No More Carbon? 

The popular Jiko stove, photo by AIDG on Flickr

With carbon prices low and support apparently shifting, perhaps thinking about market-based improved cook stoves is increasingly interesting?

In the Millennium Villages studies, a high-end retail price of something like $10 was recommended to sell stoves directly into the market. (Adkins, Tyler, al, 2010)

What can be accomplished in stoves already being sold without raising prices?

• For instance, the pot supports in the Jiko shown above can be too high for optimal heat transfer efficiency 
• The door needs to be tight fitting to effectively simmer food
• Perhaps the combustion chamber is too big, wasting fuel?
• Small changes in the refractory ceramic material used in the combustion chamber can double durability
• A low cost pot skirt effectively reduces time to boil and fuel used to cook

On the other hand, Rocket stoves or even forced draft TLUDs could theoretically be made for ~ $10, if metal was replaced by refractory ceramic or similar materials.

ARC is looking into this.  

Sound interesting to anyone?

 “To him that will, ways are not wanting.” (George Herbert, 1640)