Fabricators and End-Users of Single-Pot Biomass Stoves: Conceptualizing, Hypothesis and Performance Metrics for Developing Energy Sustainability Framework

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 χ2cal = 24.05, and is greater than the tabulated χ2crit = 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.

Household Air Pollution from Biomass Fuel for Cooking and Adverse Fetal Growth Outcomes in Rural Sri Lanka

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of biomass fuel for cooking on adverse fetal growth outcomes in Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional study of mothers recruited at maternity clinics in rural communities in Sri Lanka’s Central Province was undertaken. Data pertaining to household air pollution and fetal growth parameters were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Logistic regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, were used to evaluate the impact of biomass fuel for cooking on low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA) parameters. Findings showed that exposure to biomass cooking fuels during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of LBW adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.74 (95% CI 1.08–6.96) and SGA (aOR: 1.87, 95% CI 1.03–3.41) compared with the use of clean energy. The risk of LBW was highest for traditional biomass stoves compared to improved biomass stoves (aOR: 3.23, 95% 1.17–8.89) and biomass use in kitchens without a chimney compared to kitchens with a chimney (aOR: 4.63, 95% 1.54–13.93). Similar trends were observed for SGA.

“If you haven’t shaoguo’ed, you haven’t eaten”

Biomass stoves, or shaoguo, are used exclusively in rural China for everyday cooking. Making use of agricultural wastes, these improved cook stoves are an economically efficient way to prepare foods and provide a complex taste profile to the everyday wheat-based staples cooked in them. Nevertheless, these stoves are associated with rural backwardness and failures of rural development. In this article, I understand shaoguo as a productive part of making home and belonging for families affected by urban migration. Considering the ways that shaoguo indexes rural identity and social belonging, I think through the connections between cooking and creating spaces of home.

Production processes and statistical analysis of ceramic liner-hole parameters for sustainability and improved thermal efficiency of clean biomass stoves

In engineering, ceramic liners are used as heat retention, insulation, and wear-resistant components for industrial and domestic applications. However, due to lack of production standards, particularly under small industrial operations, there is variation in liner-hole diameter and inter-hole spacing of liners used in clean biomass stoves. This study assessed the production processes and analysed ceramic liner-hole diameters and inter-hole spacings for standardisation. Standardising liner-hole parameters is a major process towards sustainability and improved efficiency. Methods employed were − material composition, particle size distribution analysis, study of production processes, and 51 liner-hole diameters and 66 inter-holes spacing were randomly sampled and analysed. The results indicated material composition of clay (70%), sand (23%), and sawdust (7%) of various particle sizes. A flow chart diagram of 7 production processes was created for standardisation. At 95% C.I, liner-hole diameter of Ø20.8 ± 2(0.66) mm and inter-hole spacing of 27.5 ± 2(1.06) mm were determined. Mean liner-hole diameter of Ø21.03 mm resulted in a relatively high thermal efficiency, ηT =37%. For practical applications, liner-hole diameter of Ø21 mm and inter-hole spacing of 30 mm are recommended. Standardising the production processes and the liner-hole parameters will contribute to sustainable production and thermal efficiency improvement.

Adoption and impact of improved cookstoves in Lambayeque, Peru, 2017

Introduction: Approximately three billion people in Asia, Africa, and the Americas cook with biomass, cleaner cooking technologies with the potential to reduce household air pollution exposure. It is necessary to assess the adoption and long-term use of these stoves, measure perceived benefits among users, and use this information to provide feedback to programs that are implementing new cooking technologies. The aim of this study is to determine the level of adoption and impact of improved biomass cookstoves in the rural area of Lambayeque, Peru, in 2017. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 52 homes were surveyed in the districts of Pacora and Íllimo where improved biomass stoves were introduced between 2005 and 2013. A questionnaire for the assessment of adoption and impact indexes proposed by the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves was applied. The STROBE checklist was used. Results: The mean number of years with the improved biomass cookstove was 9.1 (standard deviation: 2.9); 51.9% always used the improved stove, and 34.6% never used it due to destruction during the El Niño phenomenon in 2017. The median impact index was 5.62; 19.2% had a very good/good adoption. The median adoption index was 6.5; 25% had a very high/high impact. The use of the traditional or open fire biomass stove persisted in 61.5% of the houses. Conclusion: The adoption and impact of improved biomass cookstoves were acceptable, but traditional stove use persisted in more than half of the houses. Households used a mix of different stove technologies. Gas stoves were used more frequently for breakfast or dinner, while the traditional biomass stoves were used for larger lunchtime meals.

Affordability, Accessibility, and Awareness in the Adoption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas: A Case-Control Study in Rural India

Interventions in the clean cooking sector have focused on improved biomass stoves in a bid to address household air pollution (HAP) in low- and middle-income countries. These initiatives have not delivered adequate health and environmental benefits owing to the less than optimal performance of improved biomass stoves. There is an urgency to transition communities to cleaner cooking systems such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to reduce the prevalence of HAP. Adoption of LPG also has challenges. This case-control cross-sectional study with 510 households examines how affordability, accessibility, and awareness (3As) are associated with LPG adoption in rural poor households of Andhra Pradesh, a state of India. Using binomial logistic regression analyses, the study examines the association of 3As with LPG adoption, adjusting for demographic predictors. Results show disparities in LPG adoption owing to affordability, accessibility, and awareness. Household income is positively associated with LPG adoption. Easy availability of biomass deters households from adopting LPG. Concerns for LPG safety reduces likelihood of LPG adoption. On the other hand, attending awareness campaigns on clean cooking benefits is strongly associated with LPG adoption. Awareness drives, primarily targeted marketing campaigns, could help expand LPG coverage among poorer households. This paper offers insights into the determinants of clean fuel adoption with implications for resource-poor settings across the world to advance energy justice and address energy poverty.