Search Results (13)

Transitioning to clean cooking fuels is not only part of achieving SDG7 but also makes a significant contribution to mitigating climate change by reducing carbon emissions. Research projects and pilots across a number of countries in Africa and South Asia have been exploring the suitability and energy performance of different cooking appliances and fuels. The paper presents the first statistical analysis across these multiple datasets to determine the range of energy required to cook dishes using different technologies and fuels. The paper draws out distinctions between African and Asian dishes, notably the impact of energy-intensive dishes prepared mostly in Africa. The paper demonstrates that the standard efficiency-based approaches to comparing the performance of stoves are not appropriate to modern electric cooking devices, so a novel alternative approach based on specific energy consumption and termed energy ratios is developed. Charcoal stoves are shown to use 15 times as much energy as electric pressure cookers (EPCs) to cook African dishes, and a detailed review of how the EPC works explains why this should be. Energy ratios provide a basis for estimating carbon emission reductions associated with transitioning to modern cooking fuels and also for estimating household cooking costs. Fuel and electricity prices from studies show that the cost of cooking with an EPC can be only 20% of the cost of cooking with charcoal, which highlights the potential for modern, energy-efficient electric cooking devices to defy the conventional wisdom of the energy ladder. Full article

In this research, a thermoelectric generator is used to absorb waste heat on the walls of a wood charcoal burning stove to produce electrical energy. The research was carried out using 4 Thermoelectric Generators (TEGs) attached to the outer wall of the furnace. The walls of the charcoal stove’s combustion chamber are designed with aluminum plates. A water block cooling system with water flow is used to overcome the increase in heat at the cold side of TEG. The DC water pump power used to circulate the water block is 215 L/h, 275 L/h, 320 L/h, 350 L/h, 375 L/h, and 400 L/h. This research aims to find the most optimal water flow rate at a water block. Temperature measurements are carried out on the recent and bloodless facets of the TEG, and the temperature of the inlet and outlet water of the water block. Changes in TEG voltage, current, and output power are recorded with a multimeter connected to the acquisition data. Analysis of energy balance and heat transfer was carried out in the furnace’s combustion chamber. The experimental results show that the cooling water flow rate of 275 L/h can produce the highest electrical power, around 11.17 W. The use of TEGs as a medium for generating electrical energy from wasted heat through the furnace’s walls can meet some of a household’s electrical energy needs. Full article

Woodfuel that is unsustainably sourced and inefficiently used results in negative environmental and health impacts. This study assessed charcoal use and resultant concentrations of indoor air pollutants (IAP) in an urban informal settlement while cooking with a Jikokoa stove (an improved branded charcoal stove) and medium and small-sized artisanal Kenya Ceramic Jikos (KCJs). Fuel stacking was prevalent with charcoal and kerosene being used by 25% of the studied households. Cooking with a Jikokoa stove reduced charcoal consumption by 6.4% and 26% compared to small and medium-sized KCJs, respectively. The small-sized KCJ reduced charcoal consumption by 21% compared to the medium-sized KCJ. The Jikokoa stove reduced concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) by 10% and 50% and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) by 6% and 77% compared to small-sized and medium-sized KCJs, respectively. The Jikokoa stove reduced carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations by 15.6% compared to the medium-sized KCJ. The small-sized KCJ reduced CO and PM_2.5 concentrations by 45% and 75%, respectively, compared to the medium-sized KCJ. In summary, small-sized KCJs are more effective than medium-sized ones, and Jikokoa stoves more effective than small-sized KCJs, making it the stove of choice. The more efficient charcoal stoves are, the more charcoal consumption and IAP can be reduced, mitigating environmental degradation, climate change and health problems associated with smoke in the kitchen. There is need for participatory research to scale improved stoves and upgrade local practices as they are cheaper and already embedded in the cooking culture. Full article

