In 2017, a Rwandan cookstove company revealed this week that it has raised more money in the past six months than the entire cookstove sector has raised in any single year.
Inyenyeri, a Rwandan company that provides cookstoves to households at no cost in exchange for customers buying their wood fuel pellets, announced at the Clean Cooking Forum in New Delhi, India, that it has raised more than $20 million in loans, grants, and the sale of carbon credits.
In Feb 2018, Inyenyeri was now serving 2,500 homes with top level stoves, while using renewable, made-in-Rwanda fuels. Inyenyeri will use a 3 million Euro IKEA Foundation grant toward their goal of providing this solution to 150,000 households in Rwanda by 2020.
When used with its wood fuel pellets, Inyenyeri cookstoves reduce emissions by 98 to 99 percent compared to wood or charcoal stoves, the company says, making their stoves Tier 4, the highest performing tier for indoor emissions as defined by the World Health Organization. Inyenyeri follows the “razorblade model,” a business model in which one item is sold at a low price, or even at a loss, because the profits come from the complementary products.
An entire sector exists to get the 3 billion people who cook over open fires or with traditional cookstoves to use cleaner methods of cooking. This includes the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, a public-private partnership hosting its annual forum in India this week as part of its work to get 100 million households to make the switch to clean cookstoves by 2020.
Most improved or efficient cookstoves do not meet the WHO standards for reducing the indoor air pollution that kills 4 million people per year — more than malaria, HIV/AIDs, and tuberculosis combined. While these cookstoves may save women time, spare trees that would otherwise become fuel, and reduce levels of smoke to the point where it cannot be seen or smelled, they can actually increase health hazards by producing smaller indoor particulate matter that enters lungs and bloodstreams more easily.
The sector has developed a reputation for overpromising and underdelivering. But another key problem in the past has been NGOs handing out stoves for free that people will not use, either because they don’t work as well in the field as they did in the lab, break and are not easily repairable, or because women don’t want to change their cooking methods.
“When people get a free stove given to them, they sign a poster that says they will use the stove and won’t sell it, and when the auditor comes, people get the stove out that they were using as a chair and they use it that day,” Reynolds said.
As a consensus emerges that free cookstoves do not work, there is a further debate among “stovers”. A significant problem in the past was the NGO practice of giving cookstoves away for free. That method is now seen as ineffective. From villages to slums to refugee camps in East Africa, people are selling cookstoves they got for free for a couple of dollars worth of cornmeal, trading in a product they do not want for something they will use for dinner that night. The good intention of distributing cookstoves can lead to challenging environments for social enterprises working to develop products people will pay for.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s made a $10 million contribution to an NIH study on the impact of LPG cookstoves on health in four countries — the largest single grant in the history of the sector.
People are just too poor to use LPG even if suddenly it was rolled out at scale in Africa.
While refugees and other low-income populations can benefit from donated products, there are also large populations who will pay for those products, especially with the right consumer financing models. The global development community should treat the clean cooking sector as a legitimate consumer goods sector.
Burn Stoves
Since late 2013, Burn Stoves has sold over 478,279 stoves. These stoves have changed the lives of 2.5M people, saving them over $132 million.
Burn Stoves will partner with Intellectual Ventures’ Global Good to co-develop a clean burning, affordable and fuel-efficient biomass cookstove for households in sub-Saharan Africa.
This new “Tier 4” stove will also draw on the research of Global Good collaborators, the University of Washington Clean Cookstoves Lab and Aprovecho Research Center, the design capabilities of BURN Design Lab, and with catalytic initial support from the Osprey Foundation to build BURN’s manufacturing facility in Kenya. The biomass cookstove’s research and development is being funded by Bill and Melinda Gates through Global Good.
Through the redesigned stove, we aim to dramatically cut harmful household emissions, minimize fuel use and reduce cooking time, thus supporting BURN’s vision of a world where cooking saves lives and forests.
“We would like to see every household in sub-Saharan Africa switch to renewable and zero-residue fuels. While natural gas and ethanol hold great promise, the reality is that, by 2050, 1.6 billion people will still rely on solid biomass for cooking on the continent,” says Peter Scott, BURN Manufacturing’s chief executive officer.
“To mitigate this looming social, economic and ecological catastrophe, we must make wood-burning biomass stoves cleaner and more efficient. We are delighted to be part of the team tackling this important global challenge.”
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.
