부산대학교 도서관

Biomass, particularly fuelwood, is the main source of energy for cooking, water heating and space heating in rural households. On accountof the exponential rise in human and livestock population, there is a tremendous pressure on forest lands, resulting in their degradationand heavy depletion of the resource. The situation is particularly serious in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem, which is facing large-scale deforestation and soil erosion. This paper presents the current energy utilization status and the factors that influence it in rural households in villages located in central Himalayas zone in Himachal Pradesh. The paper identifies energy conservation measures and renewableenergy technologies, which can be used in this area for conserving fuelwood. Results of field testing of some of these devices in the study area are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]