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Households’ Energy Choices in Rural Pakistan

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Ahmar

    (College of Economics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China)

  • Fahad Ali

    (School of Finance, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou 310058, China)

  • Yuexiang Jiang

    (College of Economics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China)

  • Mamdooh Alwetaishi

    (Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia)

  • Sherif S. M. Ghoneim

    (Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

In the wake of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals—zero hunger and affordable modern/clean energy for all—many developing countries have taken serious steps in recent years to increase clean energy access for the rural population. The government of Pakistan has similarly made numerous efforts to promote the use of clean energy sources in the rural areas of the country. Therefore, this study examines rural households’ energy choices for cooking and lighting in Pakistan. In doing so, a comprehensive dataset is collected from three different districts of Pakistan between 2020 and 2021, and multivariate probit (MVP) model and Chi-square tests are employed. The Chi-square results indicate that the age, education level, and occupation of the household-head; household size and income; distance to market and wood source; and biogas system ownership are the significant factors affecting cooking choices. The MVP results show that an increase in education level, school-going children, access to credit facilities, and gender (female) are the key positive factors, whereas an increase in the distance to nearest market/road, household size, and age are the factors that negatively affect the likelihood of using clean energy sources for lighting. While comparing the propensity to use modern/clean energy fuels across the three districts, infrastructural development and literacy rate were found to be crucial factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Ahmar & Fahad Ali & Yuexiang Jiang & Mamdooh Alwetaishi & Sherif S. M. Ghoneim, 2022. "Households’ Energy Choices in Rural Pakistan," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-23, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:9:p:3149-:d:802141
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    References listed on IDEAS

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