The Namibia Economist

Energy for rural cooking

As part of an initiative to halt deforestation, create local jobs and drastically reduce carbon emissions the Namibian NGO, Creative Entrepreneurs Solutions (CES), Swedish company Ergonomic Design and rural women participating in the UNDP GEF-SGP community based adaptation to climate change programme, a cheap, simple and efficient stove was developed.
According to information from CES, the EzyStove is not just an ordinary stove but a revolutionary wood burning stove that is produced locally for developing countries that are in need of user- friendly and easily assembled stoves.The desire to develop the stove was inspired by the fact that 74% of the rural households and 40% of the urban households still rely primarily on wood as fuel for cooking. The cutting of trees has reached alarming levels of deforestation resulting in widespread desertification. The stove is fuel efficient and reduces wood consumption by two thirds.The widespread use of wood for open fire cooking pollutes the atmosphere, and the smoke of the open fires creates dangerous soot and gases during cooking in the huts. This causes ill health and high emissions of CO² and other greenhouse gases.
By design, a patented inner chamber traps the heat and insulates the stove. This principle reduces the amount of wood needed and the emissions of CO² by 40% and other toxic gases by 70%, compared to a traditional fire. The outer container creates a strong long-lasting barrier and protection from the intense heat, while enabling any type of pot or pan to be used.
It comes from the factory as five flat sheet metal panels, a few bent steel rods and some rivets. Any person can assemble it without electric tools. This innovation recently won the International Red Dot Best of the Best 2012 design award at an awards show held in Essen, Germany.
The stove sells for N$30 in informal settlements. CES has set a target of providing 200,000 households with an EzyStove.

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