In Colombia it is estimated that more than 1.2 million families cook exclusively using firewood and about 1.6 million homes would be those that use a mixture between firewood and another fuel, such as coal. Although the country has improved in the figures for the use of this fuel for cooking, the truth is that its incidence still remains, especially in rural areas.
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The government has sought actions to reduce its use, through more efficient and less polluting fuels. For this, goals have been set, related to compliance with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which, for example, propose that by 2030 there will be universal access to safe and affordable energy services.
In this context, Upme and the Ministry of Mines and Energy presented the National Plan for the Substitution of Firewood for Cooking Food for consultation. This document presents a series of actions to be carried out between 2023 and 2050 with which the replacement of firewood in Colombian homes would be achieved, as well as other inefficient fuels.
This proposes four pillars to make the substitution, the first of which is safety, reliability and sustainable access to clean energyfor which the objectives are to identify efficient solutions, take advantage of the potential in the territories and seek financial strategies to guarantee access to these alternatives.
The second is emissions mitigation which aims to discourage deforestation derived from the use of firewood and promote the circular economy.
Thirdly, the Plan establishes as a pillar research and innovation in order to “stimulate both the production of clean energy and the development of efficient technologies.”
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The last pillar is related to Health Care which seeks to “align efforts between the energy, environment and health sectors to prevent the incidence of morbidity and mortality associated with the use of firewood”.
According to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the country has a permeation of 66% of clean fuels in rural areas for cooking. That is, the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), as well as electricity, as evidenced in the graph.
The objective of Upme is to progressively cover homes that still do not have efficient and clean sources. By 2026 they expect 11.6% of households that still do not use them have been changed; by 2030, participation would be 39.3% and in 2050 it would be 100%.
Among the sources of substitution proposed by the entity are LPG, natural gas, electricity and biogas.
The strategy will be especially focused on the first two mentioned. In fact, together they would add up to 66.4% of the connections by 2050 and LPG would be the one with the highest incidence with 37.1% of households. In the case of the connectionss by extension of natural gas networks, the Unit expects that 29.3% of the families will be achieved with this; followed by electricity, which would be 22.9% of homes and finally with biogas, they expect 10.8% to be connected.
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In total, 1.69 million households are expected to switch from using firewood, coal, and other polluting fuels to cleaner options.
Although there is no defined investment for this plan, the document does establish that the National Planning Department (DNP) would be in charge of defining this figure.
“The accompaniment would be carried out in a focused manner in those areas of the country in which there is a greater intensity in the use of inefficient fuels,” the Plan states. In other words, the departments of La Guajira, Córdoba and Cauca will be the ones that will first have the support of the entities in charge of executing the strategy.
By intensity they are followed by Nariño, Antioquia, Santander, Sucre, Bolívar and Boyacá.
With the substitution of these polluting sources, Upme estimates that there are a series of associated benefits. First It is related to the felling of trees for use as fuel, between 2023 and 2050, The entity aims to stop consuming 36.2 million tons of this plant material. Allowing this to be cut means benefits of up to $11 billion for society.
Likewise, it considers that about 37.4 million tons of CO2 equivalent will stop being emitted between 2035 and 2050.
One of the benefits for households is related to freeing up time, since it is estimated that households that use this energy allocate 14 hours per month.
Lastly, they point out that morbidity associated with acute respiratory infections will be reducedwhich have a special impact on children and women who are the ones who mainly make use of this energy.
The entities that will work to achieve this goal
The Upme defines that there are a series of strategic allies in this outlined objective. On the one hand, it defines the sectors that include Upme itself, the Ministry of Mines and Energy, unions and companies that produce, transport, distribute and market both gas and energy.
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However, it also establishes that at the intersectoral level there will be other entities that will play an important role in the implementation of this goal. In the first place, they point out that the National Planning Department, as the leader in the formulation of the National Development Plan, analyzes the subsidies as well as the public investment requirements. Some Ministries appear, such as the Environment, Health, Housing and Agriculture, which from their due field of action will make their contribution to achieve this objective. It also states that the work of local governments, such as mayors and governors will be essential to manage resources.
Daniela Morales Soler