The pellet stove is a tough sell because you need pellets. The Jikokoa is a great invention but is expensive (usd 40), and traditional clay burners are about usd 2.0. If the burner could be made in China, for instance, then it could be mass-affordable. Africa has about 400-500 million households using wood and charcoal simple stoves. Only about 200k Jikokoa’s have been sold so far. It’s a real pity they haven’t been able to get economies of scale, and I fully get why they rather avoid producing in China.
The pellet stove is a tough sell because you need pellets.The Jikokoa is a great invention but is expensive (usd 40) and traditional clay burners are about usd 2.0. If the burner could be made in China for instance then it could be mass-affordable. Africa has about 400-500 million households using wood and charcoal simple stoves. Only about 200k Jikokoa’s have been sold so far. It’s a real pity they haven’t been able to get economies of scale and I fully get why they rather avoid producing in China.
Glockman – help me understand: wy not build in China? Maybe Gates Foundation, Bezos, or Somebody can have an equally well designed high efficiency stove that burns sticks, dung, or whatever, build that in China, and subsidize price to USD2. Make sure it looks nice and has their advertizing logo. Would that be good? Could also invstigate local custom foods to look for improvements in nutrition, and water supply. Could save lives, or make some better. All wars cannot be stopped because of the hearts of man, but some lives can be made better along the way.
the site devex. com does not seem reliable to e Just saying
Well make but cheap solar pressure cooker that can also use wood pellets.
Glockman – help me understand: wy not build in China? Maybe Gates Foundation Bezos or Somebody can have an equally well designed high efficiency stove that burns sticks dung or whatever build that in China and subsidize price to USD2. Make sure it looks nice and has their advertizing logo. Would that be good? Could also invstigate local custom foods to look for improvements in nutrition and water supply. Could save lives or make some better. All wars cannot be stopped because of the hearts of man but some lives can be made better along the way.
the site devex. com does not seem reliable to e Just saying
A sturdy solar powered crock pot. Most of the cultures that need this cook stews and soups and curries anyway.
Well make but cheap solar pressure cooker that can also use wood pellets.
A sturdy solar powered crock pot. Most of the cultures that need this cook stews and soups and curries anyway.
Their aim is to produce locally, benefit local jobs and all. And yes, someone else can invent a similar stove (or copy it), build it in China and mass-distribute the stove. Wouldn’t need subsidies. It would have to be someone who has the billions lying around for the investment. It’s a pity that the business concept hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves. I also know that many countries in Africa are pretty adamant to try and get as much production done locally, not really caring that it can be done far cheaper elsewhere. Maybe timing is too early. Nearly all the Chinese car makers are building factories in sub-sahara. It is expected that >50% of all cars in Africa will be Chinese in 10-15 years. Once they’ve got the supply chain working, you can piggyback on that to build and distribute things like stoves and appliances.
batteries? raining season? pressure cooking? have you even ever been to Africa? I have, and lived there (and been up-country as it were). Your suggestion reminds me of when well-meaning NGO’s sent a ship of John Deere tractors to West Africa thinking it would help them farm more efficiently. Never mind that there were no roads to drive them on, no fuel, and no maintenance, and no training. Eventually Indians came and bought them for 10 cents on the dollar.
Their aim is to produce locally benefit local jobs and all. And yes someone else can invent a similar stove (or copy it) build it in China and mass-distribute the stove. Wouldn’t need subsidies. It would have to be someone who has the billions lying around for the investment. It’s a pity that the business concept hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves. I also know that many countries in Africa are pretty adamant to try and get as much production done locally not really caring that it can be done far cheaper elsewhere. Maybe timing is too early. Nearly all the Chinese car makers are building factories in sub-sahara. It is expected that >50{22800fc54956079738b58e74e4dcd846757aa319aad70fcf90c97a58f3119a12} of all cars in Africa will be Chinese in 10-15 years. Once they’ve got the supply chain working you can piggyback on that to build and distribute things like stoves and appliances.
batteries? raining season? pressure cooking? have you even ever been to Africa? I have and lived there (and been up-country as it were). Your suggestion reminds me of when well-meaning NGO’s sent a ship of John Deere tractors to West Africa thinking it would help them farm more efficiently. Never mind that there were no roads to drive them on no fuel and no maintenance and no training. Eventually Indians came and bought them for 10 cents on the dollar.
