Over the past decade a large amount of research has been dedicated in academic literature to improving the technical capabilities of improved cookstoves; primarily the performance efficiency and reduction of emissions. Unfortunately, as published literature has highlighted, the trade-offs that result from placing such a concentrated emphasis on these technical objectives is that improved cookstoves lack the same level of usability as traditional cookstoves. Thus, users often return to using their traditional stoves and the potential impact of the improved cookstoves is never fully realized. In order for improved cookstoves to have greater impact, there must be better balance between the two competing design objectives of technical capabilities and usability. This research explores the challenges and benefits associated with achieving the appropriate balance, and provides guidance on how to more effectively achieve this. A list of the most common customer needs from around the world is provided for cookstoves. Interestingly, there are needs that are common to all cookstove users (global needs), and needs that apply to only a subset of users (local needs). Due to the diversity of such needs, there are many unique challenges that come with trying to satisfy these in the design process. A design methodology is presented that accounts for these challenges and helps balance the competing design objectives. This methodology is demonstrated through the modification of a traditional cookstove used in the Tambogrande region of Peru. This modification includes an inexpensive set of pot skirts that integrates directly with the traditional stove. These pot skirts allow for varying sizes and number of pots, and the use of traditional fuels. Laboratory testing, using the Water Boiling Test (WBT), identified the skirts' technical improvements: 41.7% increased thermal efficiency, 32.7% decreased fuel consumption, 28.8% decreased time to boil. Field testing was performed to determine the pot skirts' acceptance and compatibility with the traditional cookstoves, with over 75% of the participants recognizing some type of benefit. Although the technical improvements of these pot skirts are less than other cookstoves on the market, the higher levels of usability are likely to lead to a more positive end-user reaction, which could potentially lead to higher rates of adoption and impact. Though this research is primarily focused on the application of improved cookstoves, the need for more balance between technical and user objectives is applicable to nearly all products being designed for the developing world.

A transição energética residencial começou a receber especial atenção da comunidade científica nos anos 1970 e 1980, quando se acreditava na ocorrência iminente da Crise da Lenha. Na época, temia-se que o corrente ritmo de consumo de biomassas sólidas em países em desenvolvimento ultrapassaria a capacidade de produção primária dos ambientes naturais, com sérias consequências para as camadas menos abastadas da população destes locais, que se veriam em uma situação de escassez de fontes de energia. Apesar de esta crise nunca haver, de fato, se concretizado, a preocupação com a sua potencial ocorrência estimulou o desenvolvimento de modelos que visavam à interpretação do fenômeno da transição energética residencial decorrente do processo de urbanização e aumento de renda dos usuários finais. Tal interesse culminou na elaboração do modelo da Escada Energética que, de uma maneira geral, previa que o abandono de fontes de energia tradicionais e a adoção de fontes de energia modernas era o resultado do aumento do status social da população. Inicialmente, a Escada Energética se estabeleceu como principal modelo de transição energética residencial. À medida que novos estudos foram desenvolvidos, entretanto, evidências passaram a sugerir que diversos fatores envolvidos na transição energética em países em desenvolvimento não podiam ser explicados pelo modelo. Estas evidências subsidiaram a concepção do modelo do Acúmulo de Combustíveis, segundo o qual a diversificação, e não a substituição, de energéticos seria o resultado do desenvolvimento social da população. Atualmente, não existe consenso sobre qual modelo melhor reflete o fenômeno da transição energética residencial. Como consequência, políticas públicas de acesso a energia e serviços energéticos limpos baseadas nestas diferentes interpretações possuem características e resultados distintos. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho pretende contribuir para a discussão sobre qual modelo de transição energética melhor reflete a realidade dos consumidores residenciais de energia de países em desenvolvimento a partir da apresentação de dois estudos de caso que retratam diferentes facetas da questão. As análises elaboradas indicam que o modelo do Acúmulo de Combustíveis consegue representar com maior fidelidade o fenômeno da transição energética residencial e que políticas públicas estruturadas segundo seu arcabouço teórico podem contribuir mais eficazmente para a melhoria das condições de vida da população. / The residential energy transition began to receive special attention from the scientific community in 70s and 80s, when a Fuelwood crisis was believed to be imminent. At the time, it was feared that the current rhythm of solid biomass consumption would not keep pace with the primary productivity of the forests and other sources of fuelwood, with severe consequences striking the least wealthy households, who would face an energy shortage. Although the referred crisis never really happened, the concern with its potential occurrence stimulated the development of models aiming at interpreting the energy transition phenomenon provoked by the urbanization process and the increase in income of households. Such interest culminated in the elaboration of the Energy Ladder model, which indicated that the abandonment of traditional energy sources and the adoption of modern ones was the result of the increase of the social status of the population. Initially, the Energy Ladder established itself as the main residential energy transition model. As new studies were being developed, however, evidences suggesting that different factors related to the energy transition in developing countries couldnt be explained by the model were found. These evidences supported the conception of the Fuel Staking model, according to which diversification, instead of substitution, resulted from the social development of the population. Currently, there is no consensus on which model better represents the residential energy transition. As a consequence, public policies focused on clean energy and energy services access based on these different interpretations have different characteristics and results. In such context, this work intends to contribute to the discussion on which energy transition model better reflects the reality of households in developing countries by presenting two case studies showing different aspects of the thematic. The analysis presented suggests that the Fuel Stacking model can better represent the residential energy transition phenomenon and that public policies structured according to its theoretical framework are more effective in contributing to increase the living standards of the population.

