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Stacked: In Their Favour? The Complexities of Fuel Stacking and Cooking Transitions in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Zambia

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  • Martin Price

    (Gamos, Reading RG1 4LS, UK)

  • Melinda Barnard-Tallier

    (Gamos, Reading RG1 4LS, UK
    Department of Anthropology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa)

  • Karin Troncoso

    (Geography and Environment, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK)

Abstract

It remains unclear whether the decision to cook with both polluting and cleaner-burning fuels (‘fuel stacking’) serves as a transition phase towards the full adoption of clean-cooking practices, or whether stacking allows households to enhance fuel security and choose from a variety of cooking technologies and processes. This paper offers a unique contribution to the debate by positioning fuel stacking as the central research question in the exploration of existing household survey data. This research analyses the World Bank’s Multi-Tier Framework survey data concerning energy access and cooking practices in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Zambia. Its novel approach uses fuel expenditure data to group urban households according to the intensity of biomass consumption (wood, charcoal) relative to modern fuel consumption (electricity, gas). The research explores how different fuel-stacking contexts are associated with factors related to household finances, composition, experiences of electricity, and attitudes towards modern fuels. This study shows the diversity of characteristics and behaviours associated with fuel stacking in urban contexts, thus demonstrating the need for fuel stacking to feature prominently in future data collection activities. The paper ends with five key recommendations for further research into fuel stacking and its role in clean-cooking transitions.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Price & Melinda Barnard-Tallier & Karin Troncoso, 2021. "Stacked: In Their Favour? The Complexities of Fuel Stacking and Cooking Transitions in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Zambia," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-21, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:15:p:4457-:d:600186
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Gould, Carlos F. & Jha, Shaily & Patnaik, Sasmita & Agrawal, Shalu & Zhang, Alice Tianbo & Saluja, Sonakshi & Nandan, Vagisha & Mani, Sunil & Urpelainen, Johannes, 2022. "Variability in the household use of cooking fuels: The importance of dishes cooked, non-cooking end uses, and seasonality in understanding fuel stacking in rural and urban slum communities in six nort," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    2. Hafiz Salami & Kingsley Okpara & Chomsri Choochuay & Techato Kuaanan & David Akeju & Manasseh Shitta, 2025. "Domestic energy consumption, theories, and policies: a systematic review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(3), pages 5821-5867, March.
    3. Simon Batchelor & Ed Brown & Nigel Scott & Matthew Leach & Anna Clements & Jon Leary, 2022. "Mutual Support—Modern Energy Planning Inclusive of Cooking—A Review of Research into Action in Africa and Asia since 2018," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-29, August.
    4. Simon Batchelor & Ed Brown, 2021. "Editorial for Special Issue: “Clean Energy Innovations: Challenges and Strategies for Low and Middle Income Countries”," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-7, December.
    5. Perros, Tash & Lisa Allison, Ayse & Nabukwangwa, Willah & Mwitari, James & Kavuli, Patricia & Chepkirui, Winnie & Rosa, Ghislaine & Shupler, Matthew & Pope, Daniel & Puzzolo, Elisa, 2024. "Understanding drivers of fuel stacking among pay-as-you-go LPG customers in Nairobi, Kenya," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 35(C).

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