Nonsense. How does one cook on a PV-powered cooker? You would need an electric cooker, no? The rating would be about 2,000w induction for a family of 5, and if you use it 1.5hrs per day you’ll need a 1,500w PV array. To account for the months on end rainy season, you’ll need 8x times this. So now we are talking about an array that takes up 800 sq feet of space. Then you’ll probably need a 48v 500a battery. And you’ll need batteries immediately, otherwise you’ll have a very expensive solar-powered cooker and a regular one when it’s dark. Now multiply this for 400 million households. Lunacy. So go to your average central African household outside the urban areas and propose this “solution”. I’ll love to see their reaction. The obvious solution is to electrify the rest of Africa, period. With either natgas or nuclear power plants.
What a useless product solving a problem Africans don’t need fixing. Mudstoves/chimneys perform better and are made from…mud. Charging Africans for pellets…. This is just another company making money through an NGO. Invest sizable chunks of money in agriculture industry derivative products and market creation. It works in every country of the world and wealth increases health more rapidly than particulate reduction. Giving stuff away for free in poor countries destroys local markets. It is not charity it is evil ignorance and toxic. Do something positive for a change.
Nonsense. How does one cook on a PV-powered cooker? You would need an electric cooker no? The rating would be about 2000w induction for a family of 5 and if you use it 1.5hrs per day you’ll need a 1500w PV array. To account for the months on end rainy season you’ll need 8x times this. So now we are talking about an array that takes up 800 sq feet of space. Then you’ll probably need a 48v 500a battery. And you’ll need batteries immediately otherwise you’ll have a very expensive solar-powered cooker and a regular one when it’s dark. Now multiply this for 400 million households. Lunacy.So go to your average central African household outside the urban areas and propose this solution””. I’ll love to see their reaction. The obvious solution is to electrify the rest of Africa”””” period. With either natgas or nuclear power plants.”””
What a useless product solving a problem Africans don’t need fixing. Mudstoves/chimneys perform better and are made from…mud. Charging Africans for pellets…. This is just another company making money through an NGO. Invest sizable chunks of money in agriculture, industry, derivative products and market creation. It works in every country of the world and wealth increases health more rapidly than particulate reduction. Giving stuff away for free in poor countries destroys local markets. It is not charity, it is evil ignorance and toxic. Do something positive for a change.
The Mimi Moto stove used by Inyenyeri is a fan assisted forced air wood pellet gasifier type of stove. Right ideas, similar to rocket stoves in sense, but the fan requires an external battery pack or other power source. This is likely a cost choice, rather than using a built in thermoelectric generator with capacitor bank for cold start. Using local industry to make the wood pellet fuel supply chain is an interesting attempt at getting local involvement and jumpstarting local busnesses, but don’t you need an extensive soft wood industry to make that reasonable? The Jikokoa stove mentioned below is a nice modern materials design charcoal stove, but is fairly conventional. I realize the costs probably make it too difficult, but a thermoelectric generator pack fan forced gasifier type stove that can run on a choice of fuels seems like the better choice, if you are going to airdrop stuff in once like most NGO’s. Something like a HomeStove/BioLite2? Users can keep using their existing fuel supply chain, get a better stove, and perhaps local electricity production, enough for an LED lamp and a cellphone (which is a major enabler to other things).
The Mimi Moto stove used by Inyenyeri is a fan assisted forced air wood pellet gasifier type of stove. Right ideas similar to rocket stoves in sense but the fan requires an external battery pack or other power source. This is likely a cost choice rather than using a built in thermoelectric generator with capacitor bank for cold start. Using local industry to make the wood pellet fuel supply chain is an interesting attempt at getting local involvement and jumpstarting local busnesses but don’t you need an extensive soft wood industry to make that reasonable?The Jikokoa stove mentioned below is a nice modern materials design charcoal stove but is fairly conventional.I realize the costs probably make it too difficult but a thermoelectric generator pack fan forced gasifier type stove that can run on a choice of fuels seems like the better choice if you are going to airdrop stuff in once like most NGO’s. Something like a HomeStove/BioLite2? Users can keep using their existing fuel supply chain get a better stove and perhaps local electricity production enough for an LED lamp and a cellphone (which is a major enabler to other things).
