Behavioural drivers for uptake of modern cookstoves

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) details a case study in Kiambu County, Kenya, exploring the behavioural drivers affecting the adoption of advanced biomass pellet cookstoves (specifically the Philips model). Using a service design methodology, the research identifies that while trust in local microfinance partners like the Visionary Empowerment Programme (VEP) facilitates initial acquisition, long-term adoption is hindered by a lack of user-centric value propositions, poor fuel supply chains for pellets, and a failure to address the diverse cooking needs of households, leading to 'stove stacking' rather than full transition.

• Trust in local partners is more effective for quality assurance than third-party certifications. In Kiambu County, users rely on the Visionary Empowerment Programme (VEP), a microfinance institution, because they have existing trust-based relationships and a history of providing quality products, which reduces the perceived risk of investment.
• Adoption depends on whether the technology meets the user's specific definition of 'improved,' which is often based on practical utility rather than health or environmental benefits. Users value tangible gains such as time and money savings, modern image, or social status, and may reject stoves that cannot support large pots, allow for simultaneous cooking, or permit food to be left unattended.
• The 'start-up phase' immediately following acquisition is the most critical period for shaping long-term habits. Without proper guidance on usage and maintenance, users may develop unsafe habits (e.g., using oversized logs or moving the stove while cooking) or fail to transition to the most efficient fuels.
• A lack of established value chains for biomass pellets prevents the desired transition to the cleanest fuel. Many users in the study were unaware that pellets existed or perceived them as too expensive, resulting in the continued use of firewood and charcoal even within the advanced Philips stoves.
• Households typically engage in 'stove stacking' rather than replacing old stoves, using different appliances for different tasks. For example, the Philips stove may be used for quick morning heating while a three-stone fire is retained for long-simmering dishes, meaning the advanced stove rarely meets all household cooking needs.
• Poor customer experiences during the acquisition process, such as delivery delays of five to eight months, can turn potential brand ambassadors into detractors. Conversely, users who are genuinely pleased with the product often act as informal ambassadors, promoting the stove to their peers.
• There is a risk of users moving 'down the energy ladder' by replacing cleaner fuels like LPG with advanced biomass stoves. This occurs when strong marketing and peer pressure within microfinance groups encourage the purchase of a new product that is technically less clean than the user's previous solution.

APA

Andersson, S., Lambe, F., Brolund, P., & Nissar, S. (2015). Behavioural drivers for uptake of modern cookstoves. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-Initiative-Behaviour-Choice-Transformator.pdf

Chicago

Andersson, Sophie, Fiona Lambe, Per Brolund, and Susanna Nissar. Behavioural drivers for uptake of modern cookstoves. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2015. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-Initiative-Behaviour-Choice-Transformator.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Andersson |first1=Sophie |last2=Lambe |first2=Fiona |last3=Brolund |first3=Per |last4=Nissar |first4=Susanna |title=Behavioural drivers for uptake of modern cookstoves |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=31 October 2015 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-Initiative-Behaviour-Choice-Transformator.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{andersson2015behavioural, author = {Andersson, Sophie and Lambe, Fiona and Brolund, Per and Nissar, Susanna}, title = {{Behavioural drivers for uptake of modern cookstoves}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2015}, month = oct, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-Initiative-Behaviour-Choice-Transformator.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }