Alternative Stoves English Draft - Without CD References

Improved Cook Stoves Manual – Peace Corps Bolivia
Improved Cook Stoves Manual
Peace Corps Bolivia
November 2008
Improved Cook Stoves Manual
Peace Corps Bolivia
1. Introduction...............................................................................................1
1.1. What is Biomass?..............................................................................................................2

1.2. Why use improved cook-stoves?....................................................................................2
1.3. Creative suggestions for projects....................................................................................4
1.3.1. Home Improvement – “mejoramiento de viviendas”.................................................................4
1.3.2. Health education........................................................................................................................5
1.3.3. Attracting both support and interest with the media.................................................................5
1.3.4. Involving schools........................................................................................................................5
1.3.5. Micro Enterprise Development Project.......................................................................................6
1.3.6. Certified Providers of Improved Cook-stoves..............................................................................6
1.4. Comparison of Traditional, Wood-burning, Solar, and Retained-heat Options........6
2. Wood Burning Cook-Stoves.............................................................................7
2.1. Introduction to wood-burning cook-stoves.....................................................................7

2.1.1. Reducing Exposure to Smoke.....................................................................................................7
2.1.2. Fuel Efficiency.............................................................................................................................8
2.1.3. Design Principles, by Dr. Larry Winiarski....................................................................................9
2.2. Models of Wood Burning Cook-Stoves........................................................................11
2.2.1. Traditional stoves.....................................................................................................................11
2.2.2. Lorena/Malena........................................................................................................................12
2.2.3. “Fogón de Paraguay” with oven..............................................................................................13
2.2.4. Rocket Stove.............................................................................................................................14
3. Solar Cookers.................................................................................................17
3.1 How does a solar cooker work?.....................................................................................17

3.2 What can I cook in a solar cooker?................................................................................17
3.3 Factors that affect speed of cooking..............................................................................18
3.4 Why cook with solar energy?..........................................................................................18
3.5 When and where can I use a solar cooker?.................................................................19
3.6 How hot does a solar cooker get?.................................................................................20
3.6.1. Pasteurization..........................................................................................................................20
3.6.2. Water Disinfection...................................................................................................................20
3.7 Solar Cooker Models........................................................................................................22
3.7.1 Comparison of three types of cookers.......................................................................................22
3.7.2 The Panel Cooker......................................................................................................................23
3.7.3. Parabolic cooker.......................................................................................................................25
3.7.4. The Box Cooker........................................................................................................................26
4. Retained Heat Cooker / “Canasta Térmica”....................................................28
4.1 What is a retained heat cooker?....................................................................................28

4.2 Examples...........................................................................................................................29
4.3. Construction.....................................................................................................................30
4.4. Cooking instructions and tips:........................................................................................30
5. Marketing.....................................................................................................31
5.1 Product: Which model of improved cook-stove to promote.......................................31

5.2. Price...................................................................................................................................31
5.3. Promotion: spread the word!..........................................................................................31
6. Monitoring and Evaluation............................................................................34
6.1. What is Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)?................................................................34

6.2. Why M&E?........................................................................................................................34
6.3. What to Monitor and Evaluate.......................................................................................35
6.4. Gathering Baseline Data................................................................................................35
6.5. Suggestions for M&E......................................................................................................37
6.5.1. Survey based monitoring.........................................................................................................37
6.5.2. Health M&E - Physical based assessment................................................................................37
6.5.3. M&E for fuel savings and efficiency.........................................................................................38
6.5.4. M&E for Micro-enterprise development projects.....................................................................39
About the Authors...................................................................................................41

1. Introduction
Roughly 2.5 billion people, mostly in the developing world, depend on biomass for household
energy for cooking, heating and lighting. The negative consequences of unsustainable use of biomass
are becoming apparent quickly in places like sub-Saharan Africa where desertification is affecting the
lives of millions. In addition to the major environmental problems that are caused by deforestation,
many health problems are caused by exposure to toxic smoke produced by open fires. According to the
World Health Organization, 1.5 million people each year die of respiratory diseases caused by exposure
to indoor air pollution. This number is greater than the total number of people who die of malaria each
year! Reducing dependency on biomass fuels can improve the quality of life for many people in the
developing world and should be a priority when considering development goals.
Solving the problem of dependency on biomass fuels is complicated. Although modern fuels
such as gas and electricity reach more people every year, the population of the developing world is
growing rapidly and it is estimated that by 2030, more than 2.7 billion people will still depend on
biomass to meet their domestic energy needs. It may be many years before the infrastructure needed to
bring modern fuels to rural areas is feasible. So for now, we must focus on strategies to conserve
biomass fuels using a little creativity and a little cooperation.
Four major strategies have been developed for biomass conservation. First, improving
“kitchen management”, such as using pot lids / changing ventilation in the kitchen, to reduce
the amount of fuel required for cooking. Second, more efficient management of biomass fuel,
such as splitting wood and drying the fuel source well, to help increase efficiency. Third,
promoting the use of alternative fuels, such as biogas and solar energy. And last, dissemination
of energy efficient, improved cook-stoves to help reduce dependency on biomass fuels.
Each of the four strategies are touched upon in this manual, while focusing on improved
cook-stoves and solar technologies, as a means to improve the quality of life for the Peace Corps
Volunteer’s community.
This manual provides information for you to plan and implement a sound improved
cook-stoves project. It outlines a variety of models of improved cook-stoves, marketing
strategies, suggestions for monitoring and evaluating the project, and a plethora of informative
resources for volunteers.
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1.1. What is Biomass?

Biomass is any type of combustible organic material that comes from plants or animals, such as fire
wood, animal dung, agricultural waste (e.g. corn husks and cobs), and charcoal. When biomass is burned
as fuel, it releases its potential energy in the form of heat (and smoke and light) that can be used for
cooking or heating the home. Biomass is an important source of fuel in developing nations and its use
has advantages as well as disadvantages:
Advantages of cooking with biomass

 Biomass is relatively inexpensive in comparison to natural gas and petroleum based fuels. In
addition, the appliances that use natural gas, electricity or other modern fuels are expensive.
 It is a renewable source of energy; trees can be planted for firewood production, animal dung
can be collected with relative ease, and agricultural wastes can be used.
 It is available in many places where modern fuel sources are not, such as rural areas.
Disadvantages of cooking with biomass

 Pressure on natural and biological resources:
o In high population density settings, unsustainable use of biomass places excessive
pressure on nearby forests and contributes to deforestation and desertification.
o Severe deforestation and devegetation contributes to the loss of biodiversity and
disrupts natural ecosystem function and balance.
 Time wasted gathering fuel: Where biomass is scarce, people must travel great distances and
spend valuable time foraging for a sufficient supply of fuel. The time spent collecting biomass
for cooking could be spent in more productive ways such as caring for children, studying, income
generating activities, etc.
 Health risks:
o People who burn biomass fuels for cooking risk exposure to high concentrations of
smoke, especially those who cook indoors.
o Burning biomass is a potential burn risk for children.
o Cooking with biomass fuels in open fires is directly linked with respiratory maladies, a
serious cause of death for children less than five years of age. Indoor smoke from
cooking fires leads to childhood pneumonia, responsible for over four million deaths
per year.
o Women who carry their babies on their backs while cooking inadvertently expose the
child to high levels of toxic smoke that can negatively affect the baby's growth and
development.
o A number of illnesses can be attributed to smoke inhalation: low birth weight, nervous
and muscular fatigue, cataracts, cancer, etc.
1.2. Why use improved cook-stoves?

With so much of the world’s population using biomass for their daily household energy needs, it
is imperative that biomass be used efficiently and in a sustainable fashion. Justifying an improved cook-
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stoves project is easy! Here are some of the ways improved cook-stoves benefit families and
communities:*
Health
 Improved cookers can cut back indoor smoke levels up to 90%
 Improved cook-stoves prevent soot build-up in the lungs and the home.
 Burn risk is reduced when fire is contained safely in an improved cook-stove.
 Carbon monoxide and particulate matter inhalation is minimized, thus reducing respiratory
disease associated with polluted indoor air as well as eye infections.
 Serious respiratory diseases such as pneumonia will be reduced if levels of indoor air pollution
are minimized.
 Improved cook-stoves are usually constructed at waist level, reducing the risk of falling into an
open fire.
Environmental
 Improved cook-stoves use up to 80% less biomass than traditional cookers (e.g. open fires); Solar
Cookers use absolutely none!
 Where biomass is scarce, efficient cooking practices reduce pressure on forests and other
sources for biomass.
 Improved cookers emit less greenhouse gases than traditional cookers.
 Efficient cooking means less time gathering biomass fuel, especially if it’s found far from the
home, and more free time for other activities.
 Surplus biomass can be used in agricultural practices to improve soil fertility, e.g. composting
and tilling.
 Improved combustion chambers reduce smoke output significantly and solar cookers emit
nothing.
 Reduced human pressure on natural ecosystems helps protect species diversity and abundance.
Social/Economic/Gender
 Women involved in making household fuel and energy decisions are empowered, thus
promoting gender equality.
 Cleaner air in the home benefits the health of new mothers and promotes healthy child
development.
 Less exposure to indoor air pollution helps prevent health complications for pregnant women
and the developing embryo, including stillbirth and low birth weight.
 Time and energy spent caring for sick family members is reduced while cutting health costs and
increasing household income capacity.
 The family can save money by buying less fuel in cases where biomass is purchased.
 Children will have more time to attend classes and other extra curricular activities if they spend
less time collecting biomass fuel.
 An improved cookers project could be a potential micro-enterprise opportunity:
 Manufacturing, assembly, education and training, promotion
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 Train women and they will become entrepreneurs, gaining status in the community, and
self-confidence.
*These benefits, while likely, are not guaranteed. Some may not be considered a priority or, for that
matter, even perceived by users.
1.3. Creative suggestions for projects
If you decide to undertake an improved cook stoves project as a Volunteer, at the least, include the
following steps:
 Educate yourself about improved cook stoves and experiences with different types in Bolivia
(successes and challenges). It’s also a good idea for you to begin using one or more models
yourself to gain experience.
 Conduct a simple diagnostic to answer at least:
o What are current practices?
o What are current felt needs?
o Is there any measurable health, environmental, or time consumption baseline
information that can be gathered (see chapter on monitoring and evaluation)?
o Which partners and programs does it make sense to work with, both programmatically
and based on demonstrated interest?
 Plan your approach, WITH at least one Bolivian partner organization or institution
 Implement your project
 Train Local Artisans; Involve local artisans, carpenters, brick-layers, or welders in the project.
Once they know how to design and build improved cook-stoves and have seen the potential
market for such products, they can reproduce the improved cook-stoves in other homes.
Training locals to make or maintain the stoves can provide a new source of income and ensure
greater sustainability of the project.
 Monitor your progress
 Evaluate your results
This section provides a few creative suggestions for designing an improved cook-stoves project as you
consider alternative partners you may work with and approaches you may take. The main objectives of
the project as well as potential counterparts vary in each scenario.
1.3.1. Home Improvement – “mejoramiento de viviendas”

