Biomass energy consumption in dryland towns: a case study of emerging urban settlements in Kitui district

Abstract

Globally, resource degradation is being experienced in several fronts: among them land, water, forestry, and air. The prime contributors have been industrialization, human settlement and urbanization. In Kenya human settlements are fast evolving into urban centres, which extend to dryland areas. Considering the associated problems of urbanization especially in energy consumption coupled with the fragility of the dryland environment, there is need to give a great consideration to sustainable planning. It is in this view that the study focused its research on biomass energy consumption in the dryland towns of Kitui district. The various forms of biomass energy consumed, their sources, the demand - supply (im) balance, and the associated impacts to the environment " were considered. The study involved eleven urban settlements ten of which me divisional headquarters. In total one hundred and four (104) households and forty eight (48) institutions were sampled. Both primary and secondary data was collected. Various qualitative and quantitative data analyses techniques were employed. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used. The study found out that firewood and charcoal form the bulk of biomass energy consumed ill the urban settlements of Kitui District both in the households and in the institutions including in the collage industry. These biomass energy types are highly cornmercialised. Other energy types cousurned include kerosene, LPG, solar, electricity and wood waste. The study also revealed that-there are various appliances used for charcoal and firewood. The commonly used firewood stove in the urban households are the three stone and the Kuni-mbili fixed, while the commonly used charcoal jikos are the Kenya Ceramic jiko and the Traditional Metal Stove. Consequently the study has given recommendations that provide sustainable biomass energy consumption options, and suggested areas for future research.