Overview: Distribution of efficient cookstoves
This project distributes improved cookstoves to families in communities across India, and provides training in their use. The new equipment uses far less wood fuel for cooking than the traditional inefficient stoves and as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the improved cookstoves significantly reduce indoor air pollution experienced by each family.
Benefits: Reduced fuel consumption and air pollution
Greenhouse gas emission reductions are achieved through the reduction of the quantity of fuel required for cooking. The improved cookstove achieves this by more efficient combustion and heat transfer in comparison to the traditional stoves that they replace. The clearance between the grate that supports the wood fuel and the floor of the stove provides for natural draft of air into the combustion chamber resulting in far more complete combustion of fuel. The combustion chamber has a refractory lining that prevents heat loss from the walls of the stove, together with a drip pan design which improves heat transfer to the base of the pot by trapping hot gases inside the combustion chamber.
The programme brings health and social benefits too. Those people engaged in cooking and others in the household benefit from reduced exposure to air pollution with the new units. The programme reduces the time required for fuel wood collection and the quantity of biomass directly consumed, and results in monetary savings for end users. Finally, the project gives rise to new employment opportunities for stove technicians, distributors, people engaged in awareness campaigns, and other support staff.
Project carbon credits
Close to 400,000 cookstoves have been distributed by the project since it started operation in 2010. Since that date, it has achieved greenhouse gas reductions of over 1.2 million tonnes CO2 equivalent. The project methodology has been validated by Lloyds Register and the project carbon credits are verified to the Gold Standard by Carbon Check India.