A transição energética residencial começou a receber especial atenção da comunidade científica nos anos 1970 e 1980, quando se acreditava na ocorrência iminente da Crise da Lenha. Na época, temia-se que o corrente ritmo de consumo de biomassas sólidas em países em desenvolvimento ultrapassaria a capacidade de produção primária dos ambientes naturais, com sérias consequências para as camadas menos abastadas da população destes locais, que se veriam em uma situação de escassez de fontes de energia. Apesar de esta crise nunca haver, de fato, se concretizado, a preocupação com a sua potencial ocorrência estimulou o desenvolvimento de modelos que visavam à interpretação do fenômeno da transição energética residencial decorrente do processo de urbanização e aumento de renda dos usuários finais. Tal interesse culminou na elaboração do modelo da Escada Energética que, de uma maneira geral, previa que o abandono de fontes de energia tradicionais e a adoção de fontes de energia modernas era o resultado do aumento do status social da população. Inicialmente, a Escada Energética se estabeleceu como principal modelo de transição energética residencial. À medida que novos estudos foram desenvolvidos, entretanto, evidências passaram a sugerir que diversos fatores envolvidos na transição energética em países em desenvolvimento não podiam ser explicados pelo modelo. Estas evidências subsidiaram a concepção do modelo do Acúmulo de Combustíveis, segundo o qual a diversificação, e não a substituição, de energéticos seria o resultado do desenvolvimento social da população. Atualmente, não existe consenso sobre qual modelo melhor reflete o fenômeno da transição energética residencial. Como consequência, políticas públicas de acesso a energia e serviços energéticos limpos baseadas nestas diferentes interpretações possuem características e resultados distintos. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho pretende contribuir para a discussão sobre qual modelo de transição energética melhor reflete a realidade dos consumidores residenciais de energia de países em desenvolvimento a partir da apresentação de dois estudos de caso que retratam diferentes facetas da questão. As análises elaboradas indicam que o modelo do Acúmulo de Combustíveis consegue representar com maior fidelidade o fenômeno da transição energética residencial e que políticas públicas estruturadas segundo seu arcabouço teórico podem contribuir mais eficazmente para a melhoria das condições de vida da população. / The residential energy transition began to receive special attention from the scientific community in 70s and 80s, when a Fuelwood crisis was believed to be imminent. At the time, it was feared that the current rhythm of solid biomass consumption would not keep pace with the primary productivity of the forests and other sources of fuelwood, with severe consequences striking the least wealthy households, who would face an energy shortage. Although the referred crisis never really happened, the concern with its potential occurrence stimulated the development of models aiming at interpreting the energy transition phenomenon provoked by the urbanization process and the increase in income of households. Such interest culminated in the elaboration of the Energy Ladder model, which indicated that the abandonment of traditional energy sources and the adoption of modern ones was the result of the increase of the social status of the population. Initially, the Energy Ladder established itself as the main residential energy transition model. As new studies were being developed, however, evidences suggesting that different factors related to the energy transition in developing countries couldnt be explained by the model were found. These evidences supported the conception of the Fuel Staking model, according to which diversification, instead of substitution, resulted from the social development of the population. Currently, there is no consensus on which model better represents the residential energy transition. As a consequence, public policies focused on clean energy and energy services access based on these different interpretations have different characteristics and results. In such context, this work intends to contribute to the discussion on which energy transition model better reflects the reality of households in developing countries by presenting two case studies showing different aspects of the thematic. The analysis presented suggests that the Fuel Stacking model can better represent the residential energy transition phenomenon and that public policies structured according to its theoretical framework are more effective in contributing to increase the living standards of the population.

In rural areas of least developed countries, the preparation of meals remains the predominant energy consuming activity. Cooking is mostly performed with firewood – using the ancient “technology” of the 3-stone fire. This practice results in numerous challenges that hinder the transformation envisioned by the Millennium Development Goals and it therefore contributes towards slowing the development of rural areas. Activities focussing on amending this status-quo can be termed insufficient in scope- and sustainability. The main deficiencies of most projects are that the prime focus of the mainstream of these endeavours has been on demand side management, mainly performed by disseminating cookstoves, and that there has been little innovation in respect to raising stove adoption rates. As the strict efficiency focus obviously only captures one side of the problem – merely focussing on treating symptoms rather than providing an effective solution, this thesis stresses the need for a paradigm shift towards more holistic interventions. This work very much focuses on the topic of stove adoption. This is a complex topic - very much linked to attaining behavioural change. Deliberations concluded that the identification of enabling factors for adoption, which can be termed a prerequisite for developing sustainable methods for stove projects, requires a mix of instruments. To suffice the required data demand the initial literature review was complemented by a thorough assessment of the kitchen environment and the cooking behaviour of stove owners. The fieldwork concentrated on 210 beneficiaries of an efficient cookstove project. The applied methods included interviews, observations and pictorial documentation. As a remedy to the challenges and current shortcomings identified during field work and literature review, the author herein develops a novel and more holistic implementation strategy for stove projects – the so- called 3-Step approach. This is based on the simultaneous implementation of availing cookstoves, building capacity in respect to kitchen management, as well as performing small-scale household level tree planting. The research, which further encompassed the piloting of the 3-Step approach, led to the overall conclusion that the proposed increase in project scope holds a multitude of opportunities for improving the livelihoods of the rural target groups. The main impact of this innovative strategy lies in a decrease of average transaction costs as well as in a considerable increase in project sustainability. As will be extensively elaborated, the former is achieved by a more effective utilisation of the extensive infrastructure of trained artisans. The latter refers to the expected income increase on household level, as well as to improvements in environmental- and human health. In combination these enable rural communities to better adapt to climate change.