[Stoves] When to choose fuel saving stoves over briquettes?

[Crispin Pemberton-Pigott]

Dear Kim

 

Good question (you always have good questions).

 

Can the community afford to buy fuel in the form of briquettes?

Can the community afford to buy a stove?

 

If you are willing to give out nearly free an improved stove, what will
happen when they need replacement?

 

It is basically about sustainability. If you have to buy the fuel, then it
is a straight economic analysis - can the local consumer base support the
producers?

 

Improved stoves are needed no matter what. They can be very cheap. They can
be suited to the fuel (which is of course ideal). 

 

Do you have bricks available? Clay? Metal? Cans from donated food? Oil
drums? Car parts?

 

The presence of a 'donor organisation' can be used to create a stove and
localise its production. The fuel production system has to be
self-sustaining long term which includes replacing the production equipment
so they are essentially different in genesis and duration.

 

Regards

Crispin

 

++++++++

 

Question: a community in Africa, where woodfuel is in short supply, is
considering starting a briquette program. (The area does have access to ag
waste for briquette-making.) If cost is not an issue, should the community
invest in briquette making technology or try distributing high efficiency
cookstoves? Or both?



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.bioenergylists.org/pipermail/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org/attachments/20110106/7e674d81/attachment.html>