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Household air pollution is a serious public health concern in India and is attributable to around 5% of India’s national burden of disease risk (higher for women and children)1. This Gold Standard project is enabling households to significantly reduce health risks and fuel costs through the distribution of more efficient biomass cookstoves. Additionally, the manufacturing, sales and distribution of the stoves has increased employment and the sale of the efficient cookstove is subsidised to help households who are unable to afford the upfront costs.

Enabling change: Fuel-efficient cookstoves reduce health risks and offer financial and energy security over traditional cooking methods.

Project type: Household devices

Region: Asia

Standards:

India: Improved Cookstoves

Contribution to sustainable developmentThe project contributes to sustainable development in several areas:

Health & well-beingThe improved, efficient cookstoves facilitate an 80% reduction in smoke within the household, significantly reducing the family exposure to harmful indoor air pollution and improving the air quality. Furthermore, the insulated design of the stove delivers a 50% reduction in the time needed for cooking which can be allocated to other tasks, and the outside temperature of the stove is reduced which minimises burn risks.

Empowering women Leaving the home to collect fuel is physically exerting, draining on natural resources and exposes women to insect bites and possible attacks. Reducing exposure to such dangers has a positive impact on the quality of life for women who are often the principle gatherers. Furthermore, the insulated design of the stove delivers a significant reduction in the time needed for cooking which allows time for other activities.

The projectIndia uses the greatest amount of fuel wood of any country in the world and currently 88% of rural households use solid fuel for cooking2. This means that over 900 million people are exposed to indoor air pollution on a daily basis and it is estimated that consequently 360,000 people die prematurely each year3. The stoves, which are suited to the cultural cooking requirements in India, are designed with simple enhancements that make them approximately 60% more fuel efficient and significantly more durable than traditional chulha stoves.

Since 2008, the project has distributed 490,000 stoves across India, starting in the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu regions and expanding nationally. The widespread distribution of the stoves ensures the health and financial benefits from the reduced pollution, fuel costs and collecting time can be scaled up to a country-wide level. The project has placed emphasis on training and educating distributors and the public about the stove and its benefits, particularly in rural areas. Training initiatives include engaging local villagers through community gatherings, hosting a stream of street plays, van and doorstep campaigns and distributing information pamphlets.

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The stoves are designed with simple enhancements that make them approximately 60% more fuel-efficient

A trained staff member explains the stove functionality to local women.

Financial securityThe stoves are designed with simple enhancements that make them approximately 60% more fuel-efficient. Reduced fuel use equates to a monthly saving of approximately INR 450 (US $7) which represents around 7% of the average household monthly income. Approximately 40% of the efficient cookstove sales through the project have been made possible through microcredit. Microcredit is the extension of very small loans (microloans) to low income borrowers (individuals or informal businesses) who typically lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history.

The network of local microfinance institutions typically agree loans for 75% of the cost of the efficient cookstoves that are paid back over four to eight months. The total cost of the cookstove is typically recovered within six to 12 months from fuel expenditure savings. The product is made more attractive with a five year warranty, protecting the investment for households that have committed to buying the stove.

Biodiversity protection Approximately 90% of wood in India is considered non-renewable, demonstrating highly unsustainable forest use in the country. As 82% of households depend on wood for cooking, this type of fuel-efficient project eases the burden of overuse on forests and subsequently decreases deforestation rates.

Energy accessHouseholds in India typically spend five to six hours every week collecting fuel wood. The design of the stove and its reduced fuel use requirement means that wood is collected fortnightly instead. Additionally, there is a significant reduction in time needed to cook and the widespread distribution of the fuel-efficient stove ensures the majority of the population has access to this time and cost-efficient technology.

Over 900 million people are exposed to indoor air pollution on a daily basis

Efficient cookstoves facilitate an 80% reduction in smoke within the household

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Local distributors and other entrepreneurs communicate the benefits and maintenance requirements of the stove.

Economic growth The distributed Envirofit stoves were originally imported from Kenya and China, but since early 2014 manufacturing also started in India, creating new job opportunities and supporting the national economy. Regional and national demand for the cookstove is created by training distributors and other entrepreneurs who communicate the benefits and maintenance requirements throughout local communities.

Job creationThe project has created 120 jobs through the sales, distribution and after sales servicing of the stoves, as well as in project partner organisations and 17 full-time job roles directly employed by the project developer.

The regionPoverty is widespread in India with almost 70% of the country’s population living on under US $2 per day, according to the World Bank4. India has highly fragmented and diverse rural and peri-urban markets which are major barriers to the spread and dissemination of cookstoves across the country. Carbon finance and project planning, such as partnering with microfinance institutions (MFIs) and selling through small-scale local businesses help to make it possible.

1 Balakrishnan et al. (2004) Indoor Air Pollution Associated with Household Fuel Use in India, World Bank, Page 7, http://ehs.sph.berkeley.edu/krsmith/publications/ESMAP%20report.pdf, accessed 25/11/2013 2 Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (2013) India, http://www.cleancookstoves.org/countries/asia/india.html, accessed 25/11/2013 3 Desai et al. (2004) Indoor smoke from solid fuels, WHO Environmental Burden of Disease Series, No. 4, Page 27, http://www.who.int/quantifying_ehimpacts/publications/en/Indoorsmoke.pdf, accessed 25/11/2013 4 World Bank (2010) India –Poverty Trend, http://povertydata.worldbank.org/poverty/country/IND, accessed 25/11/2013

The project has placed great emphasis on educating the public above stove benefits to increase uptake of the technology

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PAKISTAN

CHINA

BHUTAN

BANGLADESH

NEPAL

MYANMAR

SRILANKA

AFGHANISTAN

TAJIKSTAN

KYRGYZSTAN

INDIA

BANGALORE

INDIAN OCEAN

BAY OFBENGAL

ARABIANSEA

The project developer is based in Bangalore. Having started the project in south India it has now expanded nationally.

New York: 545 Madison Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10022 T +1-212-390-8835 salesna@naturalcapitalpartners.com

London: 167 Fleet Street, 3rd Floor, London, EC4A 2EA United Kingdom T +44 (0)20 7833 6000 sales@naturalcapitalpartners.com

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