[Stoves] Report on MM TLUD in Rwanda

Sat Jun 2 21:13:32 CDT 2018

Dear Paul and All

The key things I read are that it is an investment of $250 per home-beneficiary up front in order to get the benefits. How does that compare with he cost of other measures, technologies and perhaps the desires of those households? In other words how does that look in context?

The second thing is this:

“p30:   However, some participants in FGDs noted that it can be frustrating to have to completely remove the used pellets before adding another batch to relight the stove.”

The desire for a 2-plate stove is relevant: how well are the opinions and interests of the cooks reflected in product? This is basic industrial design reflection.

One can compare the approach taken by Ashok Gadgil in Darfur in which he brought pre-stamped material to Darfur and set up local workshop where it is hammered and later, welded, into finished stoves. How close to the user (market) can the production and design control reach?

In a village of 100 families, what decisions would they make about what to do with $25,000 investment in an energy strategy? Promoters/interveners/developers should be able to answer that question accurately.

In a culture where people are afraid of the dark, lighting and access to phone charging might score high. Similarly, a menu of stove features may be a good way to start designing a product.

The test marketing of the stoves was a nice effort. Testing the delivery mechanisms is great.

Testing the ‘do you want to sell char’ idea is also worth testing. If it is rejected, promoters should accept the result. If it works well, the delivery mechanisms should be adapted. Relevant to the theory of that ‘trade’ it was interesting to read that Samer found charcoal in Darfur is cheaper at the market than wood. Maybe that is the future: buy wood, cook, make char, sell the char to recover some of the investment in the wood. If this is the reality on the ground, the ‘make a profit while you cook’ is shaky. Obviously the value proposition varies from place to place.

Regards
Crispin

Paul  et al

                Thanks for the lead.   I wish I could spend more time on this.  I may have missed something that would alter the following comments.

                My overall main impression is that the situation at the refugee camp was stacked against the concept that was being evaluated.  The stove and pellets may have been subsidized (no mention of any subsidy) - but the Inyenyeri concept was competing against free firewood.  It is no wonder that the recipient families were happy about everything except the price.   I never saw that this was an unfair situation anywhere in the write-up.

                My impression of the Mimi Moto stove is high (but I have never used one). I was present once when one was torn apart and favorable comments given on all aspects.  The fact that these were leased (with satisfaction essentially guaranteed) is good in a business model.  But it would be good to have other options.

                My main disappointment in the test was that I saw no mention of users making money while cooking.  It seems likely that there were no instructions about stopping the cooking when the pyrolysis front hits the bottom and selling the char (which is in wide use in this refugee camp).

                Probably also instructions given to only use pellets in the stove - whereas it is quite possible that there were small twigs around - or some of the free firewood could be cut up into something resembling the purchased pellets.

                It also seems that ALL pellets were priced to include the lease payment on the stove. If that is the case, that is a major marketing error.

                I’d like to hear what the Mimi Moto would have to say on this report - and the claim of not being a cost saver.  Also Inyenyeri - who should be congratulated at entering this very difficult market area.

Here are a few excerpts:

                p30:   However, some participants in FGDs noted that it can be frustrating to have to completely remove the used pellets before adding another batch to relight the stove.

                p31:    Health and safety was one of the areas where we saw the most drastic changes after the use of the Mimi Moto.   (see figure 40)

                p       When asked how to improve the program, participants across groups agreed, “if the price would go down to 100 RWF per kilo and the subscription fee go down to 20kg per 2,000 RWF, people would be using pellets exclusively.”

                Paul and other list members:   I’m anxious to hear your views.    Two more small comments below.

Ron

On May 31, 2018, at 10:32 AM, Paul Anderson <psanders at ilstu.edu<mailto:psanders at ilstu.edu>> wrote:

Stovers,

Below is the link to the info about a major study of Mimi Moto TLUD-FA stoves with pellet fuels conducted in Rwanda.   This link gives the overview plus a link to get the full 70-page report (assessment) and to register for a free webinar about the project results.
                [RWL:  The webinar is 25 July (6:00 AM in Colorado)

https://nonprofitchronicles.com/2017/10/17/inyenyeri-a-bold-plan-for-clean-cookstoves/?blogsub=flooded#blog_subscription-5<https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnonprofitchronicles.com%2F2017%2F10%2F17%2Finyenyeri-a-bold-plan-for-clean-cookstoves%2F%3Fblogsub%3Dflooded%23blog_subscription-5&data=02%7C01%7C%7C7ef6c185d2a64ac30fa408d5c8ee8590%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636635849121593999&sdata=PSQI4bb01ishLFUj%2FdPcgqSltJA2KEpKWF46xcgrSjU%3D&reserved=0>://cleancookstoves.org/about/news/05-25-2018-report-refugees-see-social-benefits-and-financial-challenges-with-clean-cooking-project-in-rwanda-camp.html<https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcleancookstoves.org%2Fabout%2Fnews%2F05-25-2018-report-refugees-see-social-benefits-and-financial-challenges-with-clean-cooking-project-in-rwanda-camp.html&data=02%7C01%7C%7C7ef6c185d2a64ac30fa408d5c8ee8590%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636635849121593999&sdata=AAMgsiNnYPU%2BFGV0KzuprhgwIJPZ2iPhlRxm%2FjGH3Xg%3D&reserved=0>

                [RWL:  There is more good information at both the Inyenyeri and Mimi Moto sites.

I hope that there will be some discussion as we read the full report.

Paul

--
Doc  /  Dr TLUD  /  Prof. Paul S. Anderson, PhD
Email:  psanders at ilstu.edu<mailto:psanders at ilstu.edu>
Skype:   paultlud    Phone: +1-309-452-7072
Website:  www.drtlud.com<https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drtlud.com&data=02%7C01%7C%7C7ef6c185d2a64ac30fa408d5c8ee8590%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636635849121593999&sdata=mlQF2gXSpYe0f8CFJRW05FZgWGXD0MMa8ujfk%2F4YpG8%3D&reserved=0>

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