Page 2 - Selecting the Appropriate Improved Cooking Technology: What Matters?
P. 2
Policy Brief
is but one of the determining parameters. in the year 2012 (IWA 11:2012).7 The ISO guidelines classify
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, stoves into five ‘tiers’ of performance based on efficiency,
total emissions (CO and PM2.5), indoor emissions (CO and
Government of India, has initiated the process of PM2.5)—which may help governments in choosing the ‘tier’
deployment of improved biomass cookstoves across of performance according to their own national priorities.
the country through State Nodal Agencies with an ambitious Improved cookstoves have multiple benefits related to
plan outlay of Rs. 294 crore. At present, an integrated health, environment protection, fuelwood reduction,
strategy for selection of appropriate cookstove technology and household economic savings. The performance
for households is lacking. This discussion paper seeks to benchmarks chosen for improved cookstoves must be
suggest parameters that must be considered for maximizing in line with the expected benefits from improved
adoption of improved biomass cookstoves by rural cookstove programmes. While a comparison of the
households in India. This brief is aimed not only at the Union strengths and weaknesses of the BIS and ISO guidelines
government, but also at non-governmental organizations is beyond the scope of this discussion paper, two observations
that are formulating or implementing large-scale improved must be made. First, ISO guidelines are comprehensive
cookstoves programmes in India. and flexible than the national guidelines for cookstove
performance, encompassing a broader range of criteria
‘Improved’ Cookstoves: Setting the Bar and classes. For instance, BIS guidelines ignore PM2.5
emissions (focusing instead on total particulate matter),
There is no universally accepted standard of which happen to be a significant climate forcing agent.
‘improvement’ in an improved biomass cookstove, Second, incorporating ISO performance benchmarks with
in comparison with a traditional stove. Various national guidelines can help in aligning national priorities
national governments have set their own standards of with the global priorities, simultaneously enhancing the
performance of improved cookstoves, on the basis global credibility of the achievements of national improved
of national priorities. Clear and robust performance cookstoves programmes.
benchmarks are essential for India as many of the locally
available improved cookstoves may not be truly improved,4,5 POLICY MESSAGE
(see Box). The Government of India currently follows
the performance standards for improved cookstoves Performance benchmarks for improved cookstoves must be set in line with the
decided by the Bureau of Indian Standards,6 based on priorities of the national government and its expectations from the improved
parameters of cookstove efficiency, carbon monoxide cookstoves programme. As much as possible, benchmarks must be made
emissions, total particulate matter emissions, and comprehensive to encompass multiple benefits of improved cookstoves. Aligning
body temperature. The International Standards national benchmarks with international standards help in incorporating global
Organisation (ISO) developed a comprehensive set of priorities and render greater credibility to the achievements of the improved
internationallyapplicableguidelinesofcookstoveperformance cookstove programme.
HOW IMPROVED ARE IMPROVED COOKSTOVES? Diversity in Cooking Practices
Black carbon is a short lived climate pollutant emitted from incomplete burning of There is an astounding diversity in cooking practices in
solid biomass fuels in cookstoves. A comparative study of the black carbon emissions rural households seen from state to state and sometimes,
carried out by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in a traditional stove, three from village to village. The compatibility of cooking
natural draft stove models, and two forced draft stove models revealed that when technology with local cooking practices of users greatly
mixed fuels are used (as is the case in most of rural India), natural draft stoves influences adoption.8 Cooking practice may be defined
actually emit higher quantities of black carbon than traditional stoves! Interestingly, as ‘a dynamic interaction between the stove users,
the tested natural draft stove models are marketed in India as‘improved cookstoves’. cookstove technology, and fuels, as a single integrated
In another study carried out in TERI University, it was found that natural draft stoves system’. Some of the specific factors that constitute
are just slightly better than traditional stoves with regard to organic carbon and cooking practices and their influence on technology are
elemental carbon emissions. tabulated below.
4 Kar, Abhishek, et al. “Real-time assessment of black carbon pollution in Indian households 7 Available at http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=61975, last accessed
due to traditional and improved biomass cookstoves.”Environmental Science & Technology 46.5 14 April 2015.
(2012): 2993–3000.
8 Ruiz-Mercado, Ilse, et al. “Adoption and sustained use of improved cookstoves.”Energy
5 Arora, Pooja, and Suresh Jain. “Estimation of organic and elemental carbon emitted from wood Policy 39.12 (2011): 7557–7566.
burning in traditional and improved cookstoves using controlled cooking test.” Environmental
Science & Technology 49.6 (2015): 3958–3965.
