LPG cooking system
Introduction
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is a gaseous fuel obtained during petroleum refining and consists mainly of butane or propane. LPG can also be obtained from fossil coal. LPG is non-toxic, easy to handle, energy efficient and burns very cleanly. See also article on Cooking with LPG.
LPG stoves are very convenient for users as they heat up quickly and temperature can be precisely controlled. However, LPG stoves are mainly used by middle and high income groups in urban areas due to higher capital investment into devices and higher running costs for fuel. In rural areas, LPG supply can be unreliable, if accessible at all. Less wealthier households tend to use LPG as a minor part of their energy mix especially in situations when smaller food amounts need to be heated fast, e.g. at breakfast.
The important feature of LPG is that its stove efficiency of about 55-60% is much higher than that of many other stoves.[1]
LPG Stoves
Technology
A typical LPG cooking system is made up of a steel cylinder filled with LPG, a pressure controller, a tube connecting the cylinder to the pressure controller and the burner, and finally the burner itself. The burner can consist of one or more cooking tops.
The size of the system depends on the size of the cylinder. Cylinders exist in various sizes e.g.: 2.7 kg, 6 kg, 12 kg or 16 kg. A survey in 20 countries showed that low-income countries households mainly use cylinders smaller than 6 kg.[2] Nevertheless, the majority of currently available LPG cylinders are larger (up to 47.5 kg). This proves problematic for low-income households both in the acquisition as well as the recharge of LPG.
Costs
Households require capital to buy hardware such as the LPG stove and the cylinder. LPG stoves cost around 30-100 US$.[3] This is a barrier for many households. In Nigeria for example, a competitive kerosene-based cooking systems is 83 % cheaper.[4] Furthermore, households need to be able to pay the running costs for LPG. The price of LPG is affected by taxes, subsidies and market distribution costs.
The illustration below shows how LPG stoves compare to other stove types in terms of upfront and lifetime costs.
Further Information
References
- ↑ GIZ HERA (2014): Multiple-Household Fuel Use – a balanced choice between firewood, charcoal and LPG. https://energypedia.info/images/3/32/2014-03_Multiple_Household_Cooking_Fuels_GIZ_HERA_eng.pdf
- ↑ World Bank (2011): The Role of Liquefied Petroleum Gas in Reducing Energy Poverty. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTOGMC/Resources/LPGReportWeb-Masami.pdf
- ↑ World Bank, ESMAP, Global Alliance (2015): The State of the Global Clean and Improved Cooking Sector. Technical Report 007/15. http://www.cooking-for-life.org/uploads/Modules/Documents/world-bank-report-on-the-state-of-global-clean-cooking.pdf
- ↑ TDL (August 27, 2013): Hindering Growth of Nigeria’s LPG Market with Kerosene Subsidy. http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/hindering-growth-of-nigeria-s-lpg-market-with-kerosene-subsidy/157397/
