Efficient Cook Stove Programme in Kenya

The project is located in the west of Kenya and provides families with fuel efficient stoves. Throughout Kenya many people still cook in a traditional way on what is called a three stone fire - this is exactly as it sounds, three rocks with a pan sat on top of an open fire. This method is very inefficient as much of the heat is wasted as it escapes around the pan. It also produces a great deal of smoke from the wood being burnt, as the majority of people cook indoors this enclosed smoke is a major cause of health issues. To counter this, the Kenyan Energy Efficient Stove Project supplies energy saving cooking stoves for local villages. These brick stoves result in a 50% reduction in the need for firewood and thereby prevent carbon from being emitted.

The project provides locally made domestic fuel-efficient cooking stoves to rural households within the Mathira East, Eldoret East and Keiyo Districts of Kenya. The new stoves reduce the amount of wood fuel needed to cook with, thereby reducing carbon emissions. The stoves provide the families with a cleaner, cheaper and easier way of cooking, due to the reduction of wood that is need. The stoves are made in Kenya and are provided to families free of charge.

Social and Sustainability Benefits

Environmental:

• Significantly reduce Kenya’s greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime.
• Reduce the use of non-renewable biomass from Kenyan forests, assisting the maintenance of existing forest stock, protecting natural forest eco- systems and wildlife habitats.
• Protection of standing forests will ensure the maintenance of watersheds that regulate water table levels and prevent flash flooding.

Social:

• Less time will be spent collecting wood fuel, thereby reducing the work burden on rural families and presenting alternative opportunities for economic development.
• The amount of indoor air pollutants from the burning of biomass in the home will be reduced. Less carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and particulates will be emitted.

Economic:

• Help develop a section of the Kenyan rural economy; in the manufacturing of the stoves, their installation, maintenance and monitoring.
• Costs incurred in the purchase of fuel will be reduced through increased thermal efficiency.