Fuelwood Use in Urban Areas: A Case Study of Raipur,India

Abstract

Concern over deforestation in developing countries has led to increased interest in fuelwood markets, particularly the major market in cooking fuels for urban populations. This case study of Raipur, India, examines the use of cooking fuels by households and small commercial users, with emphasis on the role of fuelwood. It finds that total cooking energy consumption per household (in Btus) is relatively constant over a wide range of household income. However, the composition of fuel supplies varies with income, from a low-efficiency wood-based system in poor households to a higher-efficiency LPG-based system in higher-income households. Consumers evince a strongpreferen-’e for modern fuels, supporting the general pattern of inferiority of traditional fuels and the transition to modern fuels with increasing incomes.