Andrew,
Thank you!!! This report and others like it for other places are very
useful to those of us who potentially work in many different countries.
Are you in Ecuador? What are your sources?
I have sent this and your message (below) to the Estufa Listserv (in
Spanish, but many members there read English). Each country (and there
are many in Latin America and other regions) has unique situations
regarding energy supply and policy and culture. But I think the trend
is to cut back on or eliminate subsidies on more refined fuels.
Paul
Paul S. Anderson, PhD aka "Dr TLUD"
Email: [email protected] Skype: paultlud Phone: +1-309-452-7072
Website: www.drtlud.com
On 8/13/2013 12:49 AM, Andrew C. Parker wrote:
I have been reading that the Ecuadorian government plans on removing
the subsidy on bottled gas for residential cooking, as soon as the
generators come online at some new hydroelectric projects.
This will create considerable hardship for poor and rural households
and may result in a switch to firewood and charcoal (and possibly
kerosene, which was the primary urban cooking fuel before the gas
subsidies kicked in decades ago) on a grand scale.
Truth is, despite the ecological benefits, the subsidies are
economically unsustainable (a major portion of the budget), especially
with a state-owned refining infrastructure that is incapable of
meeting demand. There have been numerous and well publicized
shortages (which has been a great embarrassment to the current
government). Many people have already returned to firewood cooking in
rural areas.
I can't see everyone running out to buy new electric ranges, and I
don't think the new generating capacity can match a massive shift to
electric cooking.
NGO's, both foreign and domestic are frowned upon and it is very
tedious and expensive to donate anything (there is a special license
required and a not insignificant import duty on donated goods), so
academic cooperation and capitalist approaches may be the best option
for getting people there access to efficient stoves, or using their
gas stoves more efficiently (finned pots?).
There is no shortage of capable, intelligent, educated and
enterprising Ecuadorians (though many get out if they can), so, if
they see the need, they will try to fill it. If they have access to
current information and expertise, they can do it better and perhaps
more appropriately (though that is subjective).
There is probably enough ag waste to fuel rural kitchens, but if urban
households switch to biomass, it will get really ugly, which would be
a shame for such a beautiful country.
Just a heads-up. I don't know how it will play out over time.
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