I agree that cooking old style with collecting fuel etc is incredibly wasteful, both for the environment and time spent. I remember when I was in the Peace Corps in Africa in the late 70’s we electrified villages in the bush. Got some way old gennies from a nearby mining company, wiring etc. It was like night and day, literally. GE donated electric stoves and even fridges, though the latter were used as storage – the locals had no idea what to use them for. But now they had lighting. It changed everything. The main reason so many in Africa (and elsewhere) don’t have electricity, or do but it’s really expensive, is because electrification is used as a weapon. It is the ultimate tool of blackmail and economic subjugation.
I spent my early years looking for fire wood for the outdoor fireplace. Gathering wood was one of the children’s job. If I remember it right the fireplace was a small shed about 5 ft tall, 2 feet wide with a roof. The fireplace was elevated about 3 feet. That’s where my grandmother used to cook. My grandfather was a farmer. The farm was on the side of a hill so a tractor wouldn’t have worked. But we had a marl road that ran a little distance from the house. He grew bananas, ground provisions and coffee. I am pretty familiar with Third World farming and living in general.
I agree that cooking old style with collecting fuel etc is incredibly wasteful both for the environment and time spent. I remember when I was in the Peace Corps in Africa in the late 70’s we electrified villages in the bush. Got some way old gennies from a nearby mining company wiring etc. It was like night and day literally. GE donated electric stoves and even fridges though the latter were used as storage – the locals had no idea what to use them for. But now they had lighting. It changed everything. The main reason so many in Africa (and elsewhere) don’t have electricity or do but it’s really expensive is because electrification is used as a weapon. It is the ultimate tool of blackmail and economic subjugation.
I spent my early years looking for fire wood for the outdoor fireplace. Gathering wood was one of the children’s job. If I remember it right the fireplace was a small shed about 5 ft tall 2 feet wide with a roof. The fireplace was elevated about 3 feet. That’s where my grandmother used to cook. My grandfather was a farmer. The farm was on the side of a hill so a tractor wouldn’t have worked. But we had a marl road that ran a little distance from the house. He grew bananas ground provisions and coffee. I am pretty familiar with Third World farming and living in general.
I think this is not supposed to be air-dropped, but actually sold in stores or via catalogue like the old Sears & Roebuck. In this case, having “a choice of fuels” will kill their business model. Remember, this is not charity, this is an economic transaction.
I think this is not supposed to be air-dropped but actually sold in stores or via catalogue like the old Sears & Roebuck. In this case having a choice of fuels”” will kill their business model. Remember”” this is not charity”” this is an economic transaction.”””
It is complex. Where we lived was a tough territory, low population density and most people too poor to pay the bills and a few that would steal it. My uncle used to walk two miles to the nearby village square to study underneath the one street light because Kerosene is expensive and sooty. Note that Rural electrification came to America only after the Depression and the Federal government paid for most of it. There are still to this day rural villages in Europe without electricity. This is why I am a big fan of solar power. Something as cheap and simple as a solar charged LED lamp can change the lives of people living in remote rural villages.
It is complex. Where we lived was a tough territory low population density and most people too poor to pay the bills and a few that would steal it. My uncle used to walk two miles to the nearby village square to study underneath the one street light because Kerosene is expensive and sooty. Note that Rural electrification came to America only after the Depression and the Federal government paid for most of it. There are still to this day rural villages in Europe without electricity. This is why I am a big fan of solar power. Something as cheap and simple as a solar charged LED lamp can change the lives of people living in remote rural villages.
Key: This cooker will be SOLD, not GIVEN. Those who want it will pay for it, so much more likely to value & use it than free stuff.
Key: This cooker will be SOLD not GIVEN. Those who want it will pay for it so much more likely to value & use it than free stuff.
Key: This cooker will be SOLD, not GIVEN. Those who want it will pay for it, so much more likely to value & use it than free stuff.
Key: This cooker will be SOLD not GIVEN. Those who want it will pay for it so much more likely to value & use it than free stuff.
Key: This cooker will be SOLD, not GIVEN. Those who want it will pay for it, so much more likely to value & use it than free stuff.
It is complex. Where we lived was a tough territory, low population density and most people too poor to pay the bills and a few that would steal it. My uncle used to walk two miles to the nearby village square to study underneath the one street light because Kerosene is expensive and sooty. Note that Rural electrification came to America only after the Depression and the Federal government paid for most of it. There are still to this day rural villages in Europe without electricity. This is why I am a big fan of solar power. Something as cheap and simple as a solar charged LED lamp can change the lives of people living in remote rural villages.