6 As per 15:13152 (part-1) 1991
2 MAY 2015
is but one of the determining parameters. in the year 2012 (IWA 11:2012).7 The ISO guidelines classify
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, stoves into five ‘tiers’ of performance based on efficiency,
total emissions (CO and PM2.5), indoor emissions (CO and
Government of India, has initiated the process of PM2.5)—which may help governments in choosing the ‘tier’
deployment of improved biomass cookstoves across of performance according to their own national priorities.
the country through State Nodal Agencies with an ambitious Improved cookstoves have multiple benefits related to
plan outlay of Rs. 294 crore. At present, an integrated health, environment protection, fuelwood reduction,
strategy for selection of appropriate cookstove technology and household economic savings. The performance
for households is lacking. This discussion paper seeks to benchmarks chosen for improved cookstoves must be
suggest parameters that must be considered for maximizing in line with the expected benefits from improved
adoption of improved biomass cookstoves by rural cookstove programmes. While a comparison of the
households in India. This brief is aimed not only at the Union strengths and weaknesses of the BIS and ISO guidelines
government, but also at non-governmental organizations is beyond the scope of this discussion paper, two observations
that are formulating or implementing large-scale improved must be made. First, ISO guidelines are comprehensive
cookstoves programmes in India. and flexible than the national guidelines for cookstove
performance, encompassing a broader range of criteria
‘Improved’ Cookstoves: Setting the Bar and classes. For instance, BIS guidelines ignore PM2.5
emissions (focusing instead on total particulate matter),
There is no universally accepted standard of which happen to be a significant climate forcing agent.
‘improvement’ in an improved biomass cookstove, Second, incorporating ISO performance benchmarks with
in comparison with a traditional stove. Various national guidelines can help in aligning national priorities
national governments have set their own standards of with the global priorities, simultaneously enhancing the
performance of improved cookstoves, on the basis global credibility of the achievements of national improved
of national priorities. Clear and robust performance cookstoves programmes.
benchmarks are essential for India as many of the locally
available improved cookstoves may not be truly improved,4,5 POLICY MESSAGE
(see Box). The Government of India currently follows
the performance standards for improved cookstoves Performance benchmarks for improved cookstoves must be set in line with the
decided by the Bureau of Indian Standards,6 based on priorities of the national government and its expectations from the improved
parameters of cookstove efficiency, carbon monoxide cookstoves programme. As much as possible, benchmarks must be made
emissions, total particulate matter emissions, and comprehensive to encompass multiple benefits of improved cookstoves. Aligning
body temperature. The International Standards national benchmarks with international standards help in incorporating global
Organisation (ISO) developed a comprehensive set of priorities and render greater credibility to the achievements of the improved
internationallyapplicableguidelinesofcookstoveperformance cookstove programme.
HOW IMPROVED ARE IMPROVED COOKSTOVES? Diversity in Cooking Practices
Black carbon is a short lived climate pollutant emitted from incomplete burning of There is an astounding diversity in cooking practices in
solid biomass fuels in cookstoves. A comparative study of the black carbon emissions rural households seen from state to state and sometimes,
carried out by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in a traditional stove, three from village to village. The compatibility of cooking
natural draft stove models, and two forced draft stove models revealed that when technology with local cooking practices of users greatly
mixed fuels are used (as is the case in most of rural India), natural draft stoves influences adoption.8 Cooking practice may be defined
actually emit higher quantities of black carbon than traditional stoves! Interestingly, as ‘a dynamic interaction between the stove users,
the tested natural draft stove models are marketed in India as‘improved cookstoves’. cookstove technology, and fuels, as a single integrated
In another study carried out in TERI University, it was found that natural draft stoves system’. Some of the specific factors that constitute
are just slightly better than traditional stoves with regard to organic carbon and cooking practices and their influence on technology are
elemental carbon emissions. tabulated below.
4 Kar, Abhishek, et al. “Real-time assessment of black carbon pollution in Indian households 7 Available at http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=61975, last accessed
due to traditional and improved biomass cookstoves.”Environmental Science & Technology 46.5 14 April 2015.
(2012): 2993–3000.
8 Ruiz-Mercado, Ilse, et al. “Adoption and sustained use of improved cookstoves.”Energy
5 Arora, Pooja, and Suresh Jain. “Estimation of organic and elemental carbon emitted from wood Policy 39.12 (2011): 7557–7566.
burning in traditional and improved cookstoves using controlled cooking test.” Environmental
Science & Technology 49.6 (2015): 3958–3965.
6 As per 15:13152 (part-1) 1991
2 MAY 2015
