The Biomass Energy Resource Center (BERC) is an independent, national nonprofit organization located in Montpelier, Vermont with a Midwest office in Madison, Wisconsin, that assists communities, colleges and universities, state and local governments, businesses, utilities, schools, and others in making the most of their local biomass energy resources.
BERC’s mission is to achieve a healthier environment, strengthen local economies, and increase energy security across the United States through the development of sustainable biomass energy systems at the community scale. BERC’s particular focus is on the use of woody biomass and other pelletizable biomass fuels.
Contact Information
Our Focus
BERC has focused on woody biomass heating systems for institutions in North America so far. Now BERC is planning to expand its horizon to both developed & developing countries and focus on the residential scale biomass (cord wood, wood pellets, wood chips etc.) based efficient heating & cooking systems.
Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas
BERC does not have any initiatives underway for cooking applications at this time.
Kamalesh Doshi, our senior program director, has experience implementing the National Program on Improved Cook stoves in India for more than 9 years. One of the major constraints in his state of Gujarat was that there was a tradition of breaking their earthen cook stove, once a year. This tradition prevented the promotion of efficient, durable improved cook stoves in the rural area. Another social barrier was women were not decision makers in the family and men were not interested in talking about the cook stoves.
Kamalesh Doshi was involved in the implementation of the national program including development of efficient designs, providing technical training, the development of national standards, the technical support for manufacturing of the improved cook stoves, the distribution of improved cook stoves, training for "in-situ" construction of the improved earthen cook stoves, the inspection, field testing & monitoring of the program.
Under the program, India has developed a national standard for portable metallic improved cook stoves. Kamalesh Doshi was a member of the National committee for the development of standards. The program also involved the development of state level technical back-up units at local universities. The technical back-up unit was responsible for prototype testing, field testing and development of approved designs of improved cook stoves.
Kamalesh Doshi was involved in design & implementation of the national program including field level monitoring for more than 50,000 cook stoves per year in the state of Gujarat, India.
Relevant Publications or Studies
None noted
Our Contribution to the Partnership
BERC is planning to undertake the capability building & promotion of biomass improved cook stoves in developing countries. BERC will work closely with the partnership to achieve program objectives.