Current debates and future research needs in the clean cookstove sector

• Despite considerable growth in the clean cookstove sector, many debates remain.
• Vetting of stove performance and appeal prior to scale-up is needed in sector.
• Given corollary benefits, local production of effective stoves should be encouraged.
• There is a need to analyze the suitability of diverse subsidies in various settings.
• Decline in carbon credit prices has increased the need to diversify investment types.

The international clean cookstove sector has undergone considerable growth over the past decade. We use this critical juncture – where program priorities and strategies are formalized and converted into institutional norms and practices – to review current debates and areas for future research. We focus our review on four important areas and suggest industry participants expand and refine efforts to (i) balance technical stove performance with implementation needs and stove user compatibility; (ii) understand the trade-offs associated with local and imported production methods; (iii) determine a suitable role for direct subsidies for purchasing stoves and indirect subsidies for research, institutional development and distribution of stoves; and (iv) develop an appropriate finance strategy to support dissemination amidst carbon market uncertainties. Given the complex and interdisciplinary nature of the clean cookstove sector, we hope our appraisal of these four issues will inform innovation and invite new insights.