Limits

• Poverty - The high initial cost of switching fuels can prevent many households from benefiting from clean fuels and technology. Fuel subsidies are sometimes mistargeted and fail to reach the populations who would benefit the most. Subsidies to lower the initial cost of purchasing new devices or the recurring costs of fuel purchases can be targeted to the lowest-income households. Existing subsidies for polluting fuels can be reformed or eliminated.
• Behaviour change - Interventions that fail to take social and cultural practices into account or which require dramatic or sudden departures from long-established behaviour in household energy use are unlikely to foster a durable, long-term transition to cleaner energy.
• Sustained use - If a household purchases a clean cooking device but fails to use it regularly and exclusively, few health and other benefits will be realized. A rigorous monitoring and evaluation programme can verify whether clean fuels and devices are used over long periods and identify ways to improve long-term uptake.

Risks

• Stove-fuel stacking - The parallel use of several types of fuel and devices within a single household can slow the transition to clean household energy, as many people continue to use polluting devices even after they have purchased or adopted cleaner technologies. Even occasional continued use of polluting fuels and devices can significantly erode the health benefits of interventions. Becoming clean means not only promoting the adoption of cleaner energy but also prioritizing the abandonment of polluting energy. Effective policies must include understanding of stove-fuel stacking and the complex reality of how people actually use energy in their homes.
• Lack of coordination: Household energy – especially for cooking – may fall outside the mandates of individual ministries or agencies. In many instances, household energy has become an “orphaned” issue, with no single sector assuming primary responsibility for advancing policies to address it. Convening working groups or steering committees that include representatives of all key stakeholder groups can overcome this common pitfall and ensure that roles are clearly assigned and core objectives are aligned.
• Lack of political commitment: Without a sustained focus on household air pollution (HAP), household energy initiatives and schemes may struggle to obtain adequate funding and personnel. Successful programmes also require long-term, sustained effort beyond the term of a single government administration or electoral cycle. Well-substantiated, evidence-based cases for investment in clean household energy can help political leaders to understand the scope of the opportunity and prioritize it. Awareness-raising campaigns can increase the salience of the issue for decision-makers, helping to catalyse political commitment and support.
• User perceptions: User perceptions of both familiar and novel energy devices can discourage adoption of clean energy solutions. Product design and marketing must be informed by qualitative research and survey data on user preferences and perceptions. Targeted awareness-raising campaigns can help address consumers’ concerns about the performance and features of novel energy solutions.
• Scalability, supply chains and market ecosystem: Lack of a consistent supply for a given technology or fuel is another prevalent obstacle.Direct investment and subsidies can help address weak market ecosystems and ensure continued supply and delivery of fuels and devices in rural areas, or support may be provided for local enterprises for the repair and maintenance of stoves and other devices, for example.
• Lack of access to high-quality data: The design and use of relevant household surveys can ensure more detailed understanding of the household fuel situation.
• Resource constraints: A case for increased funding can be made with use of detailed cost–benefit analyses. Training resources can also ensure that new staff are brought up to date on key issues in air pollution and health. Detailed record-keeping to document decisions and progress ensures continuity in the event of staff turnover.