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3/27/1981 - Stephen Joseph: Developing Stove Capacity by William E. Knowland

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS WEK Reading England Stephen Joseph Developing Stove Capacity March Mr Peter B Martin Executive Director Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire 03755 USA Dear Mr Martin It kitchens Indonesia Chad Ecuador daily paths housewives million third world villages currently At Reading southern English countryside London young Australian engineer StepNen Joseph He colleagues studying trying improve small simple burning cooking stoves still meals mankind For years Stephen Joseph cropped whenever I inquired about progress improving cooking stoves Everywhere I appropriate technology experts development assistance officials conce about firewood shortages should Stephen This I finally At first I delighted enough simply reach telephone In returning United States I traveling through Europe visiting headquarters United Nations Food AgricUlture Organization FAO Rome various other agencies groups active global forestry economic development In Rome Paris people I wanted regarding stoves firewood energy Mexico London Rome Their travels preparatory meetings United Nations Conference New Renewable Sources Energy Nairobi August I frustrated however despite worthy cause their absence So I elated secretary announced Mr Joseph would connect It turned merely between travels related UN energy meeting H explained returned country having recently among other places Nepal where spoke length ICWA Forest Man Fellow Deanna Donovan would leaving again within conduct series training courses stove improment Indonesia Sri Lanka He warned would spare lunch I happily agreed William Knowland Forest Man Fellow Institute Current World Affairs In space shuttles nuclear reactors burning cooking stoves rather pedestrian topic engineering research Such stoves usually little elaborate small campfire sophisticated models resemble bucket stone holes More world kitchens however still revolve around simple burning devices Given skyrocketing costs petroleum fuels continue doing foreseeable future In human populations developing countries continue expand number stoves increasing Meanwhile neighborhood national woodpiles dwindling largely result increasing consumption greater numbers stoves The improvement stoves yield equal cooking smaller inputs woodfuel therefore become urgent pursuit comparable developed countries improve gasoline mileage their passenger automobiles In firewood energy crisis petroleum energy crisis wealthy respectively woodstoves automobiles guzzling anachronisms heart energy problems Over thirty years there instances engineering scientists taking interest burning cooking stoves Almost anyone training inclination physics point traditional cooking stoves inefficient major changes could readily improve their functioning burning chamber should mostly enclosed flame channeled directly cooking cooking themselves should fitted tightly cooking holes chimney should added improve draft remove smoke kitchen But these simple guidelines difficult integrate stove people genuinely The present models deeply ingrained local cultures centuries tinkering practical cooking experience Those engineers pursuit technical stove efficiency usually entered field enthusiasm frustrated either apparent incalcitrance peasant women adopt improvements interest development officials subject Development officials however becoming interested Within years stoves become topic serious concern before The World Bank other international development assistance agencies growing number national governments realizing improvements everyday cooking efficiency needed quickly Programs funds improved stoves already underway support being organised Yet basic engineering research small simple cooking stoves research beyond academically obvious never before Until Reading A amount along these lines India during 1950s develop smokeless chulas Hindi fireplace Similar designs developed Indonesia around And 1970s rather larger version Lorena stove Spanish arena developed Guatemala The Lorena stove particular attracted considerable attention around world It other improved stoves claimed their proponents percent cooking See WEK The Applied Research Laboratory located somewhat remote outholding campus Reading University quiet jumble small buildings There small beside driveway place easily marked small turbine requisite appropriate technology center standing I minutes arriving timing Stephen finished drafting required report break while We hungry quick small nearby lunch The hamburgers hearty couple boxes electronic games invaded English recent years prevented serious conversation We quickly Stephen bearded wearing several turtle woolen pullover began SNowing around He seemed totally itwasn conversation I might difficulty believing Aussie within would likely wearing sarong paddies slope Javanese volcano At point conversation referred himself being designer engineer At heart I community organizer which perhaps success stoves Appropriate technology technology people mattered paraphrase E F Schumacher attracted number individuals scientific possess basic commitment human development Earlier Stephen apparently perceived potential technology enabling people develop their economic potential humblest level While still university Australia workd Australian aborigines After graduation worked New Hebrides private Australian project involving improvement boilers utilising bagasse crushed residues sugar refinery Along managed travel through Indonesia including Timor He traveled Southeast Asia third world The laboratory Reading great interesting energy research For several years working turbines small scale electric power generation small scale solar powered irrigation pumps They getting deeper burning teegines another project Stephen Most organized through intermediate Technology Development Group research foundation established father