Patterns of rural household energy use: a study in the White Nile province - the Sudan
The study investigates rural household domestic energy consumption patterns in a semiarid area of the Sudan. It describes the socioeconomic and evironmental context of energy use, provides an estimation of local woody biomass production and evaluates ecological impacts of increased energy demand on the local resource base. It is based on findings derived from field surveys, a systematic questionnaire and participant observations. Findings indicate that households procure traditional fuels by self-collection and purchases. Household members spent on average 20% of their working time gathering fuels. Generally per caput and total annual expenditure and consumption of domestic fuels are determined by household size, physical availability, storage, prices, income, conservation, substitution and competition among fuel resource uses. Households spend on average 16% of their annual income on traditional fuels. Aggregation of fuels on heat equivalent basis and calculation of their contribution shows that on average firewood provides 63%, charcoal 20.7%, dung 10.4%, crop residues 3.4% and kerosene/diesel 2.5% of the total demand for domestic purposes. Estimated total household woodfuel demand exceeds woody biomass available from the local forests. This demand is presently satisfied by a net depletion of the local forests and purchases from other areas. Degradation of the resource base is further exacerbated by development of irrigation along the White Nile River, increasing livestock numbers (overgrazing) and forest clearance for rainfed cultivation. The most promising relevant and appropriate strategies to alleviate rural household domestic energy problems include: conservation of the existing forest, augmentation through village woodlots and community forestry programmes and improvements in end-use (stoves) and conversion (wood to charcoal) technologies.
- OSTI ID:
- 6600213
- Journal Information:
- Diss. Abstr. Int. A; (United States), Vol. 46:2; Other Information: Thesis
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
HOUSEHOLDS
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
SUDAN
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ARID LANDS
AVAILABILITY
CHARCOAL
DEFORESTATION
DIESEL FUELS
ENERGY DEMAND
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
KEROSENE
MANURES
RURAL AREAS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
STORAGE
SURVEYS
TIME DEPENDENCE
WOOD FUELS
ADSORBENTS
AFRICA
DEMAND
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LIQUID FUELS
ORGANIC WASTES
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
WASTES
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299003 - Energy Planning & Policy- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation- Other- (-1989)
292000 - Energy Planning & Policy- Supply
Demand & Forecasting