[Stoves] ETHOS program structure suggestions / and comments on the GACC Ghana Forum

Paul Anderson psanders at ilstu.edu
Thu Dec 3 20:30:10 CST 2015


Dear Elisa and all interested in ETHOS 2016,

1.   This first comment refers to the terminology of the World Bank 
(ESMAP) and the GACC, as described in their May 2015 Technical Report 
007 / 15:    "The State of the Global Clean and Improved Cooking 
Sector."   See specifically Figure 1.1 on page 13 of the printed text, 
which is page 29 of 179 digital pages, found at:

https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/21878/96499.pdf?sequence=1

The report distinguishes between 5 categories of clean cooking in 2 
major groups:
Group A.  Improved Solutions
1.  Legacy and Basic ICS    :  BASIC efficient charcoal and basic 
efficient wood stoves
2.  Intermediate ICS          :  Rocket stoves and highly improved 
charcoal stoves

Group B:  Clean Cooking Solutions
3.  Advanced ICS                :  Micro-gasifiers, both natural draft 
and fan assisted
4.  Modern Fuel Stoves     :  LPG, electric, natural  gas, improved 
kerosene stoves
5.  Renewable Fuel Stoves :  Biogas, ethanol, solar, retained heat cookers

Note:   EVERYONE working with cookstove issues (including finance, 
marketing, design, fuels, etc) should see this publication and this 
classification system that it describes in detail.

Opinion:  It is unfortunate that at the recent GACC Forum in Ghana that 
this fundamental analysis of stove technologies was not ever presented. 
   That error should NOT be repeated at ETHOS and other meetings.

Note:   You (each reader) are not required to like this classification 
system.   But you should know about it.   And ETHOS should perhaps have 
some presentations about pros and cons of the system.   For example, 
which solutions are the major players (could have tens of millions of 
stoves) vs the ones in very important support roles but with limitations 
on possible numbers.   Also, in light of the climate change summit 
meeting, perhaps reorganize these stove types.

Therefore, suggestion #1 is to have a very early plenary session (first, 
after introductions) that uses this publication and classification 
system to put the situation into context for everyone attending ETHOS 2016.

2.   I suggest that there also be a separate plenary session about:   
Overview of *_/Advanced /_*Cookstoves with Biomass. (see #3 on the 
listing above).   This should be more like a panel with FAST summaries 
of the many MANY initiatives in the category of 'Advanced ICS Clean 
Cooking Solutions".   This is necessary because much GREAT work will NOT 
be presented at ETHOS, but should get a mention.   For the past 12 ETHOS 
meeting I have always presented an overview of the TLUD and other 
micro-gasification activities around the world.   But now there are too 
many to be sandwiched into 15 minutes allowed to me in a concurrent 
session.   I will NOT be making such a presentation at ETHOS 2016.   
First, the topic should have more time.   Second, it should be in a 
plenary session for all to hear,   and Third, it is fine with  me if 
others make such statements/summaries (but I am willing to assist or to 
be a panelist, moderator, organizer, whatever.)

We do NOT want a series of commercial statements, or claims of being the 
best.   We want objective citations and short comments, organized in 
logical groupings, such as natural draft or forced-air, and by specialty 
fuel types if applicable, such as rice husk fuels or specifically for 
pellet fuel.   And comparative comments about price (real price, not 
subsidized).

3.  With the above two suggestions taken care of, then there can be 
individual presentations in the concurrent sessions.

4.  Comment:  At the GACC Forum in Ghana last month, the last period on 
the last day had a session that I missed (because of attending a 
different concurrent session).   The session was 90 minutes with 4 
speakers on this topic:
"Counting up to 100 Million and Beyond:  Defining and Measuring 
Adoption"   ETHOS does not need those same presentations, but it does 
need a summary statement about this topic.   I hope that it will be 
presented, and _will take into account the following insights made by 
many at the Ghana Forum:_

A.   In the 10 years (2010 to 2020) of the GACC (currently half 
completed) the GROWTH of the number of people and households in the 
impoverished areas and needing clean cooking will actually be MORE THAN 
THE 100 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS that is the GACC goal in this time period.   
In other words, we collectively could be losing ground while telling 
ourselves that we are doing great.

B.  Of the 28 million improved cookstoves that the GACC has calculated 
as disseminated as of now, how many of those are in which categories of 
stoves, using the above presented categories from ESMAP and the GACC?

C.  If the average life of an improved cookstove is 3 years (or 4 or 5 
or whatever), is the stove count doing some subtraction for stoves that 
are no longer in use?

D.  How much money for clean cookstoves has been actually handed out and 
where has it actually gone?   What is the admin overhead?   What is the 
R&D amount?   How much did which companies receive, and with what 
results?   What is out now in loans vs. grants vs. expenditures on 
"internal agency expenses" vs. subsidies vs. whatever.   I am certain 
that serious efforts are being made. Half way through the GACC decade, a 
status report would be appreciated.   Specific examples could be given, 
such as:

At the Ghana meeting the representative from the Shell Foundation, in a 
plenary session, described how Shell Foundation had reached its 
comfortable maximum of donations to EnviroFit.   But it determined that 
EnviroFit still needed assistance, so Shell Foundation is now putting 
funds into EnviroFit in exchange for some percentage of equity 
ownership.  Related fact:  Envirofit has recently reported the sale of 
its one-millionth stove, for which it received high recognition of 
accomplishment at the Forum.

To Elisa, our friendly neighborhood ETHOS President:   Please lead the 
planning for the ETHOS 2016 meeting to be highly informative and full of 
very lively discussions.   We are here to assist you.

Paul

Doc  /  Dr TLUD  /  Prof. Paul S. Anderson, PhD
Email:  psanders at ilstu.edu
Skype: paultlud      Phone: +1-309-452-7072
Website:  www.drtlud.com

On 12/3/2015 6:17 PM, Derby, Elisa wrote:
>
> Dear all,
>
> ETHOS 2016 is officially launched!  Please register 
> <http://www.ethoscon.com/2016-registration/> and submit abstracts 
> <http://www.ethoscon.com/ethos-2106-abstract-submission/> now at 
> http://www.ethoscon.com!
>
> Please note that registration is a 3 step process:
>
> 1.Register here: http://www.ethoscon.com/2016-registration/. One 
> registration per individual, please—each person needs a separate 
> registration. The registration form will ask you about your payment, 
> and a voluntary donation, but you will need to actually process these 
> payments separately.
>
>

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