The Intensive Margin of Technology Adoption - Experimental Evidence on Improved Cooking Stoves in Rural Senegal

43 Pages Posted: 30 Jul 2014

See all articles by Gunther Bensch

Gunther Bensch

RWI Leibniz Institute for Economic Research

Jörg Ankel-Peters

RWI - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research; University of Passau - Business Administration and Economics

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: July 29, 2014

Abstract

Today 2.6 billion people in developing countries rely on biomass as primary cooking fuel, with profound negative implications for their well-being. Improved biomass cooking stoves are alleged to counteract these adverse effects. This paper evaluates take-up and impacts of low-cost improved stoves through a randomized controlled trial. The randomized stove is primarily designed to curb firewood consumption but not smoke emissions. Nonetheless, we find considerable effects not only on firewood consumption, but also on smoke exposure and smoke-related disease symptoms – induced by behavioural changes at the intensive margin affecting outside cooking and cooking time due to the new stove.

Keywords: Impact evaluation; randomized controlled trial; respiratory disease symptoms; energy access; technology adoption

JEL Classification: C93, O12, O13, Q53, Q56

Suggested Citation

Bensch, Gunther and Ankel-Peters, Jörg, The Intensive Margin of Technology Adoption - Experimental Evidence on Improved Cooking Stoves in Rural Senegal (July 29, 2014). Ruhr Economic Paper No. 494, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2473564 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2473564

Gunther Bensch

RWI Leibniz Institute for Economic Research ( email )

Hohenzollernstr. 1-3
Essen, 45128
Germany

Jörg Ankel-Peters (Contact Author)

RWI - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research ( email )

Hohenzollernstr. 1-3
45128 Essen
Germany
0049-201-8149-247 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.rwi-essen.de

University of Passau - Business Administration and Economics ( email )

Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultaet
Passau, D-94030
Germany

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