and electricity, 25.4%) fuels. Demographic and socio-economic factors were essential in household fuel choices. Overall, biofuels are the most common energy sources both in rural and urban areas, albeit at a varying degree of magnitude and significance. These results suggest the need to increase the production of biomass resources and end-use efficiency while promoting the use of clean fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Malnutrition is a critical public health concern in India. We aimed to understand the prevalence of stunting and its association between cooking fuel type and breastfeeding among Indian infants (≤ 6 months of age). Methods: This study used information from a National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS) conducted between 2015 and 2016. From all eligible infants, information on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics was obtained. Univariate and multivariable binary logistic regression was performed to examine the factors associated with stunted children. Results: Of the 15,120 infants, the median (Inter Quartile Range) age was 4 (2-5) months with a female/male ratio of 1:1.06. The prevalence of polluting fuel use and stunting was 68.10% and 20.13% respectively. Stunting among polluting fuel and clean fuel was 22.17% and 15.78%. Stunting among exclusive breastfed and not exclusive breastfed was 20.62% and 19.53%. In adjusted analysis, households using clean fuel (Adjusted Odds Ratio 0.75; 95% Confidence Interval, 0.66-0.86) had lower odds of infants being stunted compared to polluting fuel. Infant currently being breastfed (aOR 0.76; 95% CI, 0.62-0.93) had lower odds of being stunted than infants currently not being breastfed. Conclusion: The present study indicates that polluting cooking fuel and not being breastfed was associated with an increased risk of infant being stunted. A community-based randomized control trial was required to study child and maternal health risks on polluting cooking fuel. Furthermore, the study highlights the urgent need to raise awareness on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to investigate use patterns and determinants of household fuel in Burundi. There is limited information in the open literature on the uses and determinants of household fuel in Burundi. In the study, we employed data on Burundi's most recent Demographic and Health Surveys, with the data subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicated that 11.9% of the sampled households had access to electricity. About 86.3% of the respondents in the rural communities relied on firewood for cooking, whereas 67.2% of households in the urban setting relied on charcoal for cooking. Electricity was used across the wealth stratum regardless of income levels. Firewood was used across the wealth stratum, albeit with higher consumption recorded from the poorest to the richer wealth stratum. The chisquare analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between the place of residence, electricity access and cooking fuel type. Multiple regression analysis results indicated that the type of residence, gender of household head, age of household head, wealth index, and highest education level influence the cooking fuel used. These results have implications for household cooking fuel policies and sustainability, and it is recommended that the government invest in improved cooking stoves and clean fuels such as LPG and biogas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Childhood acute lower respiratory infection in the form of pneumonia is recognized as the single largest cause of childhood death globally accounting for 16% of the overall deaths. Some studies also reported a higher prevalence of childhood acute respiratory infection in Ethiopia, which ranges from 16% up to 33.5%. Concerning the risk factors, there are limited community-based studies in Ethiopia in general, and in the current study region in particular. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of childhood acute respiratory infection and associated factors in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods As part of the wider stove trial project, a cross-sectional study was conducted in May 2018 among a total of 5830 children aged less than 4 years old in randomly selected clusters. Binary logistic regression was applied to identify factors linked with childhood acute lower respiratory infection and adjusted odds ratios were used as measures of effect with a 95% confidence interval. Results A total of 5830 children were included in the study within 100 clusters. Out of which 51.7% were male and 48.3% female. The prevalence of childhood lower acute respiratory infection was 19.2% (95% CI: 18.2–20.2) and found to decrease among children living in homes with chimney, eaves space and improved cookstove than children living in households with no chimney, eaves space and improved cookstove with estimated AOR of 0.60 (95% CI: 0.51–0.70), 0.70 (95% CI: 0.60–0.84) and 0.43 (95% CI: 0.28–0.67) respectively. It was also associated with other cooking-related factors such as cow dung fuel use [AOR = 1.54 (95% CI: 1.02–2.33)], child spending time near stove during cooking [AOR = 1.41 (95% CI: 1.06–1.88), presence of extra indoor burning events [AOR = 2.19 (95% CI: 1.41–3.40)] and with frequent cooking of meals [AOR = 1.55 (95% CI: 1.13–2.13)]. Conclusion High prevalence of childhood acute lower respiratory infection was demonstrated by this study and it was found to be associated with household ventilation, cooking technology, and behavioral factors. Therefore, we recommend a transition in household ventilation, cooking technologies as well as in child handling and in the peculiar local extra indoor burning practices.

