An Analysis of Determinants of Adoption of Clean Energy Cooking Technologies and Energy Sources in Kibera, Nairobi County - Kenya
Abstract
Acknowledgement of the effects of climate change on the planet over the last 3 decades led to
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (U.N.F.C.C.C.) and the Kenyan
government to champion for climate change mitigation. One of the mechanisms identified by
the government towards climate change mitigation was the increased use of clean energy
technologies (CETs). These are technologies that have a significantly lower effect on the
environment than their alternatives. At the household level, the clean energy technologies are
mostly used for cooking and lighting purposes and they play a role in improving the welfare of
the household members through improved fuel efficiency and lower energy costs. Though these
technologies are available, their adoption has been low even as demand for energy is
continuously increasing. This study aimed at characterizing the different clean energy
technologies used for cooking and assessing the unique factors that influence the decision to
adopt multiple clean energy cooking technologies. The study was based on the Random Utility
Model (RUM) and was supported by the energy stack model. Multistage sampling was used to
get a sample of 378 respondents in Kibera; a low income and densely populated area in the
outskirts of Nairobi. The Kenya ceramic jiko was found to be the most adopted cooking
technology while charcoal was found to be the most used cooking energy source. The key
decisions on cooking technologies and energy sources adopted by the household were made by
both male and female members in varying proportions. The adoption decisions of cooking
technologies were found to be influenced by a variety of technologies’ traits. Using the Poisson
regression model, the sex of the individual who did most of the cooking was found to be a
statistically significant factor in the adoption of multiple clean energy cooking technologies.
The prices of the cooking technologies, as well as the prices of the cooking energy sources,
were also found to have a statistically significant effect on the adoption of multiple cooking
technologies. To facilitate the adoption of clean energy cooking technologies (CECTs), the
study advocates for regulation of clean energy cooking technologies and energy source prices
to make them more affordable to the low-income earners. Investment in the innovation of
cheaper and cleaner cooking technologies is also recommended to encourage further adoption.
The study also recommends the improvement of access to the CECTs in the area through clean
energy entrepreneurship programs in the area and this will facilitate economic empowerment;
making them more likely to finance a portion of the energy needs of the household.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Subject
Technologies and Energy SourcesRights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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