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Do Biomass Technology Innovations Improve Subjective Well-Being? Traditional versus Improved Cookstoves in Uganda

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  • Irene Namugenyi

    (School of Economics and Business, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Chr. Magnus Falsens Vei 18, NO-1433 Ås, Norway
    Faculty of Energy Economics and Management Science, Makerere University Business School, Plot 21 A, Port Bell Rd, Kampala P.O. Box 1337, Uganda)

  • Ståle Navrud

    (School of Economics and Business, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Chr. Magnus Falsens Vei 18, NO-1433 Ås, Norway)

  • Joachim Scholderer

    (School of Economics and Business, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Chr. Magnus Falsens Vei 18, NO-1433 Ås, Norway)

  • Sarah Ephrida Tione

    (School of Economics and Business, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Chr. Magnus Falsens Vei 18, NO-1433 Ås, Norway)

Abstract

This study investigates the dark side of biomass technology innovations on households’ subjective well-being (SWB) in Uganda. The dark side of biomass technology innovations concerns households moving away from the intangible cultural cooking heritages that they have preserved for a long time. These intangible cultural cooking heritages are important to understand as they contribute to policy decisions on sustainable society transformation (sustainability transitions) in the clean cooking energy sector. This study adds to the scarce literature on innovation for well-being and innovation for transformative change, addressing grand societal challenges while considering the well-being of technology users. Principal component analysis was used to generate the subjective well-being variable from the captured traditional household cooking considerations, perceptions, and practices. Linear regression was used to analyze the effect of improved cookstoves (ICSs) and other factors on the subjective well-being of households in Uganda. The results show that using ICSs moves Ugandan households away from traditional ways of cooking, which reduces the well-being they attach to the intangible cultural heritage of traditional cooking. Thus, innovators, entrepreneurs and promoters of clean cooking technologies should consider the well-being of users along with the benefits of bioenergy innovation to accelerate society transformation (sustainability transitions) in Uganda.

Suggested Citation

  • Irene Namugenyi & Ståle Navrud & Joachim Scholderer & Sarah Ephrida Tione, 2023. "Do Biomass Technology Innovations Improve Subjective Well-Being? Traditional versus Improved Cookstoves in Uganda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-14, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:4:p:3487-:d:1068087
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    References listed on IDEAS

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