It is complex. Where we lived was a tough territory low population density and most people too poor to pay the bills and a few that would steal it. My uncle used to walk two miles to the nearby village square to study underneath the one street light because Kerosene is expensive and sooty. Note that Rural electrification came to America only after the Depression and the Federal government paid for most of it. There are still to this day rural villages in Europe without electricity. This is why I am a big fan of solar power. Something as cheap and simple as a solar charged LED lamp can change the lives of people living in remote rural villages.
I think this is not supposed to be air-dropped, but actually sold in stores or via catalogue like the old Sears & Roebuck. In this case, having “a choice of fuels” will kill their business model. Remember, this is not charity, this is an economic transaction.
I think this is not supposed to be air-dropped but actually sold in stores or via catalogue like the old Sears & Roebuck. In this case having a choice of fuels”” will kill their business model. Remember”” this is not charity”” this is an economic transaction.”””
It is complex. Where we lived was a tough territory, low population density and most people too poor to pay the bills and a few that would steal it. My uncle used to walk two miles to the nearby village square to study underneath the one street light because Kerosene is expensive and sooty.
Note that Rural electrification came to America only after the Depression and the Federal government paid for most of it. There are still to this day rural villages in Europe without electricity.
This is why I am a big fan of solar power. Something as cheap and simple as a solar charged LED lamp can change the lives of people living in remote rural villages.
I agree that cooking old style with collecting fuel etc is incredibly wasteful, both for the environment and time spent. I remember when I was in the Peace Corps in Africa in the late 70’s we electrified villages in the bush. Got some way old gennies from a nearby mining company, wiring etc. It was like night and day, literally. GE donated electric stoves and even fridges, though the latter were used as storage – the locals had no idea what to use them for. But now they had lighting. It changed everything. The main reason so many in Africa (and elsewhere) don’t have electricity, or do but it’s really expensive, is because electrification is used as a weapon. It is the ultimate tool of blackmail and economic subjugation.
I agree that cooking old style with collecting fuel etc is incredibly wasteful both for the environment and time spent. I remember when I was in the Peace Corps in Africa in the late 70’s we electrified villages in the bush. Got some way old gennies from a nearby mining company wiring etc. It was like night and day literally. GE donated electric stoves and even fridges though the latter were used as storage – the locals had no idea what to use them for. But now they had lighting. It changed everything. The main reason so many in Africa (and elsewhere) don’t have electricity or do but it’s really expensive is because electrification is used as a weapon. It is the ultimate tool of blackmail and economic subjugation.
I spent my early years looking for fire wood for the outdoor fireplace. Gathering wood was one of the children’s job. If I remember it right the fireplace was a small shed about 5 ft tall, 2 feet wide with a roof. The fireplace was elevated about 3 feet. That’s where my grandmother used to cook. My grandfather was a farmer. The farm was on the side of a hill so a tractor wouldn’t have worked. But we had a marl road that ran a little distance from the house. He grew bananas, ground provisions and coffee. I am pretty familiar with Third World farming and living in general.
I spent my early years looking for fire wood for the outdoor fireplace. Gathering wood was one of the children’s job. If I remember it right the fireplace was a small shed about 5 ft tall 2 feet wide with a roof. The fireplace was elevated about 3 feet. That’s where my grandmother used to cook. My grandfather was a farmer. The farm was on the side of a hill so a tractor wouldn’t have worked. But we had a marl road that ran a little distance from the house. He grew bananas ground provisions and coffee. I am pretty familiar with Third World farming and living in general.
The Mimi Moto stove used by Inyenyeri is a fan assisted forced air wood pellet gasifier type of stove. Right ideas, similar to rocket stoves in sense, but the fan requires an external battery pack or other power source. This is likely a cost choice, rather than using a built in thermoelectric generator with capacitor bank for cold start. Using local industry to make the wood pellet fuel supply chain is an interesting attempt at getting local involvement and jumpstarting local busnesses, but don’t you need an extensive soft wood industry to make that reasonable? The Jikokoa stove mentioned below is a nice modern materials design charcoal stove, but is fairly conventional. I realize the costs probably make it too difficult, but a thermoelectric generator pack fan forced gasifier type stove that can run on a choice of fuels seems like the better choice, if you are going to airdrop stuff in once like most NGO’s. Something like a HomeStove/BioLite2? Users can keep using their existing fuel supply chain, get a better stove, and perhaps local electricity production, enough for an LED lamp and a cellphone (which is a major enabler to other things).
