The project sees the distribution of 4000 energy-efficient cooking stoves which will be powered by the use of bio-ethanol gel. As a result, the carbon emissions that are commonly released from the use of paraffin and firewood by Umdoni low-income residents will be reduced. Apart from the positive environmental impacts of the project there will substantial social benefits such as the reduction of domestic fires as well as other economic benefits.
Aim of the project
The objective of the project is to implement efficient domestic energy consumption practices in rural and low income households in Umdoni Municipality.
Stakeholders
This project formed part of a development programme which was managed by Project Preparation Trust. The beneficiaries of the installations were 4000 households from Umdoni Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal.
Project Overview
The project will see the sustained support and roll-out of bio-ethanol gel-fuel for bio-fuel stoves to 4,000 rural households in the Umdoni Municipality. On a voluntary basis, participating households are given an energy-efficient cooking stove, and have the option of purchasing a further 15l of subsidised bio-ethanol gel for use in the stoves. This is apart from the 5l of gel that is distributed on a monthly basis without cost to the beneficiaries. This project forms part of the Municipality’s free basic services commitment and once beneficiary households are electrified the gel-fuel supply will be suspended.The project sees households displacing coal, wood, paraffin and dung fuel sources with bio-ethanol gel (a by-product of the local sugarcane industry). This replacement will directly improve the livelihood of the community as well as the general sustainability of the project area. This will occur in the following ways.
Reduction of domestic fires. The risk of domestic fire in the selected households will be eliminated due to the fact that unlike highly flammable liquid paraffin, the vapours of the bio-ethanol gel are not flammable.
Indoor air pollution will be reduced during periods of cooking and heating.
Less time will be spent by households collecting firewood.
Household expenditure on energy will be reduced.
In replacing dung as an energy source, households will have more of this natural fertiliser to utilise on their croplands. This will in turn aid increased soil fertility.
Sustainable village businesses will result from the retail of bio-ethanol gel which is a necessary input into bio-fuel stoves.
There will be a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through the replacement of other harmful energy sources.
·Setting a replicable precedent for the provision of clean, safe domestic energy in rural South Africa.
It is expected that 3600 (90%) of these stoves will remain in constant use over the project life-cycle.
Technology Overview
The technology used in this project involves the use of energy efficient stoves run by bio-ethanol gel-fuel. The gel is a by-product of the sugar cane industry and is a safe, clean alternative to the use of paraffin which is toxic and flammable. Bio-ethanol gel is made by mixing ethanol with a thickening agent and water. The ethanol is extracted through the fermentation and distillation of sugars from sources such as molasses, sugar cane and sweet sorghum or starch crops, like cassava or maize. Projects using the same technology are being prepared or undertaken in countries including Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Mozambique as part of the World Bank's Millenium Gel-fuel Initiative.
Credible Carbon® Contribution
Much of the revenue generated will be reinvested into the project but will also be used for supporting the process of credit certification and sale.
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