Attitudes, Perceptions, and External Barriers to Households’ Clean Energy Adoption in the Fergana Valley

Abstract

The adoption of clean energy technologies at the household level remains uneven across developing and transition economies, even in contexts where cleaner alternatives are technically available. This paper examines the factors behind adoption of clean energy in heating and cooking by households in the Fergana Valley, a highly populated energy-insecure region that extends to Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Even with the high potential of renewable energy, homes throughout the valley still heavily depend on coal, firewood and other polluting fuels especially during winter seasons. Therefore, understanding the reasons for using dirty energy as opposed to cleaner energy would help in developing successful energy transition policy initiatives.

The research is based on household data of CAREC Household Access to Energy Survey 2022 and creates a measure of clean energy adoption by considering whether households use clean energy in either, one, or both end uses (heating and cooking).To reflect the multidimensional nature of household decision-making, the study develops several composite indices, including health and environmental concern, energy-saving behaviour, perceived unaffordability, energy supply unreliability, infrastructure and technology availability, and information exposure. These variables are combined with economic factors (household income and energy expenditures), demographic characteristics, settlement type, and country fixed effects.

The analysis uses a multinomial probit model that captures fuel-stacking behavior, distinguishing between households that use clean energy for neither, one, or both end uses. The results show that attitudes matter, but only to a point. Health and environmental concern and energy-saving behavior are linked to full adoption of clean energy for both heating and cooking, while they play a much weaker role in partial adoption. This suggests that behavioral factors support deeper transitions rather than small or incremental changes.

By contrast, economic constraints remain the main barrier. Higher income increases the likelihood of clean energy use, while high energy costs and difficulties paying for energy strongly discourage adoption. Other factors, such as supply interruptions, access to new technologies, and exposure to energy information, have limited and less consistent effects once affordability is taken into account.

Geographic disparities were still present in the results. Households located in Kyrgyzstan compared to those in Uzbekistan were significantly less likely to utilize clean energy options for their heating and cooking needs, as well as a significant disparity between urban and rural households persists. Conversely , Tajik households are more likely to have high adoption levels, compared to Uzbek families. Overall, the results indicate that affordability, high costs, rurality, and country-specific factors influence the low adoption of clean energy in the Fergana Valley more than the lack of environmental awareness, and behavioral factors that primarily contribute to full rather than partial transitions. The paper contributes to the literature by offering cross-country household-level research in Central Asia that combines both behavioral and structural constraints. Policy implications suggest that comprehensive interventions involving infrastructure development and affordability initiatives in combination with specific information and trust-building programs should be implemented.