Economic rationality and the future of rural biomass: Evidence from Romania’s energy transition

This study provides a novel, community-level analysis of rural biomass adoption in Eastern Europe, integrating technical efficiency data with socioeconomic perceptions from Ghelinţa, Romania. Using mixed methods, it reveals a paradox: universal reliance on firewood (100%) coexists with minimal awareness of alternative biomass (23%). The research uniquely links boiler performance data to household-level attitudes, showing that economic and institutional barriers – rather than environmental motivations – govern adoption. By aligning quantitative emission reductions with qualitative insights, the study offers an innovative framework for designing targeted, evidence-based biomass policies in underrepresented rural contexts of the European energy transition.