The e-cooking feasibility was evaluated for two of the main staple foods across rural Sub-Saharan Africa (rice and maize porridge) considering basic solar home systems (SHS) of 100–150 W and using inexpensive market available low-power DC cooking devices (rice cooker and slow cooker). The coverage of e-cooking necessities was spatially evaluated for the African continent considering households of two, five, and eight people. While households of two people were able to be covered >95% of the days, the increase in e-cooking necessities implied that only larger PV generators (150 W) located in high irradiation sites (>2400 kWh/m${}^2$/year) were able to fulfill e-cooking, even in scenarios of households of five and eight people. Furthermore, the economic cost and the greenhouse gases emission factor (GHG) of e-cooking via small SHS were evaluated and benchmarked against traditional technologies with wood and charcoal considering three-stone and improved stoves and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cookers. The GHG for e-cooking was 0.027–0.052 kgCO${}_2$eq./kg·meal, which was strikingly lower than the other technologies (0.502–2.42 kgCO${}_2$eq./kg·meal). The e-cooking cost was in the range of EUR 0.022–0.078 person/day, which was clearly lower than LPG and within the range of the cost of cooking with wood and charcoal (EUR 0.02–0.48 person/day). The results provided a novel insight regarding market available technologies with a potential of changing cooking conditions in this region. Full article

We made static and personal PM_2.5 measurements with a miniature monitor (RTI MicroPEM) to characterise the exposure of women cooking with wood and charcoal in indoor and outdoor locations in rural Malawi, together with measurements of blood pressure and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). Mean PM_2.5 concentrations of 1338 and 31 µg/m³ were observed 1 m from cookstove locations during cooking with wood and charcoal, respectively. Similarly, mean personal PM_2.5 exposures of 706 and 94 µg/m³ were observed during cooking with wood and charcoal, respectively. Personal exposures to PM_2.5 in indoor locations were 3.3 and 1.7 times greater than exposures observed in equivalent outdoor locations for wood and charcoal, respectively. Prior to the measured exposure, six out of eight participants had PEFR observations below 80% of their expected (age and height) standardised PEFR. We observed reductions in PEFR for participants cooking with wood in indoor locations. Five out of eight participants reported breathing difficulties, coughing, and eye irritation when cooking with wood but reported that symptoms were less severe when cooking with charcoal. In conclusion, we observed that exposure to PM_2.5 was substantially reduced by cooking outdoor with charcoal. As both wood and charcoal fuels are associated with negative environmental and health impacts, the adoption of high-efficiency cookstoves and less polluting sources of energy will be highly beneficial. Cooking outside whenever possible, and minimising the time spent in close proximity to stoves, may be simple interventions that could reduce the risks of exacerbation and progression of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in Malawi. Full article

In this study, interviewer-based questionnaires of 67 variables were administered to local fabricators and end-users of single-pot biomass stoves (SPBS) in Ghana. Additionally, two randomly selected traditional and improved SPBS were lab-tested using standard performance metrics. From the study, the relationship between fabricators and end-users was conceptualized based on selected indicators and assumptions. The study results indicated that the primary design resources for fabrication were patterns and templates, and that major challenges to fabrication were lack of training in design principles, standards and safety, poor emission efficiency and financial sustainability. Whereas end-users of improved SPBS were less affected by heat and smoke, end-users of traditional SPBS were mostly affected. From hypothesis test, because the calculated χ2_cal = 24.05, and is greater than the tabulated χ2_crit = 3.841, it is concluded that there is a relationship between heat, smoke effect and gender, and that female end-users of traditional SPBS were particularly affected during cooking. The traditional SPBS emitted more CO₂ and CO than improved SPBS. Comparatively, 38% more end-users of traditional SPBS observed charcoal ash residue in the cooking area than improved SPBS users. Four basic practices of managing ashes from SPBS are developed. Finally, a fabricator and end-user framework are developed for energy sustainability and quality improvement. Full article

Household air pollution (HAP) from biomass cooking with traditional stoves is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) worldwide. Air quality interventions such as improved cookstoves (ICS) may mitigate HAP-related impacts; however, poor understanding of contextual socio-cultural factors such as local cooking practices have limited their widespread adoption. Policymakers and stakeholders require an understanding of local cooking practices to inform effective HAP interventions which meet end-user needs. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 36 women residing in biomass-cooking fuel households in Kigali, Rwanda to identify cooking activity patterns, awareness of HAP-related health risks and ICS intervention preferences. Overall, 94% of respondents exclusively used charcoal cooking fuel and 53% cooked one meal each day (range = 1–3 meals). Women were significantly more likely to cook outdoors compared to indoors (64% vs. 36%; p < 0.05). Over half of respondents (53%) were unaware of HAP-related health risks and 64% had no prior awareness of ICS. Participants expressed preferences for stove mobility (89%) and facility for multiple pans (53%) within an ICS intervention. Our findings highlight the need for HAP interventions to be flexible to suit a range of cooking patterns and preferred features for end-users in this context. Full article