The Mimi Moto stove used by Inyenyeri is a fan assisted forced air wood pellet gasifier type of stove. Right ideas similar to rocket stoves in sense but the fan requires an external battery pack or other power source. This is likely a cost choice rather than using a built in thermoelectric generator with capacitor bank for cold start. Using local industry to make the wood pellet fuel supply chain is an interesting attempt at getting local involvement and jumpstarting local busnesses but don’t you need an extensive soft wood industry to make that reasonable?The Jikokoa stove mentioned below is a nice modern materials design charcoal stove but is fairly conventional.I realize the costs probably make it too difficult but a thermoelectric generator pack fan forced gasifier type stove that can run on a choice of fuels seems like the better choice if you are going to airdrop stuff in once like most NGO’s. Something like a HomeStove/BioLite2? Users can keep using their existing fuel supply chain get a better stove and perhaps local electricity production enough for an LED lamp and a cellphone (which is a major enabler to other things).
I think this is not supposed to be air-dropped, but actually sold in stores or via catalogue like the old Sears & Roebuck. In this case, having “a choice of fuels” will kill their business model. Remember, this is not charity, this is an economic transaction.
I agree that cooking old style with collecting fuel etc is incredibly wasteful, both for the environment and time spent. I remember when I was in the Peace Corps in Africa in the late 70’s we electrified villages in the bush. Got some way old gennies from a nearby mining company, wiring etc. It was like night and day, literally. GE donated electric stoves and even fridges, though the latter were used as storage – the locals had no idea what to use them for. But now they had lighting. It changed everything.
The main reason so many in Africa (and elsewhere) don’t have electricity, or do but it’s really expensive, is because electrification is used as a weapon. It is the ultimate tool of blackmail and economic subjugation.
I spent my early years looking for fire wood for the outdoor fireplace. Gathering wood was one of the children’s job. If I remember it right the fireplace was a small shed about 5 ft tall, 2 feet wide with a roof. The fireplace was elevated about 3 feet. That’s where my grandmother used to cook. My grandfather was a farmer. The farm was on the side of a hill so a tractor wouldn’t have worked. But we had a marl road that ran a little distance from the house. He grew bananas, ground provisions and coffee. I am pretty familiar with Third World farming and living in general.
The Mimi Moto stove used by Inyenyeri is a fan assisted forced air wood pellet gasifier type of stove. Right ideas, similar to rocket stoves in sense, but the fan requires an external battery pack or other power source. This is likely a cost choice, rather than using a built in thermoelectric generator with capacitor bank for cold start. Using local industry to make the wood pellet fuel supply chain is an interesting attempt at getting local involvement and jumpstarting local busnesses, but don’t you need an extensive soft wood industry to make that reasonable?
The Jikokoa stove mentioned below is a nice modern materials design charcoal stove, but is fairly conventional.
I realize the costs probably make it too difficult, but a thermoelectric generator pack fan forced gasifier type stove that can run on a choice of fuels seems like the better choice, if you are going to airdrop stuff in once like most NGO’s. Something like a HomeStove/BioLite2? Users can keep using their existing fuel supply chain, get a better stove, and perhaps local electricity production, enough for an LED lamp and a cellphone (which is a major enabler to other things).
What a useless product solving a problem Africans don’t need fixing. Mudstoves/chimneys perform better and are made from…mud. Charging Africans for pellets…. This is just another company making money through an NGO. Invest sizable chunks of money in agriculture, industry, derivative products and market creation. It works in every country of the world and wealth increases health more rapidly than particulate reduction. Giving stuff away for free in poor countries destroys local markets. It is not charity, it is evil ignorance and toxic. Do something positive for a change.
What a useless product solving a problem Africans don’t need fixing. Mudstoves/chimneys perform better and are made from…mud. Charging Africans for pellets…. This is just another company making money through an NGO. Invest sizable chunks of money in agriculture industry derivative products and market creation. It works in every country of the world and wealth increases health more rapidly than particulate reduction. Giving stuff away for free in poor countries destroys local markets. It is not charity it is evil ignorance and toxic. Do something positive for a change.
