Clean cooking adoption remains a persistent challenge in low- and middle-income urban contexts despite technological advancements and policy interventions. This study develops a socio-behavioral framework to explain sustainable adoption patterns of clean cooking technologies in urban Kigali households. Drawing on ethnographic insights, the research integrates behavioral, economic, and socio-cultural determinants influencing adoption decisions and long-term usage. The study critically examines the limitations of conventional diffusion models, particularly the energy ladder hypothesis, and proposes a multidimensional framework that accounts for trust, time-use practices, culinary preferences, and institutional dynamics. The findings reveal that adoption is not a linear transition but a complex, iterative process shaped by contextual realities and behavioral inertia. The proposed framework advances theoretical understanding and provides actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners aiming to achieve durable clean cooking transitions.

Clean cooking adoption, socio-behavioral framework, ethnography, urban energy transitions

Evans, W. D., Johnson, M., Jagoe, K., Charron, D., Young, B. N., Rahman, A. S. M. M., Omolloh, D., & Ipe, J. (2018). Evaluation of behavior change communication campaigns to promote modern cookstove purchase and use in lower middle-income countries. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15010011

Jeuland, M., & Pattanayak, S. K. (2012). Benefits and costs of improved cookstoves: Assessing the implications of variability in health, forest, and climate impacts. Energy for Sustainable Development, 16(4), 403–413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2012.08.003

Kar, A., & Zerriffi, H. (2018). From cookstove acquisition to cooking transition: Framing the behavioural aspects of cookstove interventions. Energy Research & Social Science, 42, 23–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2018.02.015

Lewis, J. J., & Pattanayak, S. K. (2012). Who adopts improved fuels and cookstoves? A systematic review. Environmental Health Perspectives, 120(5), 637–645. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1104194

Lindgren, S. A. (2020). Clean cooking for all? A critical review of behavior, stakeholder engagement, and adoption for the global diffusion of improved cookstoves. Energy Research & Social Science, 68, 101539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101539

Pereira, S., Silva, C., & Ferreira, L. M. D. F. (2025). Barriers to energy transition in developing and developed countries: A systematic review. Energy for Sustainable Development, 87, 101753. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2025.101753

Ruiz-Mercado, I., & Masera, O. (2015). Patterns of stove use in the context of fuel–device stacking: Rationale and implications. EcoHealth, 12(1), 42–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-015-1009-4

Troncoso, K., Armendáriz, C., & Alatorre, S. (2013). Improved cook stove adoption and impact assessment: A proposed methodology. Energy Policy, 62, 637–645. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.07.074

van der Kroon, B., Brouwer, R., & van Beukering, P. (2013). The energy ladder: Theoretical myth or empirical truth? Results from a meta-analysis. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 20, 504–513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2012.11.045

Vigolo, V., Sallaku, R., & Testa, F. (2018). Drivers and barriers to clean cooking: A systematic literature review from a consumer behavior perspective. Sustainability, 10(11), 4322. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10114322