Author(s)

VALERIA SCAPINI, GABRIELA ZAPATA

Abstract

This study examines household fuel use in Chile, highlighting territorial and socioeconomic disparities that influence access to clean energy. In the context of national decarbonization goals and rising concerns over the health and environmental impacts of biomass combustion, understanding residential energy practices is essential for designing equitable transition policies. Using data from the 2022 CASEN survey, the analysis focuses on household energy use for cooking, water heating and especially space heating – where reliance on solid fuels such as firewood and coal remains widespread. Findings show that around one in four households use solid fuels for heating, with rates exceeding 80% in southern regions like La Araucanía, Los Lagos, Los Ríos, and Aysén. This pattern cuts across income levels, reflecting the role of cultural norms, cold climates and limited infrastructure. Although poorer households are more likely to use solid fuels, the income gap is relatively modest in many regions. A clearer gradient emerges when analysing income by decile, with solid fuel use declining steadily as income rises. The study also finds that many households – especially in northern and central Chile – do not heat their homes at all, a situation more common among lower-income groups. In the colder southern regions, the overall share of households without heating is low, but the relative gap is significant: poor households are three to five times more likely than non-poor households to go without heating. This reveals a deeper layer of energy poverty – not only linked to polluting fuel use but also to the inability to access heating altogether. Overall, the results show that energy use in Chile is shaped by more than income alone. Effective transition policies must address territorial inequalities, housing conditions and cultural practices, going beyond economic incentives to reduce structural and environmental vulnerability.

Keywords

energy sources, solid fuels, energy transition policies