Home improvement projects in Bolivia often focus on family health as an indicator of quality of
life. For example, the organization PASOC (Pastoral Social Caritas), based in the Department of Santa
Cruz, has recently been integrating education on improved cook-stoves in their project for
“Mejoramiento de Viviendas”. The project initially focused on plastering ceilings and adding screens to
windows in order to avoid Vinchuchas and Mosquitoes, which are vectors for Chagas disease and
Malaria, respectively. PASOC hopes to decrease the incidence of acute respiratory diseases among the
participants of the educational programs by encouraging the installation of chimneys in homes.
Working within the framework of an existing project may facilitate the project for volunteers and affords
them an opportunity to make essential contacts with people/organizations that are active in the
community.
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1.3.2. Health education

Level 1 public health facilities (micro-hospitals located in rural areas) are often required to
develop an extension program for community education. The programs include classes, workshops, or
demonstrations in local fairs on the most urgent health issues in an area, such as nutrition, prenatal care,
childhood morbidity from indoor air pollution exposure, and proper water-treatment procedures.
Decreasing the level of exposure of women and children to indoor air pollution, and thus respiratory
diseases like pneumonia, may be a big priority for the community, a topic which should be investigated
during the process of completing a community diagnosis. A volunteer could create an outreach program
for improved cook-stoves through a local medical facility that focuses on educating community members
on the health benefits of reducing their exposure to indoor air pollution. The volunteer should ensure
that a community member, possibly someone who works directly within the health institution, is trained
as an expert in the construction, operation, and maintenance of the new model of cook-stove.
1.3.3. Attracting both support and interest with the media

Ever wanted to be the star of a telenovela? Meagan Leatherbury, of the fantastic group B-41,
found her 15 minutes of fame during campaign for Cocinas Mejoradas in Boyuibe, Santa Cruz. She found
the local radio and television stations to be extremely helpful for advertising cooker demonstrations, as
well as notifying the beneficiaries of payment deadlines. As a result of the enthusiastic interest shown
during the demonstrations by the community, the local government decided to get involved and
subsidize the wood-burning stoves and solar cookers promoted during the project. In total, 150 cookers
were installed in Meagan’s site, including 2 institutional cookers which are currently being used for the
school lunch program. Clearly, the use of the radio and
TV allowed Meagan’s project to reach as many people
as possible, as well as facilitating communication with
such a large group of beneficiaries.
Photo: Institutional-size ecological stove being used in the
school breakfast program of the High School Dr. Ruben
Terrazas. Photo by Meagan Leatherbury
Media sources like radio and television are a
great way to reach a lot of people, for minimum cost. A
volunteer could play videos of people showing off their
new cook-stoves, have a weekly program on a radio
station to discuss new cooking technologies and ways to
save fuel, or even write a script for a socio-drama. The volunteer could be the star or discover local
talent for acting (teenagers love to be the center of attention!). If the community has a local newspaper
or periodical, the volunteer could consider submitting articles. Take advantage of media sources. The
most important part of the initial stage of an improved cook-stoves project is to get the word out and to
get the community TALKING about it. Remember, volunteers must ask their APCD for approval before
putting anything on the air and refer to the volunteer handbook for the official rules and regulations!
1.3.4. Involving schools

Schools in Bolivia are currently participating in a government sponsored program for school
breakfast and lunches. They receive dried goods such as beans, flour, rice, pasta, and sometimes
powdered milk and the students or the schools contribute the fresh ingredients, such as meat and
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vegetables. In rural areas, schools often do not have sufficient funds to hire an employee to cook the
meals so parents take turns preparing the food for the students. Installing an improved cook-stove, such
as a solar oven, will help the school save money on fuel which can be used to purchase healthier
ingredients for meals. The volunteer will have to train the parents how to use the new cook-stove, giving
them the opportunity to give the new technology a “test drive” before deciding whether or not they
would like to install one in their own home. The new stove can also be used as an educational tool for
centering a discussion about environmental issues, such as deforestation or erosion, or health issues
such as proper water-treatment since solar cookers are useful for pasteurization of milk and water.
Children who participate in activities with the new stove or oven will go home and talk to their parents
about what they did in school helping to spread the word about the project.
1.3.5. Micro Enterprise Development Project

A great way to implement an improved kitchens project is to approach it as a micro-enterprise
development project. Training carpenters or brick layers to build and install improved cook-stoves can
diversify their skills and create a new source of income for local professionals. This way of approaching
the project is beneficial for a few reasons. First, it ensures that the project is truly “owned by the
community”. Locals will decide by themselves exactly how to implement the project because after
completing the training, they carry forth the responsibility of managing the construction or sale of the
improved cook-stoves. Second, it ensures greater sustainability of the project because the project
focuses on capacity building for local professionals and is not dependant upon outside sources of
income. In addition to training the local professionals, the volunteer should also create a promotion
campaign to ensure there is a larger demand for the new cook-stoves. Education about the
environmental and health benefits of improved cook-stoves will encourage community members to
participate. For more information on how to create a successful ad campaign, please refer to the
chapter on Marketing in this manual.
1.3.6. Certified Providers of Improved Cook-stoves

Although your mother probably told you that you can do anything, it may be wiser to bring in an
expert if you want to train local professionals in an area where you yourself are not a professional.
Many NGOs and businesses that produce rocket stoves and solar ovens already exist in Bolivia. You can
find their contact information in the last chapter of the manual, titled “Resources”. Use them, because
they would probably love to work with motivated and reliable partners like Peace Corps Volunteers.
Some of them will even host their own workshops where beneficiaries construct their own improved
cook-stove. If you are worried about your technical capabilities having never built an improved cook-
stove, then take advantage of the experience these organizations already earned.
1.4. Comparison of Traditional, Wood-burning, Solar, and Retained-heat

Options
The following table provides a brief summary of the information detailed in the following three chapters,
comparing the options on a general scale. Within the chapters, alternative models of these categories of
cook stoves are presented and compared.
Type of cook Traditional Improved, Solar Retained heat
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stove wood-burning
Basic concept Burns biomass at low Burns biomass at high Concentrates solar Previously heated foods
efficiency efficiency energy are insulated to keep
cooking.
Biomass use Varies from place to place Reduced by 50%-75% NONE! When combined with
biomass, reduce 40% or
so, with solar allows
continued cooking after
peak solar hours.
Health Cause of 1.6 million deaths Reduces exposure to No smoke! No smoke!
globally per year due to smoke. No burn risk! No burn risk!
respiratory infections, Reduces burn risks.
Burn risk highest,
Other health risks
Time Time spent gathering fuel Reduces time spent No fuel gathering time. No fuel gathering time.
varies. gathering fuel. Cooking time Cooking time increases
approximately doubles. by 40%.
Environment Deforestation, maximum Reduced deforestation, No impacts. No impacts.
greenhouse gas emission, greenhouse gas
particulate pollution emission and
particulates
Special Many ICS burn hotter Efficiency varies with Must be used in
considerations* and quicker—so weather and time of day. combination with solar or
without proper training other fuel.
can increase biomass
use.
*For all improved types: an ICS often requires some amount of training to be used optimally. Without training, cooking behavior
can neutralize any benefits.
2. Wood Burning Cook-Stoves
2.1. Introduction to wood-burning cook-stoves
The materials one uses to construct improved cook-stoves vary

according to what is available and affordable. In addition to a variety of Key terms
materials, much of the design of each cook-stove will be dependant upon Combustion = rapid
the creativity of the designer and the builder because each kitchen is oxidation or burning of
a substance
unique as well as each chef. Two characteristics should be common
Fuel Efficiency = the % of
among all improved cook-stoves, despite their individuality: 1) they the fuel’s energy that is
should reduce the chef’s exposure to toxic smoke and 2) they should be actually used to heat
fuel-efficient. Once the designer and the builder know the most the food or water.
important concepts of stove design, achieving these two goals is simple. Boundary layer = the thin
layer of air immediately
adjacent to the pot
surface
Pyrophilia = the love of
fire
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2.1.1. Reducing Exposure to Smoke

Installing a chimney on a stove is the first step to reducing the amount of smoke in the home or
in the cooking area. Even if the stove is located outside, adding a chimney could improve combustion by
creating better ventilation. The designs for wood burning cook-stoves provided in this manual offer
some good suggestions and techniques for installing a chimney on an improved cook-stove.
Photo Source: www.bioenergylists.org
Improving the combustion of the stove also reduces the amount of toxic gasses and smoke produced by
the fire. Smoke is produced when fuel is only partially burned. Hot fires with lots of oxygen available
produce less toxic gasses because the fuel is being completely burned. Keep reading to learn how to
clean up the fire so it produces very little smoke.
Combustion of Methane
CH4 + 2O2  CO2 + H2O + Energy
One Methane (CH4) combines with two Oxygen

(2O2) molecules to produce Carbon Dioxide (CO 2),
water (H2O) and ENERGY. The energy released
during this reaction is in the form of light and
heat, which can be used to do work like cooking,
heating the home, or lighting.
2.1.2. Fuel Efficiency

To increase the efficiency of the cooking process, the stove designer must work for towards two
objectives: good combustion and improving heat transfer from the fire to the pot.
“Good combustion” means that the maximum amount of potential energy inside the wood is
being released. Combustible gasses are released from the fuel as it gets hotter. When these gasses are
burned, they give off energy in the form of heat and light into the surroundings. In order for these
gasses to burn, the fire must reach high temperatures. Traditional stoves and three stone fires are often
too open and drafty to allow the fire to get hot enough to reach these critical temperatures. In order to
completely burn all the gasses released from the fuel, the fire must be very hot and it must have a
sufficient supply of oxygen.
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An improved stove design will also increase the amount

of energy absorbed by the pot. Heat transfer efficiency
is the percentage of energy (heat) released from the
burning fuel that is absorbed by the food or water. The
remainder escapes into the surrounding air or is
absorbed by the stove body material (mud, brick, etc.).
Greater heat transfer efficiency means less fuel is
wasted.
From decades of experience and laboratory

tests, Dr. Larry Winiarski has developed design principles
to create successful stoves. These design principles,
when applied, maximize the temperature of the fire,
increase the oxygen flow inside the combustion chamber and ultimately increase heat transfer to the
pot.
2.1.3. Design Principles, by Dr. Larry Winiarski
1. “Whenever possible, insulate the fire using lightweight, heat resistant materials.”
Materials such as clay or sand absorb considerable
energy that could be used to heat the pot instead. Refractory
bricks, which can withstand very high temperatures without
cracking, are available in most commercial oven stores
throughout Bolivia. Insulation can also be made from materials
such as pumice rock, vermiculite, and wood ash. Harmful
emissions and smoke are reduced because the insulation
allows the fire to get very hot. Insulation also increases
efficiency because less heat is lost to the stove body. Photo:
David Perez
2. “Place a short chimney right above the fire.”

