IDBG Cook Stove: Improving Efficiency and Environment of Rural Kitchens, RE Feature, Dec. 2011.
Sardar Patel Renewable Energy Research Institute, Anand has developed an Inverted Downdraft Biomass Gasifier cook stove which has the potential to bring about significant savings in fuel wood, improve the kitchen environment and mitigate the concerns of global warming. The laboratory testing of the IDBG cook stove revealed that its thermal efficiency is 10-15 per cent higher and emissions are within the limit set by MNRE for the biomass cook stoves. The village woman, who was provided with the IDBG stove, regularly used it for all cooking purposes even in the rainy season and endorsed its usefulness for meeting her cooking needs.
GERES GLOBAL SURVEY ON COOKSTOVE PROGRAMS’ NEEDS AND EXPERTISE, JULY-AUGUST 2011
Released: December 2011
SURVEY METHODOLOGY AND THE RESPONDENT ORGANISATIONS
The survey was addressed to a variety of actors (NGOs, donors, humanitarian, private, and research institutions), who are or wish to be involved in the improved cookstove (ICS) programs around the world (focusing on South Asian, Southeast Asian and African stakeholders). The working group looked up the potential respondents’ contacts on available Internet databases and networks, but also gathered them from GERES employees’ personal contacts.
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What are the enabling or limiting factors influencing the large scale uptake by households of cleaner and more efficient household energy technologies, covering cleaner fuel and improved solid fuel cookstoves? A systematic review. Protocol. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London
Elisa Puzzolo, Debbi Stanistreet, Daniel Pope, Nigel Bruce and Eva Rehfuess
Objectives of the systematic review
The main objective of this systematic review is to describe and assess the importance of different enabling or limiting factors that influence the large scale uptake by households of cleaner and more efficient household energy technologies. More specifically, this systematic review will:
- develop a framework for different categories of factors influencing large-scale uptake;
- provide a summary of existing knowledge relating to each of these categories, including interpretation of data through an equity lens; and
- set an agenda for essential primary research (stand-alone research or evaluations of current and future initiatives).
Using Augusto Boal-based theatre for development methods to mediate the introduction of fuel-efficient cook stoves in Chajul, Guatemala: provoking action through an ethical intervention, October 2011.
by Bisping, Jason, Ph.D., UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER, 246 pages
This dissertation examines how theatre for development methods, developed and influenced by Augusto Boal, were employed to provide energy-oppressed people with opportunities to reflect and take action to improve their lives. Specifically, this research study examines two theatre for development interventions conducted in Chajul, Guatemala, where I worked with indigenous citizens of Chajul and a host nongovernmental organization, Limitless Horizons Ixil, to create theatre pieces that confronted people’s home energy-use habits, focusing, specifically, on the dangers of indoor air pollution caused by the use of open fires in homes. The first intervention occurred during a seven-day trip to Chajul in July 2009, and involved devising and staging an original play, “Life with a Cookstove/Life without a Cookstove,” that was presented to more than 300 community members.
The second intervention, which took place over ten days in June 2010, consisted of staging original theatre pieces in people’s homes around their open fires. In addition to using theatre as an educational tool, information was collected about people’s attitudes and behaviors related to indoor air pollution and cookstoves. Additionally, the theatre interventions gave people the opportunity to practice taking action to reduce dangers associated with indoor air pollution in their homes through the proposed use of cookstoves.
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Traditional wood-burning stoves and open wood fires are the main culprits of toxic indoor air pollution. So it makes sense that much of the research, development, and investment over the past decade has focused on
producing cleaner, more efficient wood-burning stoves.
CONTENTS
- Overview: Briquettes Compared to Traditional Fuels
- Partner Experience with Briquettes in:
- Africa (Kenya & Tanzania)…………………………………6
- Asia (Cambodia and Nepal)……………………………… 10
- Latin America (Haiti)……………………………………… 14
- Partner Spotlight: The Charcoal Project………………. 16
- Conversations with Charcoal Stove Testers & Developers
- US Environmental Protection Agency..……………….. 17
- Aprovecho Research Center……………………….….. 19
- Envirofit…………………………………………………… 21
- Prakti Design Lab……………………………………….. 22
- Sustainable Charcoal Production and R&D
- Improving Traditional Charcoal Production……………23
- Charcoal Production and Livelihoods in India………..24
- Modernizing Production with Cogeneration…………..26
- Update on R&D from Colorado State University……..28
- Recent Partner Activity…………………………………..31
- Upcoming Events and Announcements……………….33
- Charcoal Fact Box…………………………………………34
Jan 2, 2012 – Shell Foundation’s Breathing Space programme entered a new phase of engagement with multiple districts in the state of Karnataka with an awareness and engagement programme for District and Taluk level elected and executive officers organized in Davangere and Gulbarga on November 25 and December 16 respectively. This programme is a part of Shell Foundation’s current initiative in Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka to build momentum for adoption of improved cook stoves by providing access to stoves, finance and a last mile distribution chain.