The study attempts to compare the total annual emissions of selected air pollutants emitted during occasional grilling and the emission of the same pollutants from small domestic heating installations. For this purpose, in the absence of any data on the emission of pollutants during grilling processes, tests were carried out consisting of measuring the concentration of air pollutants in exhaust streams from two types of grills (solid fuel grill powered by charcoal briquette and gas grill powered by liquid propane), using popularly prepared dishes (previously marinated meat and raw, seasoned mixed vegetables). The concentrations of PM_2.5, CH₄, CO, CO₂, H₂O, NH₃, N₂O, NO, NO₂, SO₂ were measured in the exhaust stream from both grills using a particulate matter (PM) measuring device and a portable spectrometer, separately while grilling the same portions of meat and vegetables. Then, considering the available data on Poles’ barbecue habits, the emissions that are released into the air during occasional grilling were estimated. The calculated emissions were compared with the data on emissions from domestic heating installations used in Poland. It has been shown that during grilling, as much as 2.30, 92.07, 4.11, 3.83, 2.96, and 9.81 Gg of PM_2.5, CO, NO_x, SO₂, NH₃, and CH₄ may be released into the atmosphere in Poland, respectively. In the case of PM, the amount of the pollutant emitted to the air is over 100 times lower than the emissions caused by the operation of small heating installations. In the case of other pollutants, the differences are smaller. Nevertheless, emissions from grills should not be underestimated as, in certain periods of the year, these sources may be responsible for not meeting the air quality standards in selected areas of the country, and thus the excessive exposure of people to pollutants resulting in negative health consequences. Therefore, attention was paid to the legitimacy of abandoning the use of charcoal and charcoal briquette grills and replacing them with gas-powered grills or electric ones, not only due to the health benefits of food and lower human exposure, but also by the reason of ecological values. Full article

Charcoal and firewood fuel biomass utilization is thought to be the main cause of deforestation in Uganda. Moreover, the practice of utilizing charcoal and wood fuel in Uganda is said to impact the health of many women and children in the region. The goal of this study was to comprehensively analyze charcoal and wood fuel utilization processes in Uganda and sub-Saharan Africa and the environmental and socioeconomic dynamics and implications. The study equally intended to model out some possible improvements to wood fuel use while conserving natural forests. Both qualitative and qualitative approaches were used to study the charcoal and wood fuel energy situation in Uganda. The study collected field data (sample size: 199) which was subjected to descriptive analysis. The findings show that over 90% of households in Uganda and the sub- Saharan region use firewood and charcoal wood fuel, and that this fuel use creates social and environmental hazards. Our findings are also in agreement with numerous empirical studies showing that firewood and charcoal biomass are among the major causes of deforestation in Uganda and the sub-Saharan region. Ceteris paribus, we propose the adoption of Improved Eco-Stoves (ICE), which not only enable comprehensive combustion but also lessen the quantity of firewood used by more than 60%, together with policy decisions on the government of Uganda, given peoples willingness to take on alternative energy sources such as gas and electricity. Full article

In this research work, a 3 kW stove based on biomass gasification, together with a fuel obtained from agriculture wastes as an alternative to the commonly used charcoal, have been developed looking for sustainable cooking in poor communities. Alternative fuel (BSW) are briquettes obtained by carbonization and densification of agricultural solid wastes. Two laboratory methods, water boil test (WBT) and controlled kitchen test (CCT) were used to analyze the performance of this approach by comparing the proposed improved stove (ICS-G) with the traditional one (TCS), when using both types of fuels: charcoal and BSW. Results indicate that consumption of charcoal decreases by 61% using the improved ICS-G stove instead of the traditional TCS. Similar fuel savings are obtained when using BSW fuels. BSW fuel allows for a carbon monoxide (CO) emission reduction of 41% and 67%, and fine particles (PM) in a 84% and 93%, during the high and low power phases of the tests, respectively. Use of BSW fuel and ICS-G stove instead of the TCS stove with charcoal, provides a cooking time reduction of 18%, savings of $353.5 per year per family in the purchase of fuel, and an emission reduction of 3.2 t CO₂/year.family. Full article

