Project Gaia is a Global Clean Fuel Initiative working to enable communities to replace polluting fuels—wood, charcoal, dung, coal, petroleum fuels—with clean, renewable alcohol fuels. We seek a revolution in household energy—the transition from harmful, polluting fuels to clean fuels locally made and controlled by the communities that use them. We work wherever families struggle to cook their daily meal.
We do the following: raise awareness of the safety, health, economic and environmental benefits of clean fuels, especially the alcohols, address the health and well-being of women and children, address the forces of deforestation and desertification, stimulate local economies, show the way to dramatically reduce global carbon and greenhouse gas emission by adopting clean technologies.
Currently we are working in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Brazil and Haiti, with plans to begin projects in Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal, Madagascar, and wherever new opportunities for alcohol fuels are presented.
Project Gaia's sister organization is the Gaia Association, an Ethiopian non-profit organization based in Addis Ababa with offices and programs in Jijiga and Kebrebeyah, Sheder and Awbarre Refugee camps.
Contact Information
Currently we are working under a USEPA commercialization grant to manufacture stoves in Ethiopia. We are working under a World Bank Biomass Energy for Africa (BEIA) grant to build an efficient micro scale distillery in the vicinity of Addis Ababa. We also partner with the private sector in Brazil, Nigeria and Haiti to transfer the stove technology to these countries. In several refugee camps, Project Gaia is working with the UNHCR to provide cookstoves. As ethanol supply becomes more available in Africa, we plan to expand this humanitarian program. We are confident that our innovative model of combining ethanol and cookstoves is replicable in many communities around the world.
Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas
Project Gaia works closely with the CleanCook Stove manufacturer to facilitate domestic production. When produced domestically, the body of the CleanCook Stove can be modified to accommodate for various cooking environments and local cooking needs. In the case of Ethiopia, Project Gaia and the stove manufacturer modified the design of the stove based on the results of the pilot study. The stove now accommodates round Ethiopian cooking pots and has handles for cultural ceremonies such as the Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Project Gaia also works to develop the local infrastructure necessary to support the domestic production of ethanol fuel.
Despite the difference in food and cooking in our project areas in Brazil and Ethiopia, the majority of stove users easily adapted to cooking with the CC stove, and preferred using it over their traditional stoves. This was found in all income homes, both rural and urban, and in refugee camps.
Project Gaia seeks to build ethanol and stove markets around preexisting business models to work in parallel with other successful domestic markets. We work with strong local organizations capable of managing distribution networks and coordinating market awareness campaigns. Project Gaia also hopes to involve in its activities individuals and organizations aiming to make a social impact. We are also researching the possibility of micro financing as a means of purchasing the stove, as well as a carbon finance to make the stove more affordable to the lowest-income families.
Project Gaia first seeks to identify domestic manufacturers with the capability to produce the CleanCook Stove. Potential local manufacturers then enter into an agreement and are carefully monitored by the original manufacturer who ensures that a high standard of quality is met. Thus, a uniformly reliable and robust stove is locally produced in communities around the world.
Project Gaia carefully monitors household and neighborhood air quality during the pilot study phase of each site project. We measure air quality using standardized air monitoring equipment before, during and after the stoves are in the test households. Our method also involves follow-up surveys so that we can measure the impact that the stove have on household health. This has been faciliated with the assistance and under the guidance of the Center for Entrepreneurship in International Health and Development (CEIHD) program at the University of California, Berkeley.
Project Gaia has conducted three IAP Monitoring tests - Addis Ababa, Bonga Refugee Camp, Kebribeyah Refugee Camp. All three cases showed significant improvement in indoor air quality and the households moved much closer to the WHO interim target.
You will find these results and other full reports at: http://stoves.projectgaia.com/page.php?page=studiesresults
Relevant Publications or Studies
Project Gaia: converting biomass to a clean liquid fuel for domestic use, Bengt Ebbeson, Charles A. Stokes and Harry Stokes, Article, Vol VI, No 2, June 2002, pp. 43-48
Project Gaia: Commercializing a New Stove and New Fuel in Africa, Harry Stokes, Bengt Ebbeson, Boiling Point 50, 2005, pp. 31-33
Introducing Alcohol Stoves to Refugee Communities; A Case Study from Kebrebeyah, Ethiopia, Cheryl O'Brien, Boiling Point 52, 2006, pp. 16-18
Monitoring and Evaluation Case Study Scenario--Case Study Response, Firehiwot Mengesha, Sara Cornish, Fiona Lambe, Boiling Point 55, 2008, pp. 32-33 and Front Cover
Tapping the Potential of Brazil’s Proalcool Movement for the Household Energy Sector, Regina Couto, James Murren, Boiling Point 56, 2009, pp. 36-38
Stoves that Save; Ethanol Brings and Energy Revolution to Households in the Developing World, Julia Flannery-Allen, Vital, Winter 2010, pp. 13-18 and Front Cover
Project Reports and Additional Resources can be found at: http://www.projectgaia.com/page.php?page=resources www.projetogaia.org Bioenergylists
Project photos and news: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Project-Gaia/85275576467 Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Gaia Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/projectgaia/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/project_gaia
Our Contribution to the Partnership
Project Gaia desires to be a full partner in the PCIA network. We are active on the policy development level in the countries where we work and on the project implementation level. We seek to be fully involved on a policy level in the PCIA network in order to promote liquid biofuels and stoves as the best combination to address gaps concerning energy, health and the environment in the developing world.
Project Gaia and its sister organization, Gaia Association, participated in the 2009 PCIA Forum held in Uganda and will also participate and present at the 5th Biennial Forum in February 2011 in Peru.
Finally, Project Gaia is eager to engage in any discussions and address inquiries pertaining to our field of expertise.