This space between the fire and the bottom of the pot helps ventilate the fire, pulling in air,
providing it with essential oxygen. The height of the chimney should be about three times the diameter
of the burn chamber. Insulation around this space is recommended to maximize the amount of heat
from the fire that reaches the pot.
3. “Heat and burn the tips of the sticks as they enter the fire.”
Burning only the tips of the stick ensures that no parts of the fuel are smoldering, creating lots of
smoke and charcoal. Smoke and charcoal are essentially wasted fuel.
4. “High and low heat are created by how many sticks are pushed into the fire”
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It is always advisable to chop wood into long, thin pieces. Sticks that are about 4 or 5 cm in
diameter will burn much more efficiently than a large log 10 cm wide. To get a very hot fire, add more
sticks to the flame instead of adding larger pieces of wood.
5. “Too little draft being pulled into the fire will result in
smoke and excess charcoal.”
Good combustion requires oxygen. When the fire
doesn’t have the oxygen it needs, some of the gasses from
the fuel remain unburned and smoke is created. Balanced
the air flow can be accomplished with dampers, the
proper dimensions for gaps around pots, air intakes, and
chimneys. Likewise, stoves that are too drafty pull in too
much cold air, reducing the transfer of heat to the pot.
The photo of the fire on the right is too open, and will not
efficiently transfer the heat of the fire to the cauldron.
Photo: H. Gerling
6. “The sizes of the opening into the fire, the spaces within the stove through which hot air flows, and
the chimney should all be about the same size.” The goal is to maintain a constant cross-sectional area,
which helps keep good draft throughout the stove. As a general rule, a door into the fire with a square
opening of 12 cm per side and equally sized chimney and tunnels in the stove will result in a fire suited
to family cooking. If the stove needs to be more powerful, as in the case with commercial cooking, a
larger opening, tunnels and chimney should be used.
7. “Use a grate under the fire.”

Elevating the firewood that is burning with a grate will
improve combustion efficiency and create a draft that pushes the hot
gasses up towards the pot. If air enters from above the fire, it will cool
the flame and decrease heat transfer to the pot. Burning sticks that
are sitting on the floor of the combustion chamber do not receive
enough oxygen. Ideally, the sticks should sit elevated on a shelf so
that new air is introduced into the burn chamber from underneath the wood, heating it as it moves
inside, then passes up through the fire and towards the pot. Photo: H. Gerling
8. “Maximize heat transfer to the pot with proper sized gaps.”

Heat transfer to the pot is maximized by forcing the hot air gases to squeeze under and around
the pot. If the spaces around the pot are too large, heat is wasted. The spaces under and around the
pot can be optimized based on the pot size to use. Dr. Winiarski and Dr. Sam Baldwin have calculated
the most effective gap sizes according to the size of the pot and the amount of firepower required.
Source: “Design Principles of Wood Burning Cook Stoves”
2.2. Models of Wood Burning Cook-Stoves
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The following sections describe different models of wood-burning stoves, from the least to the most
efficient. These are also compared in the following table.
Least efficient................................................................................... Most efficient
Type of wood- Traditional Fogón de

Lorena / Malena Rocket
burning stove Paraguay
Smoke Highest Significantly reduced Significantly Significantly reduced
exposure reduced
Burn risk Highest Significantly reduced Significantly Significantly reduced
reduced
Fuel efficiency Lowest 20-60% less fuel than traditional less fuel than Most efficient:
traditional (no test More than 50% less
results available) fuel than traditional
Cost $0 Low High Medium
Other Simple, local Local materials, user-built Durable. Durable.
advantages materials Has an oven or Easy to use/maintain
warming box. User Pre-made parts of
built (skills the stove can be
required) purchased from
certified providers.
User built (skills
required)
Other Durability issues: cracks and maintenance. Some materials
disadvantages Depending on local soil type, efficiency (refractory bricks)
varies greatly. may not be found
locally
2.2.1. Traditional stoves

The traditional stoves most used in Bolivia are the
three stone stove and the K’oncha (traditional mud stove).
The three stone, obviously the most rustic stove design is
composed of three stones to support a pot. The wood or
biomass fuel rests on the floor. The K’oncha, as shown on
the right, has walls of mud which are sometimes molded
out of adobe bricks. Although the fire is a little bit more
guarded from the wind, the K’oncha is still very inefficient.
The stove body is made of mud, which absorbs a lot of
energy from the fire which otherwise would be used to
heat the pot. The flow of air is not regulated and
typically, large chunks or branches of wood are put into
the fire. Traditional stoves are open and drafty, creating a
cool burn and subsequently, lots of smoke and charcoal. The situation can only get better.
2.2.2. Lorena/Malena
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Concept
The Cocina Lorena was developed a few
decades ago in response to the increasing
demand and the decreasing supply of fuel for
household energy. The objective was to design
a stove that could be made for as little money
as possible which would require less fuel and
help users avoid smoke inhalation. After years
of testing, the design has been improved upon,
warranting the new name: Cocina Malena. The
most notable improvement to the Malena is
that the interior of the stove body is lined with
insulation made from a mud mixture. GTZ
posted a manual for construction which boasts
“fuel savings of 50% – 60% when compared to
a traditional open three stone stove.”
Photo source: Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development,
Energy Advisory Project
Special Considerations:
Experience in Bolivia has found two trends that should be taken into account prior to selecting
this option:
1. These stoves tend not to be very durable; mud cracks and stove top need to be repaired more
frequently than metal stove tops.
2. Efficiency varies greatly according to local soil type (some cases, efficiency may not improve
much from traditional stove). Pilot stove should be constructed, and then tested using Water
Boiling Tests suggested in the chapter Monitoring and Evaluation of this manual.
Construction basics
The Lorena/Malena stove is built on top of a mud or brick
base. The fuel magazine is smaller than a traditional stove, 12-15 cm in
diameter, and the fuel rests upon a shelf to improve air intake. The
interior surfaces of the stove are covered with insulation made from a
mud mixture. The pots sit upon pot supports sunken into the stove
body, improving heat transfer efficiency as the hot flue gasses pass by.
The air is drawn by all sides of the pots and exits the kitchen through
the chimney. Photo source: Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Energy Advisory
Project
2.2.3. “Fogón de
Paraguay” with
oven
Concept
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The fogón de Paraguay is an improved cook-stove made of bricks, a mud mixture, a metal stove
top (plancha), and a metal box which functions as an oven for baking. This design is known for its
longevity and durability as well as the ease of use because it resembles traditional stoves of Bolivia. In
the stove featured in the photo below, the fuel is loaded from the left under the stove top. The burning
tips of the wood sit on top of a grate made by thin bricks (not shown in photo) to improve the flow of air
through the fire. Air passes through the fire, passes the oven chamber, exiting the house through the
chimney. The oven box is heated by the flue gasses as they travel up to the chimney.
Special Considerations
Note that building the stove requires a lot of bricks as well as a metal for stove top and oven box.
Also, this stove is not very efficient. However, the builder can alter the design of the fogón to implement
to Dr Winiarski’s design principles, which may help improve combustion. For instance, add a shelf to
elevate the firewood.
2.2.4. Rocket Stove
Concept
The rocket stove is currently the most powerful and efficient design for wood burning stoves. It
is designed according to all recommendations by Dr. Larry Winiarski and Dr. Sam Baldwin. The rocket
stove is very efficient because much attention is paid to insulating the burn chamber and the specific
dimensions of each component.
Features common to all types of rocket stoves are:

1. Chimneys
2. Sunken pot supports (the pot sits inside the stove body so the sides of the pot are heated)
3. Pot skirts
4. Air entrance is below the fuel shelf
5. Burning fuel rests on a grate in the burn chamber
6. Lightweight insulation separating the burn chamber from the stove body
7. And all have a short, insulated chimney right below the pot.
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Four types of rocket stoves are illustrated below:
Photos:
a) Top left: Rocket Stove by Energético, cylindrical molded ceramic fuel magazine and burn chamber, one
pot capacity. Ash insulation, stove body made of mud mixture, chimney of sheet metal.
b) Top right: Rocket Stove by CEDESOL, molded refractory brick fuel magazine and burn chambers, two
pot capacity, recommended 30 L pots or smaller. Stove body and chimney (not shown) of sheet metal
c) Bottom left: Industrial size rocket stove, standard refractory brick fuel magazine and burn chamber,
one pot capacity, up to 100 L capacity. The insulation is porous ceramic material with a stove body of 2
mm sheet metal.
d) Bottom right: Rocket stove by PCVs in Saipina, standard refractory fuel magazine and burn chamber,
one pot capacity, ash insulation, with a stove body of regular bricks. Chimney is made of recycled metal
pieces.
Certified Providers
In Bolivia, there are a number of organizations that make rocket stoves and volunteers may
choose to coordinate with the organizations to provide the stoves. There are many benefits to working
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with these organizations. First, they have a wealth of experience working in the field and can offer many
helpful insights into the project the volunteer would like to do in their site. Second, they have created
stoves that are well made and tested extensively. If the volunteer and their community decide that
rocket stoves are the proper stove to promote during the project, buying pre-made parts to the stoves
from certified providers is a recommendable choice. The community knows exactly what they will
receive when they buy from certified providers with regard to stove efficiency and the quality of the
materials. If the cost of the rocket stove is an issue for community members, consider searching for
partial funding from the local municipality or from an external funding source such as Peace Corps
Partner Ship Projects.
3. Solar Cookers
Humans have awed at the sun for its intense power
and ability to provide energy essential to life for thousands
of years. Many ancient religions made the sun or the sun
gods the center of their worship. Temples were built in
accordance to the movement of the sun and changes in
shadows from season to season, and ancient cultures such
as the Mayans, Egyptians, and the Chinese tracked its
movement in elaborate calendars. Today, people are just
starting to discover ways to capture the power of the sun
for practical uses. As the ultimate renewable, clean energy
source, solar power can be an integral part of improving the
sustainability of household energy use in developed and
developing nations.
(photo: box solar cooker, by H. Gerling)
3.1 How does a solar cooker work?

