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Reduction of firewood consumption by households in south-central Chile associated with energy efficiency programs

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  • Schueftan, Alejandra
  • González, Alejandro D.

Abstract

Cities in the central-southern area of Chile face serious environmental pollution due to extensive use of firewood for heating. Low energy efficiency of constructions and cold climate increase the problem, which also affects native forests. The aims of this study are to characterize energy consumption in dwellings of this region, investigate the reduction potential, and study social and environmental consequences of high consumption of firewood. Actual energy consumption is studied with information from surveys, potential for reduction is modeled with software and other consequences are analyzed from previous studies. Results for the city of Valdivia show high firewood consumption per household, with a media bulk volume near 12m3/year. Thermal regulations are softer compared with other countries. Moreover, around 85% of buildings were built before enforcing codes in 2007, and has almost no thermal protection. The reduction potential due to thermal improvements is found to be very high (62%) if buildings are refurbished to comply with the present Chilean Norm of 2007, but it reaches a 77% reduction if refurbished according to stricter foreign regulations. Therefore, an energy efficiency program strongly addressing existing buildings has the largest potential for reducing firewood use, and therefore mitigate environmental and health impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Schueftan, Alejandra & González, Alejandro D., 2013. "Reduction of firewood consumption by households in south-central Chile associated with energy efficiency programs," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 823-832.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:63:y:2013:i:c:p:823-832
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.08.097
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gonzalez, A.D. & Carlsson-Kanyama, A. & Crivelli, E.S. & Gortari, S., 2007. "Residential energy use in one-family households with natural gas provision in a city of the Patagonian Andean region," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2141-2150, April.
    2. Alejandro D. González, 2009. "Energy Subsidies in Argentina Lead to Inequalities and Low Thermal Efficiency," Energies, MDPI, vol. 2(3), pages 1-20, September.
    3. Mundaca T., Luis, 2013. "Climate change and energy policy in Chile: Up in smoke?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 235-248.
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    1. Calvo, Rubén & Álamos, Nicolás & Huneeus, Nicolás & O'Ryan, Raúl, 2022. "Energy poverty effects on policy-based PM2.5 emissions mitigation in southern and central Chile," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    2. Schueftan, Alejandra & González, Alejandro D., 2015. "Proposals to enhance thermal efficiency programs and air pollution control in south-central Chile," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 48-57.
    3. Mardones, Cristian, 2021. "Ex-post evaluation and cost-benefit analysis of a heater replacement program implemented in southern Chile," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    4. Vieira, Abel S. & Beal, Cara D. & Ghisi, Enedir & Stewart, Rodney A., 2014. "Energy intensity of rainwater harvesting systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 225-242.
    5. Verástegui, Felipe & Lorca, Álvaro & Negrete-Pincetic, Matias & Olivares, Daniel, 2020. "Firewood heat electrification impacts in the Chilean power system," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    6. J. Cristobal Ruiz-Tagle & Alejandra Schueftan, 2021. "Nudging for Cleaner Air: Experimental Evidence from an RCT on Wood Stove Usage," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 79(4), pages 713-743, August.
    7. Carrasco-Garcés, Moisés & Vásquez-Lavín, Felipe & Ponce Oliva, Roberto D. & Diaz Pincheira, Francisco & Barrientos, Manuel, 2021. "Estimating the implicit discount rate for new technology adoption of wood-burning stoves," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    8. Schueftan, Alejandra & Aravena, Claudia & Reyes, René, 2021. "Financing energy efficiency retrofits in Chilean households: The role of financial instruments, savings and uncertainty in energy transition," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    9. Martinez-Soto, Aner & Avendaño Vera, Constanza C. & Boso, Alex & Hofflinger, Alvaro & Shupler, Matthew, 2021. "Energy poverty influences urban outdoor air pollution levels during COVID-19 lockdown in south-central Chile," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    10. Teddy Serrano & Sandra Aparcana & Fatemeh Bakhtiari & Alexis Laurent, 2021. "Contribution of circular economy strategies to climate change mitigation: Generic assessment methodology with focus on developing countries," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(6), pages 1382-1397, December.
    11. Mardones, Cristian & Saavedra, Andrés, 2016. "Comparison of economic instruments to reduce PM2.5 from industrial and residential sources," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 443-452.
    12. Guo, Mingxin & Song, Weiping & Buhain, Jeremy, 2015. "Bioenergy and biofuels: History, status, and perspective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 712-725.
    13. Navarro-Espinosa, Alejandro & Thomas-Galán, Mauricio, 2023. "Firewood electrification in Chile: effects on household expenditure and energy poverty," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    14. Reyes, René & Schueftan, Alejandra & Ruiz, Cecilia & González, Alejandro D., 2019. "Controlling air pollution in a context of high energy poverty levels in southern Chile: Clean air but colder houses?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 301-311.
    15. Vásquez Lavin, Felipe & Barrientos, Manuel & Castillo, Álvaro & Herrera, Iván & Ponce Oliva, Roberto D., 2020. "Firewood certification programs: Key attributes and policy implications," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).

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