[Stoves] Fwd: business sickness

[Crispin Pemberton-Pigott]

Dear Xavier

That hits the nail on the head. 

People will pay what they can for something that has a positive value
proposition.

>Probably, we are more often facing a problem of willingness to pay, than a
problem of affordability. Without always knowing it.

>In India, people get in huge debts for marriages. In West Africa, people
get in huge debts for burials.
Yet they will tell you: "Paying this for a wood/charcoal stove? Are you
mad?"

So, I have been floating a couple of propositions as you know about stoves
that do more, even if they cost more. One is the provision of electricity. I
was touring a number of manufacturers in western North Carolina over the
past week and found one that is dealing with large output Thermo-acoustic
generators. These units can put out 200 amps at 24 volts and need an input
temperature on the order of 700 C which is ideal for wood and coal stoves. I
will definitely chase that up.

The point is that a stove that puts out enough power to run a home is a very
attractive option. One that heats a pan, not so much. Anyone burning fuel
should be very interested in saving money on the alternatives which often
include an engine.

Regards
Crispin in warm and sunny Waterloo