Being implemented by Envirofit, Grameen Koota and Project Dharma in Karnataka, the initiative envisages partnership with rural government authorities and outreach workers. The aim is to create a strong rural finance and distribution chain to promote adoption of improved cook stoves manufactured by Envirofit. This programme is an outcome of the pilot projects run in Udupi, Koppal, Raichur and Shimoga over the past two years to establish the different routes to market.
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Climate Change and Energy Poverty in Timor-Leste, 2011.
Jeremy Moss & Michael McGann. University of Melbourne.
The majority of households in both urban and rural areas rely predominately on fuel wood for cooking purposes, using selfconstructed three-stone fires. Since the opportunity cost of this method is virtually zero, it may be the case that households are unlikely to use electricity for cooking purposes even if it became more accessible.
Nevertheless, as the impacts of fuel wood collection on deforestation become more evident to local communities, they may embrace the planned, government-sponsored, introduction of different fuels and energy-efficient stoves.
Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology , (14 December 2011) | doi:10.1038/jes.2011.47
The exposure of infants and children to carbon monoxide from biomass fuels in The Gambia: a measurement and modeling study
Kathie L Dionisio, Stephen R C Howie, Francesca Dominici, Kimberly M Fornace, John D Spengler, Simon Donkor, Osaretin Chimah, Claire Oluwalana, Readon C Ideh, Bernard Ebruke, Richard A Adegbola and Majid Ezzati
Smoke from biomass fuels is a risk factor for pneumonia, the leading cause of child death worldwide. Although particulate matter (PM) is the metric of choice for studying the health effects of biomass smoke, measuring children’s PM exposure is difficult. Carbon monoxide (CO), which is easier to measure, can be used as a proxy for PM exposure. We measured the exposure of children ≤5 years of age in The Gambia to CO using small, passive, color stain diffusion tubes. We conducted multiple CO measurements on a subset of children to measure day-to-day exposure variability.
Usual CO exposure was modeled using a mixed effects model, which also included individual and household level exposure predictors. Mean measured CO exposure for 1181 children (n=2263 measurements) was 1.04±1.46 p.p.m., indicating that the Gambian children in this study on average have a relatively low CO exposure. However, 25% of children had exposures of 1.3 p.p.m. or higher. CO exposure was higher during the rainy months (1.33±1.62 p.p.m.). Burning insect coils, using charcoal, and measurement done in the rainy season were associated with higher exposure. A parsimonious model with fuel, season, and other PM sources as covariates explained 39% of between-child variation in exposure and helped remove within-child variability.
Quantification of Indoor Air Pollution & Estimating its Health Effects in Northwest Bangladesh, 2011.
Leah T. Le, et al. ETHOS Conference, Kirkland, Washington, January, 2011.
Stoves Used
- Improved stoves designed by Bangladesh Council of Science and Technology (BCST)
- Iron gate and chimney
- 3 model types: 1-pot, 2-pot, and 3-pot stance
- Thermal efficiency tested by Appropriate Rural Technology Inc. (ARTI)
- Water boiling test
Conclusions
- 59% & 23% reduction in PM2.5 & CO emission,respectively, from improved stoves after 1 year. But not significant
- Predominate chemical species: EC, OM, Chlorine, and Potassium
- As long as they continue to be exposed to such CO & PM2.5 concentrations, cooks are potentially suffering from mild symptoms every day, all year, every year.
- Fuel use patterns and cooking practices seen in this population are likely to be comparable to much of Bangladesh.
The Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 21(2 Suppl.): 2011, Page: 429-434
LOCAL PERCEPTION OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION WITH USE OF BIOFUEL IN RURAL COMMUNITIES OF UCHALLI WETLANDS COMPLEX, SALT RANGE, PAKISTAN, 2011.
Z. Ali. S. Y. Shelly
More than 2.4 billion people around the world in the rural community depend on biomass fuel (wood, charcoal animal dung, and crop residue). Incomplete combustion of this fuel has led to increased amounts of indoor pollution and raise in global warming; this has further led to the increase in the incidence of diseases. Therefore, interventions to reduce biomass fuel related emission by alternative fuels and improved combustion efficiency can improve health, add to socioeconomic development. The area selected for sampling was the Uchalli Wetlands Complex which in the Northwest of Khushab district in Pakistan which houses three saline lakes surrounded by forest and villages. A questionnaire was designed with questions regarding the household fuel use and techniques to improve livelihood and to create awareness and locals from the age of 19-95 were interviewed with a majority of males, houses in the area were mainly of stone blocks and majority males in the area worked in the city. Combined family system was prevalent in the area (80%) with about 42% of the population having no formal education. A wide variety of stoves were observed in the area with wives having a major decision (69%) in fuel choice which mainly depended on the cheapness and availability of the fuel. The cooking being mostly done (79.8%) outside in summers and indoors in winters. Majority of the respondents (94.7%) were aware that liquid petroleum gas and natural gas are better ways of reducing pollution and decreasing the incidence of diseases which included using dry wood, proper ventilation and many others.
