Household energy consumption patterns in agricultural zone, pastoral zone and agro-pastoral transitional zone in eastern part of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Despite the rapid development in fossil fuel, biomass is still the main energy resource in rural China. However, the research on household energy consumption on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is limited. We investigated the differences in household energy consumption pattern, the influencing factors of fuel type choice, and the willingness to use clean energy in agricultural, pastoral and agro-pastoral transitional zones in eastern part of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Information was collected through Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and Physical Monitoring (PM). We found that biomass was the main energy resource in pastoral regions while fossil energy was the main fuel in agricultural regions. Energy consumption per capita in pastoral regions was higher than that in agricultural regions in our study area, and annual household energy consumption in pastoral regions was much higher than the provincial average. Altitude, livelihood and education level were main factors affecting domestic fuel type choice, while altitude and household size were two factors determining energy consumption per capita. The use of biomass as fuel could have negative influence on the material cycle in ecosystem and affect the carbon budget on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Householders were willing to use clean energy and most interviewees chose electricity as their favorite fuel type. Therefore, the modern utilization of biomass and the exploration of renewable energy are promising in future energy development in eastern part of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, energy transition might be constrained by poor local transportation and traditional consumption habit of indigenous community. •Biomass was commonly used in pastoral regions while fossil energy was often used in agricultural regions.•Energy consumption per capita in pastoral regions was higher than that in agricultural regions.•Altitude, livelihood and education level were main factors affecting domestic fuel type choice.•Altitude and household size were main factors determining energy consumption per capita.•Householders were willing to use clean energy but rarely care about environment when choosing fuel.