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Using high-frequency household surveys to describe energy use in rural North India during the COVID-19 pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Carlos F. Gould

    (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
    Stanford University)

  • Ajay Pillarisetti

    (Emory University School of Public Health
    University of California Berkeley)

  • Lisa M. Thompson

    (Emory University School of Public Health
    Emory University)

  • Sonakshi Saluja

    (Initiative for Sustainable Energy Policy)

  • Vagisha Nandan

    (Initiative for Sustainable Energy Policy)

  • Johannes Urpelainen

    (Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies)

Abstract

COVID-19 continues to exact a substantial toll on health. While mortality and morbidity associated with the pandemic are the most obvious impacts, social and economic disruptions are becoming apparent. There is reason to believe that the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed or reversed gains in clean household energy use in rural India. Here we describe phone surveys deployed repeatedly in Jharkhand and Bihar to describe pandemic-related changes in household socio-economic conditions and energy-use patterns. Over three-quarters of households reported hardships during the pandemic, including loss of employment and an inability to search for jobs. In turn, some of these households relied more on polluting fuels. Despite nearly all households preferring gas and electricity, we observed varied behaviours related to the cost of and access to these modern energy sources. We highlight the success of India’s three-free-cylinders scheme, with 90% of households aware of the programme and utilizing at least one free cylinder. These findings illustrate the utility of high-frequency energy-related questionnaires and suggest that interventions to improve clean fuel accessibility and affordability can increase the resilience of transitions to clean household energy.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos F. Gould & Ajay Pillarisetti & Lisa M. Thompson & Sonakshi Saluja & Vagisha Nandan & Johannes Urpelainen, 2023. "Using high-frequency household surveys to describe energy use in rural North India during the COVID-19 pandemic," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 8(2), pages 169-178, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:8:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1038_s41560-022-01187-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-022-01187-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Murshed, Muntasir, 2023. "The relevance of reducing income inequality for eliminating urban-rural divide in clean cooking fuel accessibility: Evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).

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