Stokes Consulting Group and Dometic AB lead a technology group that seeks to bring alcohol appliances and the capability to produce alcohol fuels to the developing world. We believe that alcohol fuels have been overlooked as the ideal clean energy fuel for household use. Alcohol fuel can be producedcost-effectively from resources now wasted in the developing world, from associated (flare) gas to saw mill tailings to agricultural wastes and by products. By demonstrating the desirability of alcohol as a household fuel in certain existing and well proven appliances, we hope to demonstrate the importance of alcohol fuels in the energy equation for developing world families.
Contact Information
Our Focus
We have pilot studies in planning or in progress in South Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Brazil. These studies are taking place in both urban and rural settings, and in institutional settings such as schools, orphanages and refugee camps.
Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas
Although it is difficult to generalize, we have found that people select and use traditional fuels based upon economy, availability and performance of the fuel. Their reasons are practical and sensible. They will switch fuels based on these considerations as well: economy, availability and performance. When moving to improved and/or innovative fuels, the lack of an appropriate stove, not reluctance to switch fuels, seems to be the main inhibitor.
Our pilot studies are designed to demonstrate the alcohol stove (with which we are leading our initiative) head on with traditional biomass stoves and fuels, and also with kerosene stoves. Our pilot studies our or principal market development initiative. The CleanCook stove proves itself.
Stoves using liquid fuels must be properly designed to be very simple and safe to use. They should be designed around the particular properties of the fuel to assure the safest possible combustion of that fuel. We hope that our stove will establish the standard for liquid fuel stoves: it is non pressurized, will not spill or leak, and will not flash or flare up. Heretofore the predominant liquid fuel stove has been the kerosene wick stove, which is extremely dangerous. We hope to establish the standard for safety with the CleanCook alcohol stove.
The products of combustion of alcohol (ethanol and methanol) are essentially carbon dioxide and water. Only trace amounts (parts per million) of carbon monoxide are produced and no nitrous oxides or VOCs. Indeed, the alcohols are the cleanest-burning liquid fuels available. Thus there are enormous potential gains in air quality in substituting the alcohol fuels for biomass fuels and kerosene. With the assistance of the Shell Foundation and CEIHD, we are conducting empirical studies at several of our pilot study sites to directly demonstrate these gains.
Relevant Publications or Studies
Most recent publication: Boiling Point No. 50, 2005, Scaling Up and Commercialization of Household Energy Initiatives, Project Gaia: Commercializing a New Stove and a New Fuel in Africa, p. 31.
Our Contribution to the Partnership
Since this is an industry-led initiative, we can help to bring a commercial or business perspective to the effort to provide better household energy choices to families in the developing world.