Solar cookers work by capturing and concentrating
the energy of the sun to cook food. The sun’s energy enters
the atmosphere in the form of light and is converted to heat
when it is absorbed by dark surfaces such as a dark pot or
pan. Solar cookers use reflective panels and/or insulation to collect the sun’s energy and focus it on the
vessel containing the food. The temperature of the vessel gradually increases enough to cook the food
inside. Keep reading to learn about a variety of models of solar cookers, as each type works a little
differently.
3.2 What can I cook in a solar cooker?

Almost any type of food can be prepared in a solar cooker, aside from food which is fried or
sautéed. Below is a list of foods and the time it takes to cook them.
Time to cook Type of food

Quick: 1-2 hours Fish, chicken, egg-and-cheese dishes, above-
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ground vegetables, fruit, white rice, cake

Medium: 3-4 hours Bread, root vegetables, lentils, most meat, brown
rice, soaked beans
Slow: 5-8 hours Large roasts, soups and stews in large pots, un-
soaked beans
Recipes and cooking techniques can be modified in order to decrease the time needed to cook the
slower foods. The following is a list of suggestions:
 Cut food into smaller pieces. Cut up chicken into small pieces, slice meat thinly, and chop
potatoes or yucca into pieces to ensure fast, even cooking.
 Use dark-colored pots – pots blackened by soot or water-soluble paint work the best
 Use lids on pots
 Two smaller pots will cook faster than one large pot.
 Reduce the quantity of water in the recipe. For instance, reduce the quantity of water to
cook rice by 25%. Chop up potatoes or yucca and place them in a pot with only 2-4 cm of
water.
 Steam vegetables instead of boiling them.
 Adjust the position of the cooker frequently to track the movement of the sun across the
sky.
 For a large pot of soup, bring the water to a boil on a traditional stove, then place it in the
solar cooker.
 For more suggestions or recipes, see Resources section of the manual.
3.3 Factors that affect speed of cooking
Factor Fast cooking Slow cooking

Weather Full sun Partially cloudy or hazy
No wind Windy
Equipment Frequent adjustments of the solar cooker to track the Rarely adjust the solar oven
movement of the sun
Thin metal pots Thick metal pots

Black pots Silver colored pots
Pot with snug-fitting lid No lid on the pot
Food in small pots Food in one large pot
Sun’s Angle if your shadow is shorter than your height if your shadow is longer than your height
in the sky Between 10 am and 3 pm Before 10 am and after 3 pm
Low latitude location High latitude location
During the summer (when sun is most directly above During the winter (when sun is lowest in
during midday) the sky during midday)
Cooking Reduced quantity of water for potatoes, tubers, and Large quantity of water (food completely
techniques vegetables (2-4 centimeters of water) submerged)
Food chopped into smaller pieces Food in large chunks
3.4 Why cook with solar energy?
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The sun is a simple, powerful, renewable energy source that is easy to capture. Solar cookers can
improve the lives of the men, women, and children that use them, reduce negative human impact on the
environment, help out local economies, improve community health, and much more. Solar Cookers
International has an extensive list of why solar cookers are fabulous. A few key reasons from this list,
which have not been previously mentioned in this document, are included below:
 With good sunlight, solar cookers can be used to cook food or pasteurize water during
emergencies when other fuels and power sources may not be available.
 Moderate cooking temperatures in simple solar cookers help preserve nutrients.
 At moderate solar cooking temperatures food doesn't need to be stirred and won't burn — food
can simply be placed in a solar cooker and left to cook, unattended, for several hours while other
activities are pursued. In the right circumstances it is possible to put a solar cooker out in the
morning and return home in the late afternoon to a hot meal ready to eat.
 Pots used for solar cooking are easy to clean — a fact especially valuable for women who must
walk many kilometers to collect water.
 Many solar cookers are portable, allowing for solar cooking at work sites or while pursuing
outdoor activities like picnics, trekking or camping.
 Many solar cookers can be used to disinfect dry medical supplies such as medical instruments,
bandages and other cloth materials, as well as to heat compresses.
 Preventable waterborne diseases are responsible for 80% of all illnesses and deaths in the
developing world. Solar cookers can be used at the household level to pasteurize water and milk,
making them safe to drink. A Water Pasteurization Indicator (WAPI) can be used with a solar
cooker (or traditional cooking apparatus) to determine whether water has been sufficiently
heated to be safe to drink.
 Solar cookers can be used by businesses for uses such as:
o Sanitizing dishes and utensils.
o Extracting wax from honeycombs.
o Dying fabrics.
o Pasteurizing potting soil.
Source: www.solarcookers.org Solar Cookers International, 2006.
3.5 When and where can I use a solar cooker?

The best time of day for using the solar cooker is during the middle of the day, when the sun’s
angle is the highest. An easy indicator is the length of your shadow: your shadow shouldn’t be longer
than your height. Between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., the cooker is fastest. The cooker
should be located in a place that has direct sun for at least four hours between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
There are several factors which affect the performance of solar cookers. First, latitude is
important. Fortunately, Bolivia is very close to the equator so solar cooker can be used almost year
round. Prime days for solar cooking diminish as you go farther away from the equator because the sun is
not high enough during mid-day in the winter. For instance, if you lived in Denver, which is at
approximately 40 degrees latitude, you can use your cooker for about 150 days of the year. But if you
live in Mexico City, you have about 220 days of prime solar cooking. The chart below describes the
number of prime solar cooking days per year with respect to latitude.
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The amount of solar radiation that reaches the ground in your area is another factor that affects the
performance of solar cookers. Haze and cloud cover, referred to as insolation, decrease the number of
prime solar cooking days. Solar cooking in most practical in regions of the world where insolation is the
lowest. In Bolivia, the amount of insolation varies greatly between the wet and dry season. Altitude is
also a factor that affects the performance of solar cookers. Locations at high altitude receive more solar
radiation than lower altitudes.
3.6 How hot does a solar cooker get?

One common concern is whether or not solar
cookers reach temperatures hot enough to kill
harmful pathogens in the water or on the food. Most
solar cookers reach temperatures exceeding the
point of pasteurization. Food and liquids are
pasteurized when the temperature is maintained
above 150o F (65o C) for more than 15 minutes.
Bacterial growth is greatest between 125 o and 50 o F
(10 o and 52 o C) so food should not be left in the
cooker for more than three or for hours after the sun
has left the cooker.
Photo Source: “Solar Cookers: How to Make, Use
and Enjoy” By SCI
3.6.1. Pasteurization
Invented by the French scientist, Louis Pasteur in 1862, pasteurization is a process of treating
liquids like water or milk with heat to kill pathogens, harmful microorganisms that cause illness in
humans. Heating liquids to 65 degrees Celsius (149 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes is enough to kill
99.999% of the harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites that thrive in contaminated drinking water or
milk.
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Pathogen Killed Rapidly At
Parasites: Worms, Protozoa cysts

55°C (131°F)
(Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba)
Bacteria: Cholera (V. cholerae) E. coli,

60°C (140°F)
Shigella, Salmonella typhi, Rotavirus
Hepatitis A virus 65°C (149°F)

Chart describes the temperatures at which certain pathogens are eliminated by 99.999% from a
liquid if maintained at the specified temperature for 15 minutes or more. Source: Center for Disease
Control
3.6.2. Water Disinfection

Safe drinking water is a vital concern in the developing world. According to the World Health
Organization, over 1.3 billion people worldwide do not have access to a secure water source (including a
few Peace Corps Volunteers). Gastrointestinal diseases are a major cause of death for infants and
children under five years old, a greater threat than all other types of disease. Sadly, these deaths could
be prevented with proper treatment of drinking water. Educational programs on pasteurization and
other methods of water treatment as well as a reduction in fuel scarcity could lower the mortality rate of
children in the developing world significantly. Integrating health
education into an improved cook-stoves project might improve the health
of the community if there is no municipal water treatment available.
Reducing fuel scarcity facilitates water treatment in the house, therefore
the volunteer should supply the beneficiaries with information on the how
to pasteurize water and why it is important to drink water that has been
treated.
The WAPI (Water Pasteurization Indicator) is a great tool for
promoting water pasteurization. It’s a simple, low cost device that
contains soy wax which melts when the water has reached pasteurization
temperatures, indicating when the water is safe to drink. For more
information on the WAPI, go to the Solar Cookers International website
www.solarcookers.org.
WAPI from Solar Cookers International
Parabolic solar cookers reach the highest temperatures. They are the most powerful and can
sometimes even be used to fry food in low temp oils such as canola or rapeseed oils. The model
suggested in the AMSI Construction manual can reach temperatures of 198 o C, and boils one liter of
water in 8 to 10 minutes during midday. (Source: AMSI technical data.htm)
The specifications of box cookers very between building materials greatly, but as long as
sufficient insulation is used, and the area of the top is large enough, the box will get hot enough to
simmer water and bake bread well.
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3.7 Solar Cooker Models

Many designs for solar cookers exist and with a little creativity, we encourage you to improve
upon the models suggested in this manual. There are three basic solar cooking design concepts: the
panel cooker, the box cooker, the parabolic cooker. All models use the same principal which is to reflect
or focus sunlight on the food, collecting as much energy as possible, building up the temperature of the
food gradually. Then, insulation around the food vessel allows the cooker to accumulate a great amount
of heat, and thus cook the food. The size of the reflective panels and the quality of insulation vary per
model as do their ability to cook food rapidly.
3.7.1 Comparison of three types of cookers

The three models outlined in this chapter differ from one other in a number of important ways.
This chart compares selected characteristics of the three basic types of solar cookers.
Panel Cooker Box Cooker Parabolic Cooker

