Cost & benefit analysis of improved cooking stoves in Bangladesh

January 10, 2013 · 1 comment

Cost & benefit analysis of improved cooking stoves in Bangladesh: A case study in Tangail District. BANGLADESH RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS JOURNAL, Nov-Dec 2012.

Md. Nazmul Alam, Shinji Kaneko and Md. Saifur Rahman

This study presents the results of the economic evaluation of the improved cooking stoves which were disseminated in Tangail district, Bangladesh. The economic analyses assessed the economic benefits for the households using the improved cooking stoves and the economic benefits derived from the reduction of CO2 emission due to the use of the improved cooking stoves on national level. It assesses the economic efficiency of the stove dissemination program from an overall economic view as well as that of the improved cooking stove’s use for the individual level.

Excerpts from the conclusions:

Technical Constraints – The process of designing and fabricating a more energy-efficient cooking stove is complex. It requires a combination of processes of combustion, several modes of heat transfer and fluid flow. The lack of raw materials is one of the main limiting factors for improved cooking stove manufacture. This study found that the lack of proper raw materials for ICS manufacture in the local NGO (ICS manufacturer) limits the quality of improved cooking stoves. Most of the time, the ICS are not made from quality materials (i. e., soil made). As a result, it is unable to work properly for a longer period of time.

Socio Cultural Obstacles – It was observed that social and religious factors and prejudices are against ICS diffusion. People do believe that by cooking with traditional stoves food might be tastier than by cooking with the improved cooking stoves. In rural areas, some informal kinds of fuel are popular and people source them by collecting them (free of cost) from their household surroundings, like straw, tree leafs, bamboo pieces, and so on. These types of fuel are not suitable for the ICS yet suitable for the traditional stove. Again it was found that, in an area where fuel (wood and other fuel for cooking) has no or very little cost implication, it would be difficult to motivate the people to replace their traditional stoves with the ICS.

Bookmark and Share
Cancel reply

Leave a Comment

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

Sachindra Halder April 29, 2013 at 6:48 am

Now a days Use of Improved cooking stove in country is very necessary and its demad is increasing very sharply. We are working as NGOs staff member to expan ICS activities in our working areas. The users wll be poorest of poor already organized as CBOs.

We want to get regular updated reports in this regard.

Your co-operation wll be appreciated.

Sachin

Reply

Previous post:

Next post: