A PARTIAL EQUILIBRIUM-ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF INTRODUCING MORE-EFFICIENT WOOD-BURNING STOVES INTO HOUSEHOLDS IN THE SAHELIAN REGION

Two models of the village firewood-gathering economy are developed: on e where the firewood is treated by households as a common-property res ource and one where it is treated as a private asset. Under both model s, rebound of consumption occurs as a result of distributing more-effi cient wood-burning stoves into households. It follows that policies pr emised on the assumption that the use of scarce resources can be curta iled simply by raising the energy efficiency of appliances used in the household are flawed. The same policies, however, when judged accordi ng to their contribution to the utility of the household appear to be better.