Unclean but affordable solid fuels effectively sustained household energy equity

Area of Science:

• Energy Policy
• Environmental Science
• Sociology

Background:

• Traditional solid fuels are widely used but transitioning to modern energy sources faces cost barriers.
• Household energy inequities and their evolution during the clean energy transition are underexplored.
• China's energy transition presents a critical case study for understanding these dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify household energy inequities in China.
• To evaluate shifts in energy equity during the transition from solid fuels to modern cooking and heating energy.
• To identify policy interventions for a just energy transition.

Main Methods:

• Compilation of data from nationwide questionnaire surveys.
• Analysis of national statistic datasets.
• Quantification of household energy inequities using the Concentration Index (CI).

Main Results:

• Solid fuels currently meet 42.6% of household energy needs, supporting equitable consumption across income groups (low CI).
• Energy burden inequity increases significantly (up to 43% CI rise) during the transition, especially when moving from biomass for cooking.
• Switching to electric heating and natural gas for cooking mitigates inequity increases (15.5% CI rise).

Conclusions:

• Cessation of solid fuel use has negative equity impacts, exacerbating energy burden disparities.
• A phased approach to clean energy transition is essential to mitigate negative equity consequences.
• Targeted subsidies are necessary to ensure equitable access to modern energy and promote a just transition.