Greenhouse Implications of Household Stoves: An Analysis for India

Abstract

It is commonly assumed that biomass fuel cycles based on renewable harvesting of wood or agricultural wastes are greenhouse-gas (GHG) neutral because the combusted carbon in the form of CO 2 is soon taken up by regrowing vegetation. Thus, the two fifths or more of the world's households relying on such fuels are generally not thought to play a significant role in GHG emissions, except where the wood or other biomass they use is not harvested renewably. This review examines this assumption using an emissions database of CO 2 , CO, CH 4 , NMHC, N 2 O, and total suspended particulate emissions from a range of household stoves in common use in India using six biomass fuels, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, and biogas. Because typical biomass stoves are thermally inefficient and divert substantial fuel carbon to products of incomplete combustion, their global warming commitment (GWC) per meal is high. Depending on time horizons and which GHGs are measured, the GWC of a meal cooked on a biomass stove can actually exceed that of the fossil fuels, even if based on renewably harvested fuel. Biogas, being based on a renewable fuel and, because it is a gas, being combusted with high efficiency in simple devices, has by far the lowest GWC emitted at the stove per meal and is indicative of the advantage that upgraded fuels made from biomass have in moving toward sustainable development goals. There are a number of policy implications of this work, including revelation of a range of win-win opportunities for international investment in rural energy development that would achieve cost-effective GHG reduction as well as substantial local benefits.

Greenhouse Gas Implications of Household Energy Technology in Kenya

“…Despite the favorable decrease of energy-based emissions for charcoal stoves relative to woodstoves, Figure 3 shows that, even on an energy basis, charcoal stoves still had higher GHG EFs than woodstoves. The results of Smith et al (13,14), included in the figure, show a similar pattern for wood and charcoal. Figure 3 also shows, based on the findings of Smith et al (13,14), that both LPG and kerosene have energy-based emission factors that are comparable to, if not lower than, the emissions from renewable biofuels and are far lower than the emissions from biofuels when they are not used renewably.…”

“…Figure 3 also shows, based on the findings of Smith et al (13,14), that both LPG and kerosene have energy-based emission factors that are comparable to, if not lower than, the emissions from renewable biofuels and are far lower than the emissions from biofuels when they are not used renewably. This contrast becomes more pronounced in the analysis of Smith et al (13,14) because, as discussed above, they base their analysis on useful energy. Fossil fuel stoves are more efficient than biofuel stoves in both combustion and heat transfer, and an analysis of emissions per unit energy delivered to the cooking pot privileges kerosene and LPG over solid biofuels.…”

“…b The authors calculated a weighted average for firewood by assuming that 80% of the mass of wood is consumed in the flaming stage, 15% is consumed in the glowing stage, and 5% is consumed in the smoldering stage. c Brocard et al (15) did not report any emissions ratio for TSP from charcoal combustion; however, Smith et al (13) report a value of 0.314% for an insulated charcoal stove from India similar in design to the KCJ. household using the three-stone fire ranged between 60 and 95 g of CO/kg of fuel (79 ( 7 g of CO/kg of fuel).…”

Can Reducing Black Carbon Emissions Counteract Global Warming?

“…However, the GWP time horizon can be adjusted to reflect the shorter term focus suggested by some studies (6,22), including an emphasis on near-term rapid climate change, if desired.…”

“…Many improved cookstove programs have failed when they ignore market-based dissemination and the wishes of the affected populations (26). Current improved cookstoves do not eliminate particulate emissions, and some even increase them (22). Switching to cleaner fuels is another solution, but it requires sufficient local resources, distribution networks, and policy mechanisms.…”