Examining urban household energy consumption patterns in Mozambique through a gendered lens

Fostering access to modern and clean energy sources in urban developing households involves a gender-sensitive approach. Although the relationship between energy sources and services has been studied extensively in recent years, less attention has been paid to the link between household energy consumption patterns and gender roles to explain the persistent reliance on biomass in urban developing contexts. This paper investigates gender roles in fuel choice decisions for the energy services required by developing urban households. The study utilised a mixed-methods approach, combining a literature review, a survey of 381 households in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, and interviews with three key institutions from the energy sector. The survey results were analysed using descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression model. The results, encompassing urban, suburban and peri-urban areas, highlight that the households often stack multiple fuels, including electricity, charcoal, liquified petroleum gas and wood, to meet their energy needs. In female- and male-headed households, women are often responsible for the energy sources, services and devices required for the household's well-being. The education level of the household head is the key determinant variable in the fuel choice decision. Cooking and electricity are the most versatile energy service and source, respectively. This paper finds that charcoal is the most preferred cooking fuel regardless of household income. Moreover, the results indicate a limited role of the gender of the household head in household fuel choice decisions, which calls for further research on the subject, specifically using qualitative methods.