Household willingness to transition to Branded Cylinder Recirculation Model in Ghana

Exposure to household air pollution from primary cooking with solid fuels such as charcoal and wood leads to approximately 3.2 million premature deaths annually. In Ghana, solid fuel use contributes significantly to ambient air pollution, accounting for 15% to 42% of PM2.5 in Accra. To mitigate this, Ghana launched a branded cylinder recirculation model to provide 50% of the population with LPG access by 2030. This begun with a 2020 pilot in six districts focusing on trading old cylinders for branded ones, and the exchange of empty branded cylinders for filled ones. Our study evaluated the experiences and willingness to pay among 2,290 households in Obuasi and Yendi. Results showed a high uptake for the 6kg cylinders (58% in Obuasi and 45% in Yendi) and 14kg cylinders (33% in Obuasi and 46% in Yendi). A logistic regression analysis found that choosing large cylinders and higher educational were associated with greater willingness to pay for LPG. We suggest a user-friendly BCRM design, targeted consumer education, a robust safety and standards enforcement framework as the key success factors for increased adoption of LPG for clean cooking in Ghana. Key words: branded cylinder recirculation model, clean cooking, LPG, household air pollution, willingness to pay