appropriate technology movement E F Schumacher The Reading stoves Stephen arrival After preliminary review existing literature rience relating design introduction improved stoves forty different stove designs collected various parts world given initial evaluation Stephen spent several months India Bangladesh Fiji gathering further information design working loCal appropriate technology organisations design testing improved versions WEK When returned Reading several models constructed according designs continued testing other models field One designs began field tests India In September British Overseas Development Administration agreed research development program which financed second stage Stoves Project During period further testing existing stove designs testing procedures standardized designs improved cooperative development efforts continued stove groups countries A stove manual published collaboration American appropriate technology group VlTA Behind small office building research complex there double roomed laboratory where stoves The first these outer junkyard pottery school There dozen stoves scattered around mostly baked different shape burner configuration Some traditional models around world several variations recently developed Lorena mudstoves receiving international attention designs student experimenters Stephen Most badly cracked either construction practice purposeful abuse stress testing I suspect fluctuating climate English winter doesn their easier Even inner laboratory appear particularly sophis ticated In order determine shape burning direction flame within enclosed stove simply through Pyrex glass bottomed appropriate technology appropriate technologists But there special thermometers analyzers other measuring devices which recently connected their Apple computer continuous monitoring during testing It almost certainly stove testing facility world Phere stoves First conducted laboratory tephen Is boiling water tests A standard brought specified length speed amount consumption define stove thermal efficiency there measured field conditions while cooking Users tests everyone I conducted agrees consumirg troublesome difficult precise about WEK L after initial seris tests various stove models different parts world enough should available thatpainstaking measurement weight volume consumption becom6 unnecessary indicator relative given modification stove totally design I users themselves quickly determine course daily cooKirg As tephen People always accurately whether stove saving third their fuelo further A summary report stove Project their I DG collaborators provide service organizations developing countries design testing manufacture training domestic cooking stoves Stephen develop stove capacity other groups develop theirs btove capacity doesn makin stoves larger ather involves developing things diversity improved efficient stoves diversity effective approaches distributing At stage first objective requires thorough understanding thermodynamics small stoves It principles sought rather single design lesson attempts improving traditional stoves people styles materials familiar these preferences markedly place place Equally important given household unlikely stove cooking needs Just American kitchen usually stove electric range several burners electric toaster perhaps microwavven popcorn popper charcoal grill bacMard third world tchens variety cooking devices trick varie inexpensive efficj stove types choose adapt their needs single magic stove fairly efficient charcoal braziers already widely available small metal stoves prove widely applicable But simple ceramic stoves being worked eading special attractions manufactured materials versally usually freely available require specialized capital investment tools manufacturing capac Form meets process second aspect developing stove capacJt finding dvers tyofapproaches introducing distributing improved stoves ittle doubt about efficient stoves FA estimating million people alternatives confronted severe fuelwood shortages today century people situation But demand development economists learned widespread assumption given costly people presently which obviously effective which genuinely compatible local culinary culture people willingly probably sound enough stoves available manufacturing making known people proving tremendous chore Unfortunately experience developing disseminating improved burning stoves limited Fhere signifificent success stories Experiments introducing improved cooking stove designs taken place several countries recent years India probably contains closest genuine Successes though these limited geographic apparently remain undocumented In Indonesia experience during years Dian Desa grass roots appropriate technology group promising again limited small areas Java Fhe training program Stephen Joseph involved there first stage their attempts expand Even Lorena stoves originally developed introduced mountainous region around Choqui Guatemala reportedly fallen disrepair disuse In perhaps because Lorenas simply large inflexible stove designer would thermal needs local people It seems Guatemalan government recently curtailed activities advocates appropriate technology stove capacity tremendous ithin months publicity surrounding UN New Renewable Energy Conference there increased clamor agencies governments stove assistance programs capacity however takes develop Few people field would argue Htephen Joseph wrong track Yet Stephen another years testing designing working their contact groups developing countries before extend multiply their efforts I might groups Stephen colleagues working Indonesia Sarvodaya Sri Lanka almost unique their ability communicate impoverished rural people their countries But their capacities doing pitifully limited improved stoves projects business Stephen commented I leaving He referring tnkering designs stoves strewn about laboratory whole business developing stove capacity It added urgent Sin_cerely William Kn0 Receiv Hanover