Do households' preferences factors affect the choice of energy sources for heating? Empirical evidence from the rural households in Peshawar-Pakistan

Energy plays a role of pivotal importance in our daily lives. It is an important requisite for all of us. The main objective of the study is to investigate what factors determine households' preferences and choice of energy sources for heating in rural areas of District Peshawar, Pakistan. The study is based on a sample of 512 households, which were randomly selected. "To estimate the households" preferences for heating purposes, a multinomial logistic regression model was used". A multiple linear regression model was also used to investigate factors affecting the cost of energy sources for heating. The results of the multinomial logistic regression model showed that age, gender, education level, and income of households' head, distance from the nearest market and cost of heating had a positive relationship, while family size had a negative relationship with the use of electricity. Education level and income of household head and distance from the nearest market had significant effect on the use of electricity. In case of firewood, the coefficients of education level, income, and cost on heating of households showed positive, while the age and family size showed negative relationship. The results of the multiple linear regression model showed that the relationship of the education level of households head, age, income, family size, and distance from the the nearest market had positive, but negative relationship was found between the cost of heating and the use of natural gas in the study area. The study concluded that the income and education level of households had a more significant effect on the use of electricity, firewood, and natural gas than animal dung cakes. The study recommends that the government should ensure the availability of natural gas to be used for heating purposes in the study area. There was a severe shortage of electricity and natural gas; so "the government should take remedial measures in the studied area."