Government has recognized the urgency to tackle Malawi’s vast deforestation and set itself the ambitious goal of disseminating 2 Million Cookstoves by 2020 (track the progress here). There are a lot of different types of Improved Cookstoves ranging from very simple ones to more sophisticated models.
Some Clean Cookstoves still use wood and wood charcoal but they are more efficient than traditional Three Stone Fires or Charcoal Cookstoves. This means they use a bigger part of generated energy for the wished action and waste less. Higher efficiency has many effects:
- Save the forests. Less fuel consumption means less trees are cut down. This takes pressure of our forests and on long-term improves the quality of our land.
- Save money and time. Less money spent on buying charcoal and firewood. Less time spent on collecting firewood. With reduced time spent collecting firewood, collectors who are mainly women and children can now use this time more productively which helps increase household resilience.
- Save your life. They emit less smoke and soot which is better for your health. There is less danger of burns.
Other Clean Cookstoves even use cleaner fuels such as biomass briquettes or liquid petroleum where the positive impacts are even better.
- Portable clay biomass stoves, e.g. Chitetezo Mbaula, “Wina Alira” Stove, Aleva Stove
- Built-in place clay biomass stoves with one or more chambers, e.g. Single-Chamber Mud Stove, “Changu-Changu Moto” Rocket Stove, Total Land Care (TLC) Rocket Stove
- Tin stoves for any biomass or specifically for briquettes, e.g. Mobile Rocket Stove, Mwanawaleza Briquette Stove (learn more here and here), Encore Stove (learn more here)
- Advanced metal biomass stoves, e.g. Ezy Stove (learn more here and here), Ace 1 combining ultra-clean biomass cooking and solar electricity (learn more here, here and here)
- Ethanol/Methanol Stoves (one example here)
- LPG Gas Stoves
- Biogas Stoves
Profiles of main locally made Clean Cookstoves in Malawi
Chitetezo Mbaula
Chitetezo Mbaula is the most common improved cookstove in Malawi. It is a cheap clay stove which is easy to make locally in many parts of Malawi.
- Material: clay. Clay is widely available in most areas in Malawi, however, locating suitable high-quality clay can be a challenge.
- Tools & Training: requires specific moulds and special training to be produced in good quality; mechanical mould (called “paddle mould”) should be preferred for standardization and improved productivity; fuel and kiln for firing the stoves
- Takes 3-4 weeks to produce
- It can be made relatively easy and cheap by local production groups for local use
- Portable
- Cheap to buy and use
- Fuel: Different types of biomass, e.g. small pieces of wood and sticks, agricultural waste like maize cobs, maize stalks, pigeon pea stalks etc.
- Reduced fuel consumption of up to 50%
- Feeds between 1-12 people, not recommended for use with big pots
- It tends to develop a typical pressure rupture on the upper front side when first used which affects appearance but not quality
- Requires a skilled stove-maker to repair when it is broken
- Retail price: est MWK800 – 2,000 (est $1)
- Thermal efficiency (how much of the generated energy is used for heating the pot): estimated 30.6% (compared to 10% of Three Stone Fire) due to improved combustion and improved heat transfer
- Emissions: 45% less carbon monoxide and 46% less fine particles (known as soot/smoke/particulate matter) compared to Three Stone Fire
- Tree cover: reduced fuel consumption of up to 50% means one Chitetezo Mbaula saves about 6 trees per year
Aleva Stove
14 different panels made from clay soil, river sand and cement are assembled to a stove.
- Material: clay soil, river sand and cement
- The stove mixture is air-dried and doesn’t require firing
- 14 different panels (8 on the bottom and 6 on the top) are put together to a stove. Metal harnesses increase stability.
- Tools & Training: it needs several different moulds, tools and equipment for compression, straining equipment and some precision to produce
- One worker can produce about 2 stoves per day
- Portable when not assembled; heavy and difficult to transport once assembled
- Cheap to buy and use
- Not recommended for use with big pots
“Changu-Changu Moto” Rocket Stove
“Built in place” cookstove made from locally available materials with more than one chamber
- Easy and cheap to make
- Materials: simple readily available materials such as clay, sandy soil and cow dung
- Ready to use in 2-3 days after production
- Not portable
- Can cook using 2-3 pots at the same time, two chambers allow separate use
- Easy to repair
- Breaks easily, pot rests wear out easily
- Not recommended for use with big cooking pots
Total Land Care Rocket Stove
Single-chamber mud stove improved with metal wood stand and pot holders
- Easy and cheap to make
- Ready to use in 2-3 days after production
- Not portable
- Improved with metal wood stand and pot holders