Cookstove makers improve products to suit market demand
Cookstove makers improve products to suit market demand
The production and distribution of clean cooking stoves in Laos looks set to be good business in the future now that consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of efficient energy use.
This has been the outcome of a programme established last year by the non-profit Group of the Environment, Renewable Energy and Solidarity and the Lao Institute for Renewable Energy Promotion (LIRE). The programme aims to encourage local manufacturers to produce clean stoves that use less firewood and charcoal than other models, for sale on the local market.
Under the programme, a pilot project entitled ‘Clean Stove Initiative’, manufacturers are provided with the necessary techniques and advice to enable them to produce higher quality cooking stoves.
Speaking at a project review meeting in Vientiane yesterday, LIRE Director General Mr Thongkhanh Phimvilay said about 60 percent of fuel wood and 6 percent of the charcoal produced in Laos was used for cooking and heating in rural areas. This indicates that Laos is heavily dependent on biomass for energy consumption.
“This represents around 68 percent of total energy consumption and is mainly due to the widespread use of traditional and inefficient cookstoves,” he said.
A senior project staff member explained that the project focused on the provision of technical advice and training for local stove makers so they learn how to produce cooking stoves that match international standards.
“It is said that more than 90 percent of households in the north of Laos are using fuel wood because it is easy to find everywhere. But they use stoves that have low energy efficiency, which results in a lot of wasted energy and natural resources,” he said.
Currently two local producers have undergone professional training by the pilot project to manufacture a cookstove that is cleaner than those traditionally used.
A total of 200 samples have been produced and 50 stoves have been distributed as samples to local villagers in order to test their acceptance.
“We haven’t discussed the exact price of the cookstoves but we will consider this later on,” the project official said.
The pilot project also conducted a baseline study relating to stove production and utilisation by sampling practices among communities in the northern provinces, including Luang Prabang, Oudomxay and Xieng Khuang.
Yesterday’s final term meeting allowed senior project staffers to make a presentation of the activities performed, the results achieved and the challenges encountered by the project.
Officials also discussed the development of a draft standards framework document on clean cookstoves based on international protocols.
vientiane times
