According to the latest report from the Ministry of Energy, 30% of domestic energy consumption in the country is fueled by firewood, reaching 243.3 petajoules.
While domestic consumption of this fuel decreased 2.4% from 2018 to 2023, dry gas consumption decreased by 13%. However, there was an 8% increase in overall domestic energy consumption during that period, driven by increased use of electricity and solar energy (photovoltaic and heating).
In five years, liquefied gas use fell from 32% to 27% of total domestic consumption, while solar consumption increased from 1% to 7%, dry gas consumption fell one percentage point to represent 3% of consumption, and electricity consumption increased by three percentage points to represent 33%. During this period, domestic firewood use decreased three percentage points.
In its analysis, “Living in the Dark: Energy Poverty in Mexico,” México Evalúa explains that firewood consumption is one of the indicators most directly related to energy poverty. In Mexico, 57.6% of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were exposed to wood smoke. COPD is the ninth leading cause of death for men in Mexico, who have the highest smoking rates. For women, the disease is the seventh leading cause, likely because while women are not the most likely to suffer from smoking, they are the ones who spend the most time indoors. On average, this disease accounts for nearly 24,000 deaths annually.
In this context, on Saturday, Energy Secretary Luz Elena González participated in the launch ceremony of the program to deliver efficient wood-burning stoves to vulnerable communities. The program aims to deliver one million stoves to vulnerable rural populations, starting with 146 Purépecha communities in Michoacán.
“We’re here to kick off the National Program for Efficient Wood Stoves for Well-being. Why? Because we can’t talk about well-being if there isn’t guaranteed energy for all of us,” she said. “While some cities have continuous access to electricity and gas, in other communities there are no options other than firewood for cooking or heating homes. And although firewood is natural, spending a lot of time in the smoke is very harmful to the lungs. The president is fully aware of this public health issue.”
These stoves are efficient, she said, because they have better equipment for capturing and releasing smoke, explained President Claudia Sheibaum in the community of Cheranástico, where she completed her field internship four decades ago to obtain her professional degree.
Source: eleconomista
