Abstract:
Improving access to modern fuels in developing countries is crucial in mitigating unfavorable
environmental and health impacts caused by the continued use of traditional fuels. Use of modern
fuels lead to improved standards of living and gender equity of women and children. This paperestimates preferences for domestic fuels and reasons thereof by households in urban areas in
Nyeri town, Kenya. The study uses Nyeri town micro-data to perform correlation analysis to determine the relationship between fuel preference and domestic energy transition. Transition is
considered along three categories of domestic fuels: traditional -firewood and charcoal; transitional
fuels- kerosene; modern fuels – Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), biogas, solar and grid electricity.
The result findings show that urban residents use traditional, transitional and modern fuels through
energy stacking theory with the transition to modern fuels following a consistent pattern. The major
reasons for fuel preference were established as fuel convenience, affordability, ease of
accessibility and cultural beliefs by 46.5%, 37.2%, 10.5% and 5.8% of the respondents
respectively.