Power or cooking speed Slow Medium to fast Fast
Cost Low Medium – high High
Durability Low Medium High
Portability Very Semi Semi
Tools or equipment No tools necessary Saw, screwdriver, Soldering/welding
required paintbrushes, hammer, ruler, equipment, drill, riveter,
Skills required for None Basic carpentry Welding
construction
Other advantages Doesn’t need to be  Quickly cooks food  Adjustments to
adjusted to track the  Reaches track movement of the
sun’s movement as temperatures high enough sun can be made less
to sauté or fry foods frequently than the
often as other models,
 Time required for parabolic model
thus it requires less “hard to cook” foods such  Can be used as a
attention while the food as dried beans is retained heat cooker
is cooking. significantly lower because when it is cloudy or at
the pot reaches higher night.
temperatures  Easy to use
 Easy to use and to  No eye protection
maintain needed
 Larger capacity
 Good for cooking
cakes and breads in flat
pans
Other disadvantages Slower cook times than Technical skills (welding Window top is fragile
other models, especially experience) required to build
on windy days. it
Can be hazardous to eyes if
protection is not worn
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3.7.2 The Panel Cooker

The panel cooker is by far the simplest of the three models and can be made from inexpensive
and common materials such as cardboard and tin foil. It functions by reflecting sunlight towards the pot
which is placed inside a heat resistant bag. Light weight and portable, it can be used in the fields or in
the home as well as people who cannot lift or move heavy objects. It is easy to teach others how to
construct it and one can find the materials to build it almost anywhere. It was designed by Roger
Bernard of France and Barbara Kerr of the United States and has been used extensively throughout India
as well as many countries in Africa.
Construction:
Materials:
 Corrugated cardboard (carton board) — 0.9x1.2 meters (3x4 feet)

 Aluminum foil — 0.3x3 meters (1x10 feet), cut into strips as needed
 Glue (nontoxic, water-based, diluted 1:1 with water)
 Paintbrush (the foam type work well)
 Utility knife or similar cutting device
 Pencil, pen or other marking device
 Large ruler or other straight edge
 Wide adhesive tape
Directions:
1. Trace the cut- and fold-lines on to the cardboard like the drawing in the figure on the following
page.
2. Cut out the shape and make the slot holes.
3. To make clean folds, first make an indentation along the fold-lines with a dull utensil like a spoon.
Then fold the cardboard against a strait surface like the edge of a table.
4. Mix the glue with water (1:1 ratio)
5. Paint the one entire side of the cardboard with glue mixture.
6. Roll on the foil or reflective wrapping paper, smoothing it out with your hands.
7. Flex the folds once or twice and set it flat until dry.
8. Trim off extra foil and line the edges of the cardboard with tape to increase its durability.
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Cardboard trace and cut lines for solar panel cooker
Cooking Instructions:
1) Use a dark (painted with water-soluble paint or black from soot)
pot, medium or small sized with a lid. If you wish to cook large
amounts of food, make more than one panel cooker to use at
the same time. Smaller quantities of food cook much faster.
2) Assemble cooker by putting the wings in the slots on the front
flap.
3) Place the pot in a heat resistant bag* and close it with a small
piece of string or wire.
4) Position the cooker towards the sun, and adjust the bottom
panel so that the most sun possible is directed at the pot.
5) Adjust the position of the cooker to follow the movement of the
sun across the sky. If you want the food to cook as fast as possible,
make frequent adjustments.
6) Option: elevate the pot inside the bag by placing it on a few stones
or pieces of wood. A layer of air beneath the pot helps heat the
pot more evenly.
7) Option: some solar chefs choose to wear sun glasses while they
cook to protect their eyes.
To remember: Choose a location that will receive at least 4 hours of sun during the middle of the day
(between 9 am and 3 pm).
*heat traps: Substitution for heat resistant bag:

 Create a frame out of thick wire or metal that
prevents a normal transparent bag from touching
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the pot. Inside the bag, place a few stones or pieces of wood to elevate the pot. See the
illustration on the left.
 An inverted transparent glass bowl (Pyrex bowls work well) on top of
a tray (heat resistant material, such as glass, metal, or china). The
bowl must be big enough to cover the whole pot, sealing the
airspace around it like a bubble.
 Polypropylene bags, Nylon (polyamide) bags, Polyester bags, High-
density polyethylene (HDPE) bags — the crinkly-sounding bags with
handles used to carry goods from stores in many countries, often
bearing the #2 recycle symbol a common type of “oven bag”
 Be inventive: any material that is transparent can be used as a heat trap as long as it can
withstand temperatures of up to 300 o F (150 o C).
Maintenance and care

Panel cookers should be kept in a clean, dry place when not in use. The chef should be careful
not to spill food on the panel cooker and clean up spills quickly. If using a glass bowl or a similar heat
trap, condensation may accumulate on the inside of the trap. Placing something beneath the trap, such
as a metal tray, a larger plate or a piece of wood, will prevent the condensation from collecting on the
bottom of the cooker.
More information
For more information and diagrams please refer to the Solar Cookers International publication titled
“Solar Cookers: How to Make Use and Enjoy.” This is a great source of information which includes photos,
tips, recipes and more. It is included on the web at
www.solarcookers.org.
3.7.3. Parabolic cooker

The parabolic cooker is like a satellite dish with the pot suspended
at the focal point in the center. The large curved or angled panels of
the dish reflect the sunlight at the bottom and sides of the pot,
concentrating lots of light in a small area. The greater the
circumference of the solar cooker is, the more powerful it will be.
This model of cooker can cook food rapidly, and because of its high
temperature capabilities, the parabolic model is often used in
photovoltaic generators.
Photo: AMSI modifications or recomendations.htm
Page 23 of 44
Parabolic Shape and Function

The dish of this solar cooker is, in effect, a three dimensional parabola. Its parabolic shape
allows light to be reflected to one single focal point suspended in the air above the dish. The pot holder
should be in this exact location so that the amount of energy hitting the bottom and/or sides of the pot
is greatest. If the shape of the dish is not parabolic, or if it is built incorrectly, the light will be dispersed
over a greater area instead of a focal point and the solar cooker will not be as powerful. Precision and
accuracy when constructing the solar cooker is important to assure the cooker will be able to reach
maximum temperatures.
According to where the chef lives, the shape of the parabolic dish and thus the focal point can be
adjusted when designing the solar cooker. If the solar cooker will be used in a location that has lots of
wind, the solar cooker will work better if the pot is shielded. In this situation, it would be advisable to
use a deep parabolic shape for the dish.
Construction Resources
Many publications on the construction of parabolic solar cookers are available online.
 The AMSI (Arba Minch Solar Initiative) has published a manual specifically on the construction of
parabolic solar cookers. The model they outline is simple and can be built by anyone with basic
welding skills. They have since also posted updates and suggestions to make it even easier to
perfect the parabolic dish.
 The University of Humboldt has posted an informative webpage about the basics of parabolic
solar cookers and includes photographs of the model graduate students built.
 Solar Cookers International also offers information on parabolic solar cookers and pertinent links.
3.7.4. The Box Cooker
The box cooker is a versatile style of solar cooker that can be designed according to the builder’s budget
and materials available for construction. It consists of an insulated box with a transparent cover. The
energy from the sun enters the top of the box, and the heat accumulates inside the box while insulation
prevents the heat from escaping. The structure of the box can be made from wood, insulated with wool,
and the lid of window glass. This model cooks the food faster than the panel cooker and retains heat
well.
Construction:
The solar box cooker can be made from
cardboard and simple materials. However, it is
recommended that the cooker be made of more
durable materials such as wood when these
materials are available. A guide is available from
ULOG, a German development organization,
which details the construction of a solar box
cooker made with a wooden exterior, a glass top
window fastened to the frame by a hinge, wool
insulation, and an interior box of painted sheet
metal. Step by step instructions are available in
English as well as Spanish from ULOG. Please see
the reference section for websites and contact
information.
Page 24 of 44
Page 25 of 44
4. Retained Heat Cooker / “Canasta Térmica”
4.1 What is a retained heat cooker?
A retained heat cookers is essentially an

insulator for a pot. The retained heat cooker, or
canasta térmica, keeps food in a pot hot
enough to continue cooking the food without
the use of additional fuel.
Making retained heat cookers is a fun activity

that can be done in almost any community with
little or no cost to the participants. Canastas
térmicas keep a pot hot for hours after it is
taken off of a stove or a fire so that the food will
continue to cook. Instead of boiling a pot of
rice or potatoes on a fire for an hour, the chef
only needs to bring the water to a boil and then
place it in the canasta térmica to finish cooking.
This uses a fraction of the fuel used to finish a
dish and it can mean tremendous fuel savings if it is used regularly.
Advantages of the retained heat cooker

 Retained heat cookers save fuel
 Less cooking time with fire means less harmful emissions in the kitchen.
 Cleaning pots and pans is easier since food does not scorch or dry
 Less water is needed for cooking
 Shorter cooking times means the cook is available for other tasks.
 Retained heat cookers are lightweight and can be transported easily.
Page 26 of 44
4.2 Examples
photo: Don O’Neal

ONIL retained heat cooker
by HELPS International
As long as the basic principal is retained, supplies can be changed

according to what is available locally. Insulation does not have to be
sheep's wool, as it is not produced in all areas of Bolivia. It can be
stuffing from pillows, cut up t-shirts, peanut shells, ash, etc. The basket
can be replaced with cardboard, or a wooden box used to transport
tomatoes... Be creative!
On the right is a retained heat cooker is made of a basket, potato bags

and sheep's wool.
The photo on the right is made

from very inexpensive
materials, whereas the photo
on the left costs more to make
and was produced industrially
in Cochabamba. Photos: David
Whitfield/Ruth Saavedra
Above is a photo of a retained
heat cooker made from wood,
sheet metal and insulated with
Styrofoam.
4.3. Construction
Page 27 of 44
Supplies for simple retained heat cooker in Bolivia:

 Two yute bags (large plastic woven bags used to store potatoes or onions)
 3- 5 lbs. wool
 Thick needle and thread
 Large basket (at least 1.5 feet in diameter)
 1 square foot of cardboard or wood
Directions:
1. Pull and stretch the cleaned wool so it's fluffy.
2. Fill one of the yute bags with wool so it's about
1/2 full.
3. Making a pocket in the middle of the wool, like
a sleeping bag, place the other yute bag in the middle of the pocket.
4. Fold the top over and sew the two bags
together.
5. Place wood or cardboard at the bottom of the
inner bag as a base.
6. Place in the basket so it doesn't tip over.
4.4. Cooking instructions and tips:

