India – World Bank shows interest in alcohol stove

PUNE: The World Bank (WB) has shown interest in an innovative cooking stove developed by Phaltan-based Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI). This stove runs on low-grade alcohol (country liquor) and produces light and heat.

This information was given by Anil Rajvanshi, director and honorary secretary of NARI, while delivering the B D Tilak memorial lecture on Energy: R&D for rural development’, at the National Chemical Laboratory here on Friday.

“The stove, developed by NARI, has been tested successfully. The World Bank has appreciated the idea of using low-grade alcohol as a domestic fuel and has asked the institute to share the findings of the test,” Rajvanshi said.

Since the WB is keen on conducting some more tests, it has asked NARI to send the stove, a cylinder, a suitable pressure cooker and low-grade alcohol, along with the readings of the tests conducted by NARI to the US, Rajvanshi said, adding, “However, NARI has requested WB officials to visit Phaltan as all the required equipment is ready and tests are already underway here.”

Rajvanshi said that though the light produced from the stove has moderate brightness, it also generates significant heat, which can be utilised for cooking. The stove could be a boon for villages that have zero or little availability of electricity.

“Kerosene-operated stoves are not good for the environment, but this stove does not have this shortcoming,” Rajvanshi stated. Unlike the conventional stove or electricity-operated stoves or those that run on biomass, the stove developed by NARI is efficient, eco-friendly, safe and easy to handle, he said.

Rajvanshi, however, added that the quality of low-grade-alcohol, which depends on the raw material used for producing it, is the only worrying factor for the project was. “As the material used for making alcohol varies, the chemical composition also differs with each batch of alcohol. We need to solve this problem,” Rajvanshi said.

He also emphasised on the need for combined effort by the government, private sector companies, research institutes and non-governmental organisations to find some solutions on problems in rural areas.

“Biomass and bagasse-based power generation equipment have huge potential in rural areas. There is a lot of scope for research and development and this can only be achieved when, both the private and public sectors join hands,” he said.

Source – Times of India