In Ghana, about 73% of households rely on solid fuels for cooking. Over 13,000 annual deaths are attributed to exposure to indoor air pollution from inefficient combustion. In this study, assessment of thermal efficiency, emissions, and total global warming impact of three cookstoves commonly used in Ghana was completed using the International Workshop Agreement (IWA) Water Boiling Test (WBT) protocol. Statistical averages of three replicate tests for each cookstove were computed. Thermal efficiency results were: wood-burning cookstove: 12.2 ± 5.00% (Tier 0); coalpot charcoal stove: 23.3 ± 0.73% (Tier 1–2); and Gyapa charcoal cookstove: 30.00 ± 4.63% (Tier 2–3). The wood-burning cookstove emitted more CO, CO₂, and PM_2.5 than the coalpot charcoal stove and Gyapa charcoal cookstove. The emission factor (EF) for PM_2.5 and the emission rate for the wood-burning cookstove were over four times higher than the coalpot charcoal stove and Gyapa charcoal cookstove. To complete the WBT, the study results showed that, by using the Gyapa charcoal cookstove instead of the wood-burning cookstove, the global warming impact could be potentially reduced by approximately 75% and using the Gyapa charcoal cookstove instead of the coalpot charcoal cookstove by 50%. We conclude that there is the need for awareness, policy, and incentives to enable end-users to switch to, and adopt, Gyapa charcoal cookstoves for increased efficiency and reduced emissions/global warming impact. Full article

With 2.8 billion biomass users globally, household air pollution remains a public health threat in many low- and middle-income countries. However, little evidence on pollution levels and health effects exists in low-income settings, especially slums. This study assesses the levels and sources of household air pollution in the urban slums of Nairobi. This cross-sectional study was embedded in a prospective cohort of pregnant women living in two slum areas—Korogocho and Viwandani—in Nairobi. Data on fuel and stove types and ventilation use come from 1058 households, while air quality data based on the particulate matters (PM_2.5) level were collected in a sub-sample of 72 households using the DustTrak™ II Model 8532 monitor. We measured PM_2.5 levels mainly during daytime and using sources of indoor air pollutions. The majority of the households used kerosene (69.7%) as a cooking fuel. In households where air quality was monitored, the mean PM_2.5 levels were high and varied widely, especially during the evenings (124.6 µg/m³ SD: 372.7 in Korogocho and 82.2 µg/m³ SD: 249.9 in Viwandani), and in households using charcoal (126.5 µg/m³ SD: 434.7 in Korogocho and 75.7 µg/m³ SD: 323.0 in Viwandani). Overall, the mean PM_2.5 levels measured within homes at both sites (Korogocho = 108.9 µg/m³ SD: 371.2; Viwandani = 59.3 µg/m³ SD: 234.1) were high. Residents of the two slums are exposed to high levels of PM_2.5 in their homes. We recommend interventions, especially those focusing on clean cookstoves and lighting fuels to mitigate indoor levels of fine particles. Full article

Combustion of biomass fuels (wood and charcoal) for cooking releases smoke that contains health damaging pollutants. Women and children are the most affected. Exposure to biomass smoke is associated with acute respiratory infections (ARI). This study investigated the prevalence of ARI potentially caused by smoke from wood and charcoal stoves in Western Sierra Leone, as these two fuels are the predominant fuel types used for cooking. A cross sectional study was conducted for 520 women age 15–45 years; and 520 children under 5 years of age in homes that burn wood and charcoal. A questionnaire assessing demographic, household and exposure characteristics and ARI was administered to every woman who further gave information for the child. Suspended particulate matter (SPM) was continuously monitored in fifteen homes. ARI prevalence revealed 32% and 24% for women, 64% and 44% for children in homes with wood and charcoal stoves, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders for each group, the odds ratio of having suffered from ARI was similar for women, but remained large for children in homes with wood stoves relative to charcoal stoves (OR = 1.14, 95%CI: 0.71–1.82) and (OR = 2.03, 95%CI: 1.31–3.13), respectively. ARI prevalence was higher for children in homes with wood stoves compared with homes with charcoal stoves, but ARI prevalence for both types of fuels is higher compared with reported prevalence elsewhere. To achieve a reduction in ARI would require switching from wood and charcoal to cleaner fuels. Full article