Bring food to a boil, (rice, soup, potatoes, etc.) When food reaches boiling temperatures, take off the
fire or the stove and place in the retained heat cooker. Some hard foods, such as un-soaked beans and
large pieces of meat in a stew should be boiled longer before removing from the fire or stove. After the
pot is situated securely in the retained heat cooker, fold over the top of the yute bags so that the pot is
completely enveloped. Place a heavy object, like a rock on the top so the bag will not open accidentally.
Let the food finish cooking!
Use less water than normally needed. Reduce the quantity of water used by about 25% for rice. Salt can
also be reduced and must be stirred if added after the food is taken off the fire.
Suggested Cook Times (approximate)
Type of food Time to boil on Time in retained heat Total time

stove cooker
Chicken Stew 20 min 35 min 55 min
Beef Stew 1 hour 50 min 1 hour, 50 min
Vegetable Stew 10 min 30 min 40 min
Creamed Soups 5 min 55 min 1 hour
Rice 8 min 25 min 33 min
Pasta 5 min 20 min 25 min
Potatoes (whole, white) 5 min 1 hour, 20 min 1 hour, 25 min
Beans (unsoaked) 1 hour, 30 min 3 hours 4 hours, 30 min
Page 28 of 44
5. Marketing
This section outlines the 3 P’s of marketing an improved cook-stoves project.
5.1 Product: Which model of improved cook-stove to promote

Doing a community diagnostic and asking as many questions as possible of your beneficiaries is
very important for determining the right type of improved cook-stove to introduce. Chapters 2 and 3 of
this manual provide advice to help you choose the most appropriate models of improved cook-stove to
introduce to your community. No improved cook-stove is perfect and each project will have unique
challenges like any other project so take note of the pros and cons of each model and try to work around
those speed bumps. Combine your knowledge of the goals or expected outcomes of your project with
the capabilities and parameters of the various models to make your decision (of course, WITH your work
partner). You may choose to offer more than one model in the project so that more people may be
included. For instance, you may include the solar box cooker and the “Cocina Malena” and let the
beneficiaries decide which one works best for their lifestyle and financial capabilities.
One major fork in the road is deciding to introduce either solar technology or improved wood
burning stoves. Solar ovens are the most efficient stoves because they require NO biomass at all. Solar
cookers don’t pollute the air, they don’t reduce vegetative cover or cause deforestation, and they are
healthier to the user for a plethora of reasons (see solar section for the complete pro-solar rant).
However, your community may be situated in a valley that is foggy every morning for half the year or
your community-members may not want to change their cooking habits to the extent required by solar
cookers. In another case, the community may believe that cooking with wood adds a certain flavor to
the food that they prefer, and therefore will be reluctant to cook with gas or solar ovens. Asking
questions about cooking habits will hopefully prevent the beneficiaries from acquiring a improved cook-
stove that is no longer used after a while.
What type of outcome is your community looking for and what have they prioritized in their
mission? Do they want to reduce the consumption of biomass? Do they want to improve community
health? Do they want to create local business opportunities or improve home economics? These are all
pertinent questions and should be asked during the decision making process.
5.2. Price
The economic standing of the beneficiaries is one thing to consider since improved cook-stoves
projects require some investment. As stated earlier, it is important to stress that it is an “investment”,
because it is likely that their input will be returned within a short period of time, whether in the form of
time saved or money saved. The goals or expectations set by the community, as well as the willingness
and capability of the community to invest in an improved cook-stoves project should shape your
decisions on which model or models to offer in the project. Preliminary surveys are a good way to
determine the appropriate cost range and type of improved cook-stove.
5.3. Promotion: spread the word!

Ways to promote your project:
 ferias  web
 radio  television
 Slogans  niches
 posters  jingles
 photos  key community members as spokespersons
Page 29 of 44
 commercialize it  ads in local dialect/language
Page 30 of 44
Suggestion: If the volunteer chooses to look for external funding for the project, they should include
the costs of launching an add campaign. Radio and television are an excellent way to reach the
maximum number of people.
Successful advertisement campaigns take these 5 steps into consideration:

1. Exposure: make sure the message reaches the maximum number of people. For instance,
put ads on TV during peak hours when the most people are watching, place posters in high
traffic areas of town, and take advantage of every opportunity to spread the word about the
project.
2. Attention: the ad must grab the attention of the audience so that that message can be
processed and remembered. Once the audience is exposed to the ad, some stimulus must
capture their attention so that the exposure to the ad is not in vain. Trigger stimuli are a
topic of intense research for advertising agencies because exposure does not necessarily
lead to attraction of attention. The following are types of stimuli that attract attention:
a. Involvement: Infer that issue has a degree relevance and pertinence to the audience.
E.g. “…by protecting the soil quality in Vallebonita, WE are ensuring the livelihood of
OUR CHILDREN’s farms.” The audience is involved in the problem and the solution that is
proposed in the advertisement.
b. Need: Infer that the audience has a need for the product. E.g. “…wouldn’t you like to
cook without smoke in the kitchen? Improved cook-stoves are for your health and that
of your children.” Convincing the audience that an improved cook-stove is a necessity
and not a luxury is imperative.
c. Popularity: infer that the audience is not alone in their desire to obtain the product:
“EVERY chef wants one after seeing how clean their kitchen could be”.
d. Appearance: Appeal to the senses: bright colors, music, movement, big letters and
pictures, etc. E.g. A volunteer is participating in a fair in her town. She is demonstrating
how the improved kitchens works by cooking buñuelos, she has posters in the
background with big, bright letters with the name of the stove, as well as music playing
on a portable radio next to the stand.
3. Comprehension and perception: understanding the meaning attached to the message. So
that the message is understood accurately, communication in ads needs to be concise,
simple and direct. If a poster has too much information, the reader is not likely to remember
it all, and is likely to stop reading before he or she receives all of the information the
volunteer wanted to convey. Existing beliefs held by the audience will also affect their
comprehension and perception of the message. One simple way to investigate the existing
perceptions of improved cook-stoves held by the audience is to conduct a survey asking
direct questions about what the audience already knows, what they would like to know, and
other relevant information. (See the chapter “Monitoring and evaluation” for more
information)
4. Yielding/Acceptance: the message must cause a sufficient modification or change in
attitudes and beliefs to lead to a change in behavior. Now that the audience has received
the message and accurately comprehended it, an effective ad will make the audience want
to DO SOMETHING about what the just saw or heard. The ad campaign must include a WAY
for the audience to follow up and be active about their new understanding immediately. For
instance, the volunteer lets people “sign up” for a workshop to construct a canasta térmica
DURING the fair where she is demonstrating it. The audience knows the next step and can
be active with the new knowledge they have gained. This allows the campaign to generate
momentum and make progress. The best behavior change messages take into consideration
the people involved in every aspect of the campaign, and specifically:
a. Target Audience: targeting the appropriate audience is important. Consider which
message you are targeting to men / children / business-owners, etc.
b. Spokes persons: Those who promote your improved cook-stoves project are important.
Influential members of the community who are involved in the project can help you
spread the word and improve the image of the product. For instance, involving
members of the local government in the project may be helpful. They are already
people who have proven their ability to lead, or at least take center stage, so your target
audience may be more inclined to listen to their ideas than those of a regular citizen.
On the other hand, the spokes persons of the campaign must be people who are
perceived as trustworthy.
5. Retention: The last stage is the transfer of the new material to the long-term memory.
Active learning is especially important to ensure the audience remembers the message you
want to convey. Workshops that involve the participants in an active way are much more
effective than a workshop where the participants are dictated new knowledge.
Source: Engel, James F., M.R. Warshaw, T.C. Kinnear; Promotional Strategy: Managing the Marketing
Communications Process, sixth edition. Richard D. Irwin, Inc.; Homewood, IL. 1987
6. Monitoring and Evaluation
6.1. What is Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)?

To “monitor” a project is to ensure that all the proper steps (or “outputs”) are being completed
and report on the progress of the project. Essentially it means, “How is the project going?” This is a tool
that helps us calibrate success to make sure we complete the project as planned, in addition to
identifying possible problems that arise during the execution of the project. “Evaluation” is a
measurement of the impacts obtained by the project, and an assessment of whether the outcome goals
of the project were met. In the case of improved cook stove projects, evaluation helps us to determine
and communicate the health, environmental, and other positive impacts of the project. Monitoring and
Evaluation of pilot projects are especially important, as the results can be used to justify and improve
follow-up projects. This section includes suggestions for use of health factors, potential wood savings,
and stove efficiency as indicators of success of improved cook stove projects.
6.2. Why M&E?

“Monitoring and evaluation should be neither a way of supervising and policing people, nor a
tool for establishing data cemeteries. It should benefit all the interest groups or stakeholders in a
project, most importantly; it can ensure and enhance benefits for the users and producers. It is an
indispensable part of managing a project, and so is of most immediate concern to project managers or
leaders.”
Monitoring and evaluation information may help us to make mid-course corrections. For
example if only the richest people are buying the stoves, the plan may need to be adjusted. Another
example would be monitoring any problems people are having with the stoves, and making appropriate
corrections.
“M&E helps you to understand if and why the
project does or does not achieve the results it is aiming for.
Everyone involved (managers, project staff, the producers,
the distributors, and the users), should recognize that good
M&E serves the project and is not used for controlling
individuals or as an instrument of power. Blaming a
technician for an unsuccessful stove will only cause his/her
resentment. Getting irritated with users because they are not
using an improved stove helps no one, especially since it is
probably the design of the stove which is inadequate. Since the entire project works towards its
objectives, and single individuals are very rarely responsible for failures, M&E would be an
ineffective and expensive way of controlling staff.
M&E involves gathering, analyzing and using selected pieces of information. You, as a
planner, will be in a stronger position, the more reliable information you have. Therefore, you need
to create an atmosphere of trust to encourage your informants to be outspoken. If you give people
cause to be suspicious, they may only tell you the nice things and avoid criticism. M&E is a waste of
resources if it merely produces compliments and flattery.”
Source: HEP 1996, “How to monitor and evaluate BEC projects”
6.3. What to Monitor and Evaluate