Nonsense. How does one cook on a PV-powered cooker? You would need an electric cooker, no? The rating would be about 2,000w induction for a family of 5, and if you use it 1.5hrs per day you’ll need a 1,500w PV array. To account for the months on end rainy season, you’ll need 8x times this. So now we are talking about an array that takes up 800 sq feet of space. Then you’ll probably need a 48v 500a battery. And you’ll need batteries immediately, otherwise you’ll have a very expensive solar-powered cooker and a regular one when it’s dark. Now multiply this for 400 million households. Lunacy. So go to your average central African household outside the urban areas and propose this “solution”. I’ll love to see their reaction. The obvious solution is to electrify the rest of Africa, period. With either natgas or nuclear power plants.
Nonsense. How does one cook on a PV-powered cooker? You would need an electric cooker no? The rating would be about 2000w induction for a family of 5 and if you use it 1.5hrs per day you’ll need a 1500w PV array. To account for the months on end rainy season you’ll need 8x times this. So now we are talking about an array that takes up 800 sq feet of space. Then you’ll probably need a 48v 500a battery. And you’ll need batteries immediately otherwise you’ll have a very expensive solar-powered cooker and a regular one when it’s dark. Now multiply this for 400 million households. Lunacy.So go to your average central African household outside the urban areas and propose this solution””. I’ll love to see their reaction. The obvious solution is to electrify the rest of Africa”””” period. With either natgas or nuclear power plants.”””
Their aim is to produce locally, benefit local jobs and all. And yes, someone else can invent a similar stove (or copy it), build it in China and mass-distribute the stove. Wouldn’t need subsidies. It would have to be someone who has the billions lying around for the investment. It’s a pity that the business concept hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves. I also know that many countries in Africa are pretty adamant to try and get as much production done locally, not really caring that it can be done far cheaper elsewhere. Maybe timing is too early. Nearly all the Chinese car makers are building factories in sub-sahara. It is expected that >50% of all cars in Africa will be Chinese in 10-15 years. Once they’ve got the supply chain working, you can piggyback on that to build and distribute things like stoves and appliances.
Their aim is to produce locally benefit local jobs and all. And yes someone else can invent a similar stove (or copy it) build it in China and mass-distribute the stove. Wouldn’t need subsidies. It would have to be someone who has the billions lying around for the investment. It’s a pity that the business concept hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves. I also know that many countries in Africa are pretty adamant to try and get as much production done locally not really caring that it can be done far cheaper elsewhere. Maybe timing is too early. Nearly all the Chinese car makers are building factories in sub-sahara. It is expected that >50{22800fc54956079738b58e74e4dcd846757aa319aad70fcf90c97a58f3119a12} of all cars in Africa will be Chinese in 10-15 years. Once they’ve got the supply chain working you can piggyback on that to build and distribute things like stoves and appliances.
batteries? raining season? pressure cooking? have you even ever been to Africa? I have, and lived there (and been up-country as it were). Your suggestion reminds me of when well-meaning NGO’s sent a ship of John Deere tractors to West Africa thinking it would help them farm more efficiently. Never mind that there were no roads to drive them on, no fuel, and no maintenance, and no training. Eventually Indians came and bought them for 10 cents on the dollar.
batteries? raining season? pressure cooking? have you even ever been to Africa? I have and lived there (and been up-country as it were). Your suggestion reminds me of when well-meaning NGO’s sent a ship of John Deere tractors to West Africa thinking it would help them farm more efficiently. Never mind that there were no roads to drive them on no fuel and no maintenance and no training. Eventually Indians came and bought them for 10 cents on the dollar.
What a useless product solving a problem Africans don’t need fixing. Mudstoves/chimneys perform better and are made from…mud. Charging Africans for pellets…. This is just another company making money through an NGO. Invest sizable chunks of money in agriculture, industry, derivative products and market creation. It works in every country of the world and wealth increases health more rapidly than particulate reduction. Giving stuff away for free in poor countries destroys local markets. It is not charity, it is evil ignorance and toxic. Do something positive for a change.
Nonsense. How does one cook on a PV-powered cooker? You would need an electric cooker, no? The rating would be about 2,000w induction for a family of 5, and if you use it 1.5hrs per day you’ll need a 1,500w PV array. To account for the months on end rainy season, you’ll need 8x times this. So now we are talking about an array that takes up 800 sq feet of space. Then you’ll probably need a 48v 500a battery. And you’ll need batteries immediately, otherwise you’ll have a very expensive solar-powered cooker and a regular one when it’s dark. Now multiply this for 400 million households. Lunacy.
So go to your average central African household outside the urban areas and propose this “solution”. I’ll love to see their reaction.
