Life cycle inventory for cooking - Some results for the use of liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene as cooking fuels in India

The use of energy for cooking is one of the most important sectors for the energy consumption in India. Results of a life cycle inventory are presented for the use of kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas as cooking fuels, The situation in India was investigated through life cycle inventories for the following stages of the life cycle: Extraction of crude oil and natural gas, processing in refineries and fractionating plants, distribution, product transports (including energy imports) and cooking, Environmental impacts are summarized with final calculated ecological profiles for cooking with the two fuels in different cooking scenarios, These results are analysed regarding the origin of the environmental impacts in the life cycle, A direct comparison shows in the majority of the investigated indicators an ecological advantage in the use of liquefied petroleum gas over kerosene, In addition, a reflection on the economic conditions and the social consequences of both life cycles is made. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.