Two Dutch firms due to produce energy-efficient stoves for rural Tanzania

Two Dutch organizations -- Royal Philips and the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation have partnered to improve access to clean cooking solutions in Africa by introducing efficient household stoves to rural communities in the continent and Tanzania in particular.

The partnership aims to improve the health, well-being and income of rural populations while having a direct positive impact on the environment and will include research, community education and access to financing for adopting clean cooking technologies.

According to the World Energy Outlook 2012, a staggering 2.6 billion people still depend on traditional cook stoves or open fires for cooking and heating their homes.

The health and environmental risks of this are considerable. Every week, 75,000 people – mostly women and children - get sick or even die as a direct result of inhaling smoke. And each day, 3.9 million tons of fuel wood are burnt, contributing to the daily loss of 200 km2 of forest (1).

According to Andy Wehkamp, SNV’s director of Renewable Energy, the partnership with Philips is a natural step. “We believe that inclusive business can play an important role in poverty reduction and low carbon growth”

He added: “We want to increase the income and health of low-income groups in a climate smart way, while at the same time generating benefits for participating companies. By joining forces with Philips we expect to reduce the amount of people dependent on open fires or inefficient cook stoves for cooking.”

There are cleaner and more efficient cooking solutions available. But communities in rural areas do not know the benefits of clean cooking alternates or cannot access or afford to invest in them. Philips and SNV are joining forces to address these issues.

Philips’ ambition is to create meaningful innovations that matter to people and address the key challenges that confront society. This is why for the last 3 years Philips has invested in the designing and manufacturing of an innovative fan driven cook stove that can improve the lives of those who rely on wood or biomass for their daily cooking.

These specially designed cook stoves can reduce smoke and carbon monoxide emissions by more than 90 per cent compared to an open fire (2) thus reducing the health risks of indoor cooking.

The cook stove utilises pellets, wood or other biomass for cooking in a healthy, environment friendly and fuel efficient manner. Philips is testing different financing and go-to-market models to ensure that this solution become accessible to people that would not be able to afford them otherwise.

SNV Netherlands Development Organisation has extensive experience with increasing access to clean cooking solutions for low income communities. They collaborate with and build capacities of local retailers to promote clean cooking solutions and increase local availability of cook stoves.

SNV studies what people can afford, and sets up market based solutions including access to finance for households and small to medium businesses.

Over the years, SNV has invested in research to learn which cooking solutions are the healthiest, most economical, user - and eco-friendly. Philips produces some of the cleanest products currently available on the market.
 

SOURCE: IPPMEDIA

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