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Startup Costs and the Decision to Switch from Firewood to Gas Fuel

Author

Listed:
  • John H. Y. Edwards
  • Christian Langpap
Abstract
Firewood remains a key source of energy for households in developing countries, contributing to forest degradation and deforestation. The adoption of alternative fuels may be hindered by high startup costs, and this problem may be compounded by restrictions in credit availability. We use survey data to examine how credit access affects firewood consumption in Guatemala. Our results suggest that access to credit plays a statistically significant role in determining firewood consumption through its effect on the ability to purchase a gas stove. However, simulations suggest that these effects are small and that subsidizing stoves would be amore promising policy for reducing firewood consumption.

Suggested Citation

  • John H. Y. Edwards & Christian Langpap, 2005. "Startup Costs and the Decision to Switch from Firewood to Gas Fuel," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 81(4).
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:landec:v:81:y:2005:i:4:p570-586
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gunnar Köhlin & Peter J. Parks, 2001. "Spatial Variability and Disincentives to Harvest: Deforestation and Fuelwood Collection in South Asia," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 77(2), pages 206-218.
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    4. Rasmus Heltberg & Thomas Channing Arndt & Nagothu Udaya Sekhar, 2000. "Fuelwood Consumption and Forest Degradation: A Household Model for Domestic Energy Substitution in Rural India," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 76(2), pages 213-232.
    5. Dasgupta, Susmita & Huq, Mainul & Khaliquzzaman, M. & Pandey, Kiran & Wheeler, David, 2004. "Indoor air quality for poor families: new evidence from Bangladesh," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3393, The World Bank.
    6. Davis, Mark, 1998. "Rural household energy consumption : The effects of access to electricity--evidence from South Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 207-217, February.
    7. Amacher, Gregory S. & Hyde, William F. & Kanel, Keshav R., 1996. "Household fuelwood demand and supply in Nepal's tarai and mid-hills: Choice between cash outlays and labor opportunity," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 24(11), pages 1725-1736, November.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • Q23 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Forestry
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy

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