Abstract Background Accruing epidemiological evidence suggests that prenatal exposure to emissions from cooking fuel is associated with increased risks of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, low birth weight, stillbirth and infant mortality. We aimed to investigate the relationship between cooking fuel use and various pregnancy related outcomes in a cohort of urban women from the Accra region of Ghana. Methods Self-reported cooking fuel use was divided into “polluting” (wood, charcoal, crop residue and kerosene) and “clean” fuels (liquid petroleum gas and electricity) to examine 12 obstetric outcomes in a prospective cohort of pregnant women (N = 1010) recruited at

This study examines the impact of in utero exposure to household air pollution on child health. By using a pseudo panel data compiled from three rounds of two separate household datasets in Ghana, we investigate the impacts of dirty fuel use which leads to household air pollution on child stunting at the district level. The results after analysis using the two stage residual inclusion approach indicate that exposure to household air pollution in utero causes stunting in children after birth. We found that children born in the districts using firewood or charcoal as a main cooking fuel are shorter on average after birth. The estimated impacts are sizable: for example, by switching cooking fuel from dirty fuels to LPG, the average height for age Z score in the sample would increase from –1.269 to –0.43. The gender dimensions of the household air pollution effects were further explored. Boys were found to take a worse hit from in utero exposures compared to girls. The findings imply that policy to enhance clean cooking fuel use will help reduce child stunting in developing countries. An increase in clean cooking fuel usage and a reduction in child stunting are both necessary to support the success of the SDGs.

This study investigates the economic viability at the pre-feasibility level of a hybrid methanol and biomethane plant based on biogas coupled to a photovoltaic (PV) power plant and a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. The reference case settled in Uganda consisted of two units powered by a 200 kW PV plant and grid power: a 25 Nm3/h anaerobic digester and a 140 kW PEM electrolyzer-based methanol plant. Its production of 33.3 tons of methanol and 70.1 tons of biomethane per year can provide cooking fuel for 750 households. Response Surface Methodology was used to evaluate the impact of the three main factors on the simple payback period (PBP). The size of the PV plant had the most significant impact on PBP, followed by the cost of electricity, the interaction between these factors, and the PEM electrolyzer capital cost reduction, in this contribution order. These findings point to energy generation costs as the primary factor affecting the economic viability of these small-scale designs, even more than the PEM’s capital cost. The response surface analysis revealed that only in a reduced region of the design space are values found that meet the threshold of 10 years for plant economic viability.

Indoor pollution is more harmful as people spend more than 90% of their time indoors getting enhanced chances of penetrating aerosols (PM2.5) deeply into the lungs. In the present investigation, an attempt has been made to study seasonal variations of indoor aerosols (PM2.5) in urban households of Jammu(J&K). in the northern region of India. The status of indoor aerosols (PM2.5) and their seasonal variations due to temperature and humidity conditions have been studied for the first time in urban households of Jammu (J&K). The two year study period (2017-2019.) revealed that all types of households of urban areas with non-wood fuel as well as wood fuel burning practices exhibited significantly (p<0.05) higher values of indoor PM2.5 during summer season (74.36 μg/m³ and 156.46 μg/m³) followed by winter season (62.77 μg/m³ and 143.5μg/m³) and lower values during the rainy season (58.47 μg/m³ and 132.52 μg/m³). All these values were observed to be above the CPCB prescribed annual limit of 40 μg/m³, thereby exposing the residents to diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. The data generated in the present study will act as baseline data for future studies pertaining to indoor aerosols (PM2.5) as well as suggesting mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women bear a large share of disease burden caused by household air pollution due to their great involvement in domestic activities. Pollutant emissions are believed to vary by exposure patterns such as cooking and space heating. Little is known about the independent effect of solid cooking fuel combustion on breast cancer risk. We aimed to examine the association of indoor coal and wood combustion for cooking with breast cancer risk.Methods: During June 2004–July 2008, participants aged 30–79 from 10 diverse regions across China were enrolled in the China Kadoorie Biobank. Primary cooking fuel use information in up to three residences was self-reported at baseline. Multivariable logistic regression models yielded adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results: A total of 290,396 female participants aged 30–79 were included in the main analysis. Compared with long-term clean fuel users, the fully adjusted ORs were 2.07 (95%CI: 1.37–3.13) for long-term coal users, 1.12 (95% CI: 0.72–1.76) for long-term wood users, and 0.98 (95% CI: 0.55–1.74) for those who used mixed solid fuels to cook. Those who had switched from solid to clean fuels did not have an excess risk of breast cancer (OR: 0.88, 95%CI 0.71–1.10).Conclusion: Long-term solid fuel combustion for cooking may increase the risk of breast cancer. The strength of association is stronger among coal users than wood users. Targeted interventions are needed to accelerate the access to clean and affordable energy.

