Testing Alcohol Stoves
Many low-income households live on an income of around $2 per person per day—if a stove costs $20, this can be months of savings; a stove is a huge investment. People who are very poor deserve a durable and efficient stove, and therefore stoves need to be tested to show that:
• They are clean to use
Studies in households (and in the laboratory) measure the tiny health-damaging particles (sometimes called ‘particulates’), and the carbon monoxide, given out by the stoves. These are compared to the pollutants given out by traditional stoves. A good alcohol stove has ‘negligible’ particulates (i.e. too few to record) and very low carbon monoxide.
The CleanCook is being tested at the Aprovecho Laboratory under a hood which records the emissions of various types of cookstoves. The stove is being tested for how rapidly it can boil water. Photo courtesy of Nordica MacCarty.
• They are safe to use
Measurements developed by Iowa State University describe how to check that the stove has no sharp edges, that it is stable, and that it will not burst into flames. The type of stove used by Gaia was tested and found to be very safe.
• They last a long time
The only way to determine stove life is to install stoves and monitor their use, as conditions can differ greatly. The majority of traditional stoves last a year or two at the most. A good ethanol stove lasts 5–10 years, requiring little maintenance other than cleaning.
• Most importantly: people like to use them
Unless the cook likes the stove, she will not use it, money will be wasted, indoor air pollution remains, and fuel is not saved. Gaia’s community studies show the alcohol stoves are used and well-liked.