ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL CARBON BENEFITS BY SHIFTING TO IMPROVED COOKSTOVE IN RURAL HOUSEHOLDS OF WEST BENGAL

Less-Smoke Chullahs exhibit significantly lower emissions of PM10, PM2.5, Black carbon, CO, and CH4 compared to traditional cookstoves when burning the same type and amount of biomass fuel. However, they produce significantly higher emissions of CO2, SO2, and NOX than the latter, likely due to high combustion temperatures and greater oxygen availability in the less smoke Chullahs.

However, the use of less smoke Chullahs in pilot villages resulted in significantly lower concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, CO, and CO2 in the kitchen areas compared to traditional cookstoves. This reduction is primarily attributed to lower biomass fuel consumption required to prepare the same amount of food with the less smoke Chullahs.

Variations in fuel types and cooking practices across the pilot villages resulted in significant spatial differences in the reduction of pollutant concentrations within beneficiary kitchen areas. This variability affects the consistency of carbon credits estimates across the study region and highlights the need for region-specific emission measurements per unit of biomass fuel used.

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The study shows that less smoke Chullahs can generate substantial annual carbon credits from biomass fuel used in West Bengal, although low adaptation rates were observed due to limited awareness campaigns. CO concentration was identified as a reliable proxy for assessing stove usage among beneficiary households.

Each beneficiary household was estimated to gain an additional 33 working days per year due to reduced fuel collection and cooking time with less smoke Chullahs compared to traditional cookstoves. This improvement has the potential to enhance the financial situation of the households.