The obvious solution is to electrify the rest of Africa, period. With either natgas or nuclear power plants.
Their aim is to produce locally, benefit local jobs and all. And yes, someone else can invent a similar stove (or copy it), build it in China and mass-distribute the stove. Wouldn’t need subsidies. It would have to be someone who has the billions lying around for the investment. It’s a pity that the business concept hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves. I also know that many countries in Africa are pretty adamant to try and get as much production done locally, not really caring that it can be done far cheaper elsewhere.
Maybe timing is too early. Nearly all the Chinese car makers are building factories in sub-sahara. It is expected that >50% of all cars in Africa will be Chinese in 10-15 years. Once they’ve got the supply chain working, you can piggyback on that to build and distribute things like stoves and appliances.
batteries? raining season? pressure cooking? have you even ever been to Africa? I have, and lived there (and been up-country as it were). Your suggestion reminds me of when well-meaning NGO’s sent a ship of John Deere tractors to West Africa thinking it would help them farm more efficiently. Never mind that there were no roads to drive them on, no fuel, and no maintenance, and no training. Eventually Indians came and bought them for 10 cents on the dollar.
A sturdy solar powered crock pot. Most of the cultures that need this cook stews and soups and curries anyway.
A sturdy solar powered crock pot. Most of the cultures that need this cook stews and soups and curries anyway.
Well make but cheap solar pressure cooker that can also use wood pellets.
Well make but cheap solar pressure cooker that can also use wood pellets.
Glockman – help me understand: wy not build in China? Maybe Gates Foundation, Bezos, or Somebody can have an equally well designed high efficiency stove that burns sticks, dung, or whatever, build that in China, and subsidize price to USD2. Make sure it looks nice and has their advertizing logo. Would that be good? Could also invstigate local custom foods to look for improvements in nutrition, and water supply. Could save lives, or make some better. All wars cannot be stopped because of the hearts of man, but some lives can be made better along the way.
Glockman – help me understand: wy not build in China? Maybe Gates Foundation Bezos or Somebody can have an equally well designed high efficiency stove that burns sticks dung or whatever build that in China and subsidize price to USD2. Make sure it looks nice and has their advertizing logo. Would that be good? Could also invstigate local custom foods to look for improvements in nutrition and water supply. Could save lives or make some better. All wars cannot be stopped because of the hearts of man but some lives can be made better along the way.
the site devex. com does not seem reliable to e Just saying
the site devex. com does not seem reliable to e Just saying
The pellet stove is a tough sell because you need pellets. The Jikokoa is a great invention but is expensive (usd 40), and traditional clay burners are about usd 2.0. If the burner could be made in China, for instance, then it could be mass-affordable. Africa has about 400-500 million households using wood and charcoal simple stoves. Only about 200k Jikokoa’s have been sold so far. It’s a real pity they haven’t been able to get economies of scale, and I fully get why they rather avoid producing in China.
The pellet stove is a tough sell because you need pellets.The Jikokoa is a great invention but is expensive (usd 40) and traditional clay burners are about usd 2.0. If the burner could be made in China for instance then it could be mass-affordable. Africa has about 400-500 million households using wood and charcoal simple stoves. Only about 200k Jikokoa’s have been sold so far. It’s a real pity they haven’t been able to get economies of scale and I fully get why they rather avoid producing in China.
A sturdy solar powered crock pot. Most of the cultures that need this cook stews and soups and curries anyway.
Well make but cheap solar pressure cooker that can also use wood pellets.
Glockman – help me understand: wy not build in China? Maybe Gates Foundation, Bezos, or Somebody can have an equally well designed high efficiency stove that burns sticks, dung, or whatever, build that in China, and subsidize price to USD2. Make sure it looks nice and has their advertizing logo. Would that be good? Could also invstigate local custom foods to look for improvements in nutrition, and water supply. Could save lives, or make some better. All wars cannot be stopped because of the hearts of man, but some lives can be made better along the way.
the site devex. com does not seem reliable to e
Just saying
The pellet stove is a tough sell because you need pellets.
The Jikokoa is a great invention but is expensive (usd 40), and traditional clay burners are about usd 2.0. If the burner could be made in China, for instance, then it could be mass-affordable. Africa has about 400-500 million households using wood and charcoal simple stoves. Only about 200k Jikokoa’s have been sold so far. It’s a real pity they haven’t been able to get economies of scale, and I fully get why they rather avoid producing in China.