The following table summarizes data you will likely want to monitor and evaluate for your
improved cook stove project. We understand that the depth of data and analysis will vary depending on
the size of the project and the sophistication of health personnel in your area.
Monitoring Indicators Evaluation Indicators

Knowledge,  Number of people reached  Baseline KSAs
skills and through ad campaigns/ etc.  KSAs after workshops (household, service
attitudes  Number of people who providers, and masons / etc.)
attend workshops / other events  KSAs after project completion
Cook stove  Costs and budgets  Replication / use of household financial
Installation  Acceptance issues resources to purchase stoves
 Technical issues
Biomass use  Reduction in fuel  Baseline fuel use
consumption  Fuel use after project completion
 Adoption of fuel saving  Water boiling test, before and after
practices  Family cost and/or time savings from reduced
fuel use
Health  Acceptance issues of new  Baseline and after project implementation

technologies respiratory infections / days away from school based
 Adoption of altered cooking on infections / etc.
practices
Time  Behavior modifications  Baseline time spent gathering fuel
 Time use after project completion
Environment  Alterations in resource use,  Baseline deforestation rates
cooking practices  Deforestation rates after project completion
Small See section 6.5.4 See section 6.5.4

Businesses
6.4. Gathering Baseline Data

Baseline data is information about what the situation was like before the project began. By using
baseline data, the volunteer can assess the impact of the project on the community (how the situation
has changed) by comparing data gathered before and after the project. Use the pre-made survey as a
template and modify it according to the needs of your project. The following list is a good starting point
for a diagnostic survey including baseline data:
1. Cooking practices
a. How much fuel is used for cooking
b. Where is the food cooked
c. Frequency and quantity of food cooked
2. Traditional Stoves
a. What type of stoves are traditionally used by the target demographic
b. Fuel efficiency of the traditional stoves
c. Advantages to users (why they prefer to use them)
d. Materials
e. Price
3. Fuel
a. Type of fuel used
b. Availability of fuel
i. where fuel is acquired
ii. Seasonal variance in the availability of fuel
iii. Is there a shortage of fuel
iv. Is the availability of fuel diminishing
c. Time required to obtain sufficient amounts of fuel
4. Economics
a. Who purchased/built the stove currently being used
b. Who controls household expenditures
c. Availability of cash income (seasonal?)
d. Cost of fuels commonly used
e. Income level of target demographic
f. Percent of household income spent on fuel
g. What local industries might benefit from the project
5. Production
a. Potential producers
b. Existence or availability of skilled workers for production
c. Availability of materials
d. Successful existing products similar to the one you intend to promote
e. Whether interest in new cooking products exists
6. Gender/ethnic
a. What are the most common languages spoken by the target demographic
b. Which gender spends time maintaining or building stove
c. Which gender is responsible for gathering fuel
d. Which gender is typically considered the head of the household
e. Which gender is more often in charge of household purchases
f. Work-load of each gender
7. Health
a. Frequency of Acute Lower or Upper Respiratory Illness
b. Duration of sickness
c. Who gets sick
d. Who is exposed to indoor air pollution the most
e. Level of education about the affects of exposure to smoke
6.5. Suggestions for M&E
6.5.1. Survey based monitoring

Surveys are an easy, low cost method of monitoring a project. The following is a list of items the
volunteer may choose to monitor using a survey:
1. How many households know about the campaign?

2. How many cook-stoves have been sold as a result?
3. How many cook-stoves are in use?
a. Those that are not in use, why?
4. Who is buying the stoves (affluent people only)?
5. Is the cost of the cook-stoves appropriate to the target demographic?
6. How and for what the new cook-stoves are being used?
7. What difficulties do the users have with the cook-stoves?
8. How could the design be improved
a. In the opinion of the producers?
b. In the opinion of the users?
c. In the opinion of distributors or other parties involved in the project?
9. What are the challenges to the distribution or promotion of the cook-stoves?
10. Is the production profitable/sustainable?
Monitoring should be applied early in the execution of the project in order to quickly resolve
problems that may hinder the success of the project. If the list of beneficiaries is long, a volunteer may
choose to do a random sampling of beneficiaries in order to be objective about who he or she
interviews.
Social Acceptance Survey

You may choose to conduct a social acceptance survey is to determine how many participants
use the stove, how often they use it, and the impact of the improved cook-stove on the families cooking
practices. Before the installation of improved cook-stoves, baseline data should be gathered. After the
installation of the improved cook-stove, the volunteer should conduct a follow-up survey to determine
cooking habits, fuel consumption, frequency of use of the improved cook-stove, etc.
6.5.2. Health M&E - Physical based assessment

The success of a project can be based upon an improvement in the health of the beneficiaries.
Measurable data on the health of the direct and/or indirect beneficiaries must be gathered before the
execution of the project and at specified intervals during its implementation. In light of the high
incidence of Acute Lower Respiratory Illnesses (ALRI) in families that cook with biomass, one may choose
to use the presence or absence of the symptoms of respiratory illness as markers for measuring success.
Confirmed Cases of Pneumonia as Indicator (most accurate, but not likely feasible for most Volunteers)
If you have the assistance of medical health professionals with access to X-rays, they can conduct
periodic visits to assess participants. The goal is to diagnose the symptoms of Acute Lower Respiratory
Infection (ALRI) and refer those who potentially have pneumonia to a medical clinic. The project should
monitor change in number of cases of pneumonia, and, if available, confirm them by chest X-rays at a
health care facility. This is the most accurate method of monitoring and evaluating the health of the
participating families, however the costs are higher due to the involvement of medical health
professionals.
Other Medical Signs of Respiratory Disease as Indicators

If you have the assistance of medical health professionals but no access to X-rays, the health
professionals can monitor and record the following signs of respiratory problems:
1. Spirometry – amount and speed of Exhalation
2. Wheezing – presence or absence
3. Blood pressure (the tool to measure blood pressure is called a sphygmamanometer)
4. Pulse Oxymetry (amount of oxygen in the blood - % hemoglobin saturated with O 2)
5. Heart rate variability
The medical technicians will need to have been given sufficient training in how to take these
measurements. The obtained data would need to be analyzed or evaluated by a specialized medical
health professional in order to report the results.
Self-Reported Symptoms of Respiratory Disease as Indicators

In the case that there are no medical health professionals or technicians available to perform
tasks required for the previous methods of evaluation, a volunteer can use a questionnaire based
assessment of respiratory disease symptoms. The volunteer, with the assistance of a medical health
professional, should write a questionnaire in order to assess the frequency and duration of symptoms of
respiratory illness. This method is not the most accurate, relying on the memory of the participants, nor
is it a double-blind study. However, it is a very low cost procedure and might be the only viable option
for some volunteers due to the remote location of their site. It is the easiest to complete because it does
not require home visits by medical health professionals or trained technicians, who may be very pressed
for time in their normal day to day activities. The involvement of medical health professional as
consultants, however, is strongly recommended, to assure the survey is thorough and sufficient data can
be gathered to monitor changes in the health of participating families.
Indoor Air Pollution as an Indicator

Indoor air pollution can be measured as a proxy for health measures. Monitor equipment— at
increasingly lower costs—can be useful for rigorous assessments of smoke.
6.5.3. M&E for fuel savings and efficiency

Improved cook-stoves can help beneficiaries use less biomass as a domestic energy source. The
quantity of fuel saved per month, or per time period, as well as other indicators such as improved
efficiency can easily be used to measure success.
Fuel Savings as Indicator

Before the installation of the improved cook-stove the volunteer should ask participating families
to separate the fuel they use to cook with and record the weight. Then, determine the amount of fuel
consumed by weight per time period. For instance, ask the participants to make a large pile of fuel or
wood that will last them more than a week. On the first day, ask them to weigh all the wood in the pile,
then seven days later, weigh the left over fuel. Subtract the initial weight from the final weight to
determine the amount used for one week. After the installation of the improved cook-stove, the
volunteer should repeat the same process with the same participants at one month and four months
after the installation.
To consider:
1. For 2-3 months after the participants acquire a new stove or oven, they may use it very
frequently or less often as they learn how it functions. After that, the novelty of the new
purchase will diminish, the participants will have adjusted and the level of consumption of fuel
will have normalized. To avoid this phenomenon, return to measure the households’ biomass
fuel consumption a few months after the installation.
2. Seasonal variation in fuel consumption: Do participants also use the stove to heat their home in
the winter? Do the types of fuel used vary according to the season due seasonal availability?
Does the type of fuel commonly used vary according to seasonal fluctuations in household
income?
Increased Efficiency as Indicator

There are a number of ways to measure the efficiency of the new cook-stoves. The most commonly
used standardized methods for measuring the efficiency and fuel use for biomass stoves are those
developed by Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA), an NGO focused on third-world development
issues (http://www.vita.org/). They developed three standard tests which can be performed in the
field with minimal equipment:
1. The Water Boiling Test (WBT), to measure stove efficiency (%) or how much fuel is used to boil a
specified amount of water under fixed conditions. The objective is to determine how much heat
is lost to the surroundings when water is heated, comparing the efficiency of the new stove to
the traditional stove. The less heat lost, the more efficient the stove. This test is most effective
in a controlled setting.
2. The Kitchen Performance Test (KPT), to measure how much fuel is used in actual households
when cooking normally over a few days. The amount of wood the family used per day is
calculated in this test. Ideally, volunteers in the field should use this test to compare the wood
consumption in the field (kg per day per household and per-son) of the traditional stove with the
one of the improved stove.
3. The Controlled Cooking Test (CCT), which
serves as a bridge between the KPT and
WBT. A trained local prepares pre-
determined meals in a specified way to
compare the specific wood consumption (KJ
per kg meal prepared)
On the right, a graduate student working with GTZ

tests the efficiency of a Rocket Stove from CEDESOL
using the WBT in Saipina.
At first, these procedures may seem

complicated, but the pamphlet includes a fill-in-the-
blank worksheet, making the calculations much
easier to understand. The worksheet is available in English and Spanish.
6.5.4. M&E for Micro-enterprise development projects

