Graduation Date

Summer 2020

Document Type

Thesis

Program

Master of Science degree with a major in Environmental Systems, option Energy, Technology, and Policy

Committee Chair Name

Dr. Arne Jacobson

Committee Chair Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Second Committee Member Name

Dr. Nick Lam

Second Committee Member Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Third Committee Member Name

Dr. Ramesh Adhikari

Third Committee Member Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Keywords

LPG - Liquified petroleum gas, NPV - Net Present Value

Subject Categories

Environmental Systems

Abstract

Nepal imports nearly 260,000 tons of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) and other fossil fuels annually from India. This fuel dependency is one of the main reasons for Nepal’s trade deficit with India. The Government of Nepal has recently started promoting electric induction stoves for cooking as an alternative to LPG. Induction stoves are pollution free at the point of use, and they are meant to reduce Nepal's dependence on LPG.

This study includes a cost-benefit analysis for replacing LPG stoves with induction stoves for households in rural areas of Kavre District, Nepal. The study involved the use of data for LPG and electricity consumption for households that use LPG and have not yet adopted induction stoves. It includes the estimated expected post-adoption (future) electricity consumption based on the cooking energy associated with the existing (pre-adoption) LPG usage.

The results show that about two-thirds of households in the study would not benefit economically from the adoption of electric induction stoves if there is no subsidy on the electricity. The amount of subsidy would depend on baseline electricity consumption and the LPG usage of the households. Future analysis of the economics of a transition to induction cooking could be improved through the collection of more precise data on LPG consumption, baseline electricity consumption, LPG prices, and the economic discount rate.

Citation Style

APA

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