Clean fuel
The Sustainable Development Goal 7's related indicator states: "Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technology" (Indicator 7.1.2). The indicator is calculated as the number of people using clean fuels and technologies for cooking, heating and lighting divided by total population reporting that any cooking, heating or lighting, expressed as percentage. "Clean fuel" is defined by the emission rate targets and specific fuel recommendations (i.e. against unprocessed coal and kerosene) included in the normative guidance WHO guidelines for indoor air quality.[3][4]
Clean fuel may refer to:
- A type of fuel used for transport; this can be biofuels that have low emission rates, such as ethanol or biodiesel biogas. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is another example.
- A type of fuel used for cooking and lighting: biogas, LPG, electricity, ethanol, natural gas, and solar cookers and alcohol-fuel stoves are cooking solutions that typically deliver high performance in terms of reducing household air pollution.[1]:45 This is often the case even regardless of the type of cookstove used. These cooking solutions are often considered “modern” or “clean” solutions and are collectively called BLEENS.[2]
There remain some 2.8 billion people who rely on unclean, polluting fuels and technologies for cooking. This includes traditional stoves paired with charcoal, coal, crop waste, dung, kerosene, and wood.[1]:45 These fuels have been shown to release greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, both of which can have drastic effects on ecosystems, into the atmosphere when used, and thus promote climate change.
References
- IEA, IRENA, UNSD, World Bank, WHO (2020) Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report. World Bank, Washington DC
- "BLEENS - Biogas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas, Electricity, Ethanol, Natural Gas, and Solar". Energypedia. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- UN Statistics (2016) Goal 7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all (Updated on 30 March 2016)
- WHO (2014) WHO indoor air quality guidelines: household fuel combustion, World Health Organization, Geneva.