Charred briquettes production is a sustainable way of producing cooking fuel from waste. Unsustainable harvesting of wood for fuel production has contributed immensely to the rapid deforestation in Ghana. This study determined the potential of charred briquettes of sawdust, rice and coconut husks in meeting cooking energy needs of households. In a further step, the acceptability of biomass users in the study to replace their current fuels with charred briquettes was established. The calorific value of the charred briquettes was found to be 24.69 MJ/kg. The highest combustion efficiency of briquettes was determined as 34.7% when a multi-feed gasifier stove (MFGS) was used. There were 14% and 80% reduction in particulate matter and carbon monoxide emissions, respectively when briquettes was used instead of charcoal in the MFGS. The analysis of the production cost of briquettes revealed that 1 kg of briquettes should be sold at Gh¢ 2.48 in order to make a 10% profit. The user acceptability survey indicated that about 40% of respondents are ready to patronize briquettes should it be sold at Gh¢ 2.48. This study established that briquette is a suitable replacement for wood and charcoal, if its full potential is harnessed and the energy utilization efficiency of biomass (sawdust, rice and coconut husts) briquettes is confirmed.

In the era of global warming and ever rising energy demand, climate justice has become the need of the hour. Sustainable solution has become the key to the success for environment. The cooking sector is considered as one of the major energy consuming sectors in developing and underdeveloped countries. Inherently, associated hazardous effects and energy inefficiencies of conventional biomass cooking system forces unconventional cooking energy to become popular day by day. In this study, a new census based approach is being presented to find out cooking energy requirement of a single rural household of India. Mathematical modelling is being done while scrutinising coke, firewood and chips, coal, and LPG as cooking fuel and by eliminating charcoal, petrol, diesel and kerosene. Exact heat energy required per household per meal has been achieved 4,212.02 kJ. Out of which vaporisation of water, heating food to boiling temperature and convection losses from vessels shares 1,474.21 kJ, 842.40 kJ and 1,895.41 kJ respectively. The outcome of this study can serve a baseline for inventors, researchers and policymakers of micro-scale unconventional/solar cooker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a methodology for the valuation of agroforestry with respect to fuelwood supply for cooking and its opportunity cost. The share of fuelwood consumption declined gradually from 78 to 67% and 30 to 14% for cooking in rural and urban India, during 1993–94 to 2011–12, respectively. However, the total consumption of fuelwood increased significantly from 106 to 130 million tonnes (Mt) in the corresponding period due to population growth. Fuelwood and chips are in the process of substitution with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) gradually and many LPG-adopter households continued to use fuelwood as well. The results verified that the maximum quantity of fuelwood for cooking was obtained from agroforestry systems (64%), followed by forests (24%), and from common property resources (12%) during 2011–12. The annual total calorific energy generated from agroforestry through fuelwood, was estimated at 1297.4 PJ, valued at US$ 4053 million. Around 103 Mt of dry dung cake needs to be burnt to generate the same amount of energy. It is estimated that by replacing dung cake by fuelwood derived from agroforestry systems, could save US$ 1116.6 million annually, sparing the dung cake for use as farmyard manure. In another scenario, if entire energy derived from fuelwood obtained from the agroforestry system is to be replaced by LPG, it would require over 196.4 million additional domestic LPG connections that would incur an expenditure of about US$ 36,487.5 million at the country level for the year 2011–12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]