The goal of a micro-enterprise development project is to create a new, sustainable source of
income for the community by training local professionals to sell, build, design, install, and/or maintain
improved cook-stoves. Whether the project includes the entire production and dissemination process
or only a specific aspect, such as construction of cook-stoves, the volunteer can improve the project by
monitoring and evaluating the activities. Being informed about the progress of the project will let the
volunteer know where more training is necessary or where modifications need to be made to the
original plan.
Production
The volunteer may choose to focus on solely the
production of improved cook-stoves. The volunteer or an
organization collaborating with the volunteer will train
welders, carpenters, bricklayers or other professionals to in
all aspects of construction and production.
Key questions for M&E
 How many people have been trained?
 Have participants gained sufficient knowledge to
independently produce improved cook-stoves?
 In what areas do the participants need more
assistance or training?
 How many stoves have been produced?
 Are they producing a popular, high quality product?
 All aspects of the supply of raw materials such as
availability, sustainability of the supply, and fluctuations
in cost that could affect profitability.
 What type of quality control checks are in place?
Dissemination
Dissemination of the improved cook-stoves involves the
promotion, sale and distribution of the stoves. The management
of this area needs to be monitored and evaluated, ensuring the
smooth operation of business and sustainability.
Key questions for M&E
 How many improved cook-stoves have been sold or
distributed?
 Are providers generating income? At what percentage
earning?
 Are providers satisfied with the level of income?
 How many jobs have been created?
 Is the income justly divided among the participants?
 Is the market for improved cook-stoves sustainable?
 Does the demand for improved cook-stoves fluctuate seasonally?
 Information pertaining to clients: Who is buying, where do they live, what is their level of
affluence, etc?
 Who promotes the product? Is it promoted well?
 All aspects of transportation of the product from the location of production to location of sale to
the buyer.
 Are there seasonal fluctuations in the availability of employees?
 What are the possible constraints to promotion, sale and dissemination of the product?
About the Authors
Heidi Gerling
While she is not too busy being a rock star at the local karaoke, Heidi works as a Peace Corps Volunteer
in the Agriculture Extension Program. Her site, Saipina, was located in the beautiful Valles region of
Santa Cruz, Bolivia. During her first year of service, she organized an improved cook-stoves project that
promoted both the solar box cooker and the rocket stove. With the help of an NGO from Cochabamba,
Cedesol, she helped families from three communities build their own cookers as well as hosting cooking
classes for the new stove owners. Financing for the improved cook-stoves came from GTZ and the local
government which helped lower the cost of materials for the beneficiaries. She is currently loving the
city slicker life of third year volunteer in Cochabamba working as the technical specialist for the
Agriculture Extension Program.
David Perez
David "El Bicho" Perez was a Peace Corps Bolivia Volunteer from 2005 to 2007, serving as an
agriculture extension agent in the great Gran Chaco of Southern Bolivia. Coming from a Hispanic
background and having pretty good Spanish to begin with, El Bicho readily assimilated into his new
community, called Iniguazú. He did not hesitate to assume the chaqueño lifestyle and habits,
incorporating descriptive metaphors in his speech and donning an old gaucho sombrero and muddy
quiñuda sandals
When he was not busy being chaqueño, Dave worked on a variety of small scale projects that
included food transformation, computer education, English classes, organic garden pest management,
and of course, alternative cookers. He then continued his service for six months as a Peace Corps
Volunteer Leader for the Department of Santa Cruz. He currently hopes to pursue an
international career that combines his background in conservation biology with his experience in
sustainable development.
RESOURCES
Contact Information
Where do they
Organization Contact Number Email Location
Work?
CAD Jose Luis Kiruchi 73814803
ADI Alex Uño 718-83-685

Consejo de Salud Rural
3-341-1547
Andino
Sumajhuasi
Sajama
Prefectura Cochabamba -
Raul Ergeta
Oficina de DRIPAD
PROHABITAT
CEDESOL David Whitfield CBBA All over Bolivia
PROLE
FALK SOLAR 2-2419913
Energética 4-425-3647
AMPROCOM Dora Camargo 4-647-2320 Monteagudo Chaco
GTZ Mariana Butron 2-211-5256 La Paz All over Bolivia
Citations and Follow-up Information
For further resources, consult the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Knowledge for
Health Project at http://www.k4health.org.
Marketing
Engel, James F., M.R. Warshaw, T.C. Kinnear; Promotional Strategy: Managing the Marketing
Communications Process, sixth edition. Richard D. Irwin, Inc.; Homewood, IL. 1987.
Monitoring and Evaluation

“Measuring Successes and Setbacks: how to monitor and evaluate household energy projects”
Household Energy Programme (HEP). Eschborn, 1996.
En español “Evaluación de Eficiencia de Estufas” Berrueta V, Rufus E and O Masera, Renewable

Energy, 2008 Abstract
Or: http://www.gira.org.mx/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=75&Itemid=71
Baseline information survey example:
Gerling, H. “Baseline household energy survey”
Stove Testing Information:

Kuwabara, Yu. “Thermal efficiency and fuel use of cookstoves: Plancha versus open fire in San
Lorenzo, Summer 2003” School of Public Health. University of California, Berkeley, 2003.
Pgs. 30-35 “Design Principles for Wood Burning Cook Stoves” Aprovecho Research Center. Shell
Foundation, 2004. www.aprovecho.net
Pgs. 30-35 “Principios de Diseño para Estufas de Cocción con Leña” Aprovecho Research Center. Shell
Pages 48-54 of “Measuring Successes and Setbacks: how to monitor and evaluate household energy
projects” contain useful worksheets for stove tests.
Mangwandi, Chirangano. “Fuelwood Consumption Tests Report” ProBEC – Programme for Biomass
Energy Conservation in Southern Africa. Harare, Zimbabwe. 2002.
Retained Heat Cooker-Canasta Térmica

Whitfield, David. “Construction of the Canasta Térmica, PowerPoint Presentation” 2007.
Wood Cookers Information
“Design Principles for Wood Burning Cook Stoves” Aprovecho Research Center. Shell Foundation,
2004. www.aprovecho.net
“Principios de Diseño para Estufas de Cocción con Leña” Aprovecho Research Center. Shell
Solar cookers information:

Solar Cookers International: www.solarcookers.org
“Solar cookers: how to make, use and enjoy. 10 th edition.” Solar Cookers International, Sacramento,
2004.
Detailed World Map of Solar Index.
Anderson, Lorraine and Rick Palkovic. Cooking With Sunshine: the Complete Guide to Solar Cuisine
with 150 Easy Sun-Cooked Recipes. Our House Publishing, New York, 2006.
Panel Cooker s
Pgs. 12-17 “Solar cookers: how to make, use and enjoy. 10 th edition.” Solar Cookers International,
Sacramento, 2004.
Box Cookers
Aalfs, Mark. “Principles of Solar Box Cooker Design” Solar Cookers International.
www.solarcooking.org/sbcdes.htm
ULOG Box cooker self-construction plans

http://www.med.uni-magdeburg.de/~maercker/SolCook/slcot-en.html English
http://www.med.uni-magdeburg.de/~maercker/SolCook/slcot-es.html Spanish
Solar Heat Information And Plans

www.re-energy.ca/t_solarheat.shtml
Parabolic Cookers
Arba Minch Solar Initiative Homepage: home.germany.net/100-441770/amsi.html
“How to make the parabolic AMSI solar cooker” Arba Minch Solar Initiative.
“Parabola Design Wood Model” Arba Minch Solar Initiative. note: this is a Supplement to the AMSI
manual listed above, useful for construction.
University of Humboldt Campus for Appropriate Technology: www.humboldt.edu/~ccat
Health Information:
Rehfuess, Eva. “Fuel for life: household energy and health” World Health Organization, France, 2006.
“Smoke in the Kitchen: Health impacts of indoor air pollution in developing countries.” United Nations
Development Programme. New York, 2005.
Pasteurization information/WAPI
Solar Cookers International: www.solarcookers.org
http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Water_pasteurization
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/wsh0207/en/index4.html

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Improved Cook Stoves Manual – Peace Corps Bolivia

Improved Cook Stoves Manual

Peace Corps Bolivia

Improved Cook Stoves Manual

Peace Corps Bolivia

1.1. What is Biomass?..............................................................................................................2

2.1. Introduction to wood-burning cook-stoves.....................................................................7

3.1 How does a solar cooker work?.....................................................................................17

4. Retained Heat Cooker / “Canasta Térmica”....................................................28

4.1 What is a retained heat cooker?....................................................................................28

5.1 Product: Which model of improved cook-stove to promote.......................................31

6.1. What is Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)?................................................................34

About the Authors...................................................................................................41

1.1. What is Biomass?

Advantages of cooking with biomass

Disadvantages of cooking with biomass

1.2. Why use improved cook-stoves?

1.3.1. Home Improvement – “mejoramiento de viviendas”

1.3.2. Health education

1.3.3. Attracting both support and interest with the media

1.3.4. Involving schools

1.3.5. Micro Enterprise Development Project

1.3.6. Certified Providers of Improved Cook-stoves

1.4. Comparison of Traditional, Wood-burning, Solar, and Retained-heat

Type of cook Traditional Improved, Solar Retained heat

2. Wood Burning Cook-Stoves

2.1. Introduction to wood-burning cook-stoves

The materials one uses to construct improved cook-stoves vary

2.1.1. Reducing Exposure to Smoke

Photo Source: www.bioenergylists.org

One Methane (CH4) combines with two Oxygen

2.1.2. Fuel Efficiency

An improved stove design will also increase the amount

From decades of experience and laboratory

2.1.3. Design Principles, by Dr. Larry Winiarski

2. “Place a short chimney right above the fire.”

7. “Use a grate under the fire.”

8. “Maximize heat transfer to the pot with proper sized gaps.”

2.2. Models of Wood Burning Cook-Stoves

Least efficient................................................................................... Most efficient

Type of wood- Traditional Fogón de

2.2.1. Traditional stoves

2.2.4. Rocket Stove

Features common to all types of rocket stoves are:

Four types of rocket stoves are illustrated below:

3.1 How does a solar cooker work?

3.2 What can I cook in a solar cooker?

Time to cook Type of food

ground vegetables, fruit, white rice, cake

3.3 Factors that affect speed of cooking

Factor Fast cooking Slow cooking

Thin metal pots Thick metal pots

3.4 Why cook with solar energy?

3.5 When and where can I use a solar cooker?

3.6 How hot does a solar cooker get?

Pathogen Killed Rapidly At

Parasites: Worms, Protozoa cysts

Bacteria: Cholera (V. cholerae) E. coli,

Hepatitis A virus 65°C (149°F)

3.6.2. Water Disinfection

3.7 Solar Cooker Models

3.7.1 Comparison of three types of cookers

Panel Cooker Box Cooker Parabolic Cooker

3.7.2 The Panel Cooker