Honduras Micro-Enterprise Stove Project

Project Information

Country:

Honduras

Organization (running the project):

Trees, Water & People

Project image:

Duration:

Apr 2004 - Apr 2007

Goals:

In May 2004, with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Trees, Water & People (TWP) launched a two year pilot program to increase the use of clean, affordable, and efficient cooking technology among low-income families living in and around Tegucigalpa, Honduras. TWP, in collaboration with the Honduran Association for Development (AHDESA), is implementing the improved cookstove training and construction program in Tegucigalpa due to the overwhelming demand for cookstoves in urban areas where fuel wood costs are extremely high relative to income. Specific objectives include: (i) Raise awareness about the health risks of indoor air pollution among 200,000 people through stove demonstrations, advertising and public service announcements; (ii) Provide training and technical assistance to potential or practicing local entrepreneurs interested in creating stove production and distribution small businesses to locally manufacture and distribute the improved cookstoves to no less than 720 families; (iii) Produce improved cookstoves that meet standards for high fuel efficiency and low emissions, and are socially acceptable, affordable and safe; and (iv) Decrease the risk of acute respiratory infections for Honduran families by reducing indoor air pollution in homes with improved stoves by 50-90%.

Background:

The TWP micro-enterprise project is one of ten household energy and health pilot projects funded by the U.S. Government to demonstrate effective approaches for addressing social/cultural barriers to adopting new technology, developing local markets, meeting design and performance guidelines, and monitoring reduced exposure to indoor air pollutants. TWP applies sustainable, community-based conservation solutions to help protect, conserve, and manage the natural resources relied upon by the world's population. Since 1998, TWP has helped more than 16,000 families, throughout Mexico and Central America, who do not have access to alternative fuel sources use improved cookstoves that reduce total emissions by more than 50% and significantly reduce exposure to dangerous air pollutants. In addition to USEPA funding, TWP is receiving co-funding from Weyerhaeuser Family Fund, Rotary Clubs and Rotary International and award funding from the Ashden Award. In this pilot project, TWP is promoting the Rocket Stove, Super Rocket, and EcoStove wood burning stoves.

Expected Outcome:

Through this project, TWP aims to educate 200,000 people about the impacts of indoor air pollution from household energy use, reach 720 homes or other facilities by improving their cooking practices, aid in the creation of 30 new small businesses that produce the improved technologies and reduce exposure of indoor smoke by 3,600 people.

Status:

Throughout the course of the project, TWP and AHDESA have worked with many local women's groups in and around Tegucigalpa to identify potential program participants and raise awareness amongst potential consumers. TWP has designed and produced promotional materials and radio broadcasts for improved stove technology. More recently, in July 2006, a commercialization workshop was help to scale-up production and marketing activities by Accenture, a global management consulting and technology services company. In collaboration with academic researchers in the United States, TWP is conducting assessments of stove emissions of traditional versus improved stoves, women's health from emissions of traditional stoves versus Justa stoves, and stove safety issues. Emissions testing results will be completed during the last quarter of the project. These evaluation activities will help determine the reduction in emissions of indoor air pollution with stoves, improvements in women's health, and improved stove safety features. For their work developing the Justa stove and implementing the micro-enterprise stove project, TWP and AHDESA won the prestigious 2005 First Place Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy.