[Stoves] more on ocean acidification

[Crispin Pemberton-Pigott]

Dear Paul

 

Several questions are asked:

 

>I am left with the impression that the main focus of the GACC is the health of a cook as she cooks a meal. 

 

The GACC was initially conceived as a women’s health project, achieved through the promotion of lower PM and CO emissions stoves. It was an initiative of Ms Hillary Clinton when she was Secretary of State and initiated from within the White House.

 

>If all poor people in the world could afford bottled gas through a series of national or international subsidies, would the mission of the GACC be fulfilled? 

 

Technically, yes.

 

>Does the GACC put the use of fossil fuels such as coal on the same footing as the use of biomass fuels such as rice hulls? 

 

As far as I know, it is fuel-agnostic. That does not mean the sponsors or individual actors do.

 

>Would a clean-burning coal stove in the eyes of the GACC be just as acceptable as a clean-burning biomass stove in areas where both coal and rice hulls are available? 

 

It is achieves the policy objectives of the programme, yes. If not, no. It is likely the evaluation would be made holistically and intelligently. That does not mean they would agree with either your interpretations or definitions.

 

>Also what is the policy of the GACC with regard to biochar? 

 

I have not heard of any official position or policy. They may choose not to take a position.

 

>If biochar is not combusted in a stove but incorporated into the soil, would this be understood by the GACC as a huge inefficiency in the transfer of heat to a pot?

 

Of course. I am not sure about the word ‘huge’.  It is relative to the need for increased (or ‘not reduced’) fuel consumption. Fuel efficiency is an important metric for an ‘improved stove’. If a stove system takes more biomass from the available supply then it consumes more fuel. That is reflected in an honest assessment of how much raw fuel is needed to operate the appliance. In a power station carbon losses (unburned fuel) are called ‘mechanical losses’. There are no special rules for losing carbon in ‘certain ways’. Fuel is fuel.

 

I hope that clarifies things a bit for you.

 

Regards
Crispin

 

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