Technical Brief: A Comparative Assessment of Modern Clean Cooking Fuel

(United Nations Industrial Development Organization) A shift from conventional sources of energy for cooking raises the question of what alternatives exist. Cooking is an energy-intensive process, so the transition needs to be to sources that can meet the energy demand, are environmentally sound, modern in terms of customer experience, positive from a socioeconomic perspective, and efficient. A range of fuels have been considered and evaluated:

Improved biomass stoves are enclosed stoves that burn solid fuels in a more efficient manner. The heat is prevented from escaping, and the combustion process is improved compared to traditional cooking stoves. Higher efficiency is attained through better combustion of the fuel, maximum transfer of heat produced in the combustion from the flame and hot gases to the cooking pot, and minimising the loss of heat to the surroundings.

Biogas is produced through the breaking down of organic matter in an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment. It is composed of approximately 55 per cent methane, 45 per cent carbon dioxide, and traces of other gases. Since the raw material for biogas production is food waste or manure, it is logical to place biogas plants in more rural and suburban areas. Despite many years of effort, technological advancements in the development of biogas have not progressed significantly. As a result, there is still considerable time and effort needed from households to feed and maintain the biogas systems.

Natural gas is a fossil fuel produced from the remains of plants and animals. The largest component of natural gas is methane. The infrastructure for natural gas includes a piping system that delivers the gas to households. In the cities of developing countries seeking an alternative fuel, there is a low household density, and the gas would be used for cooking only. Due to this, the business models for infrastructure investment in these regions are rather weak. Furthermore, natural gas is also not a renewable fuel.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a fuel that mainly consists of propane and butane and is distributed in large pressurised cylinders. As per the International Energy Agency (IEA), in the Access for All scenarios 2022-2030, LPG would contribute 44 per cent of the energy technology mix. In the last decade, 70 per cent of those who gained access did so through LPG.4 However, LPG is a non-renewable fuel as it is produced as a by-product of the oil and gas sector. Furthermore, it is an imported fuel in many developing countries, and there is minimal local economic impact. For most developing countries, this also means a dependence on fluctuating prices and currency values.

Electric cooking is considered by the IEA to be a major player in the transition to clean cooking, along with LPG. However, enabling this requires upgraded local distribution grids and increased reliability of household connections. Shifting to electric cooking places a major strain on the electric grid, and this will require major grid and generation investments.5

Bioethanol is a fully renewable alternative that consists of a simple burner attached to a small canister containing alcohol fuel. The fuel is made from crops such as corn or sugar that have been fermented and distilled. In contrast to some other fuels, ethanol can be produced locally, creating an opportunity for in-country production and avoiding the risks of price fluctuations and supply shortages. Importantly, the IEA has come out in support of ethanol as a viable modern liquid fuel for use in clean cooking across Africa.6

Given the context and alternative cooking fuels stated above, LPG, electric cooking and ethanol are the feasible options that can be rapidly delivered on a significant scale. This paper aims to investigate the three fuel sources to determine the most suitable alternative when advocating for clean cooking.

3 https://trackingsdg7.esmap.org/data/files/download-documents/sdg7-report2023-full_report.pdf.

4 https://www.iea.org/reports/a-vision-for-clean-cooking-access-for-all/ executive-summary.

5 https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/75f59c60-c383-48ea-a3be-943a964232a0/ AVisionforCleanCookingAccessforAll.pdf.