Energy and Gender Capacity

Building – Intervention at

Technology and Policy Levels

Sangeeta Kohli

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi

June 15-17, 2010

Background Traditionally : cooking - the women’s job.

Biomass fuel: collection of the fuel – associated drudgery

Traditional cookstoves : – need for large quantities of fuel due to inefficient combustion

– serious health hazards due to exposure to the products of unclean combustion.

Urban population even in developing countries : access to LPG.

Rural India : LPG access limited

Expanding the base of LPG – a fossil fuel –not the best option from the environmental perspective.

Biomass : traditionally used renewable energy

Need for better technology and commensurate policies

Role of Technology Thus the alternative : better cooking technologies based on

biomass.

Two promising technologies for the past several decades:– Improved cookstoves

– Biogas technology

In India, two national programmes to spread these technologies – major initiatives in this direction : – The National Programme on Improved Cookstoves (NPIC) (1985-2004)

– The National Project for Biogas Development (NPBD) (1982)

Several strides made at that time.

Technology has come a long way now

Need to make the “right technology choices” available to the user.

Improved Cookstoves The focus in yesteryears : Fuel saving and

removal of pollutants from kitchen using chimney

Today’s focus internationally : women and

children’s health

Technology development in recent times : much

cleaner combustion and high efficiency

Improved stoves so far : a mixed response from

the women – many reasons

Some new designsEnvirofit Stoves

(Colorado state Univ group)

Oorja Pellet Stove BP / First Energy India

Envirofit Stoves (Colorado state Univ group)

Wood Gas Stove(Tom Reed)

Philips woodgas Stoves (Philips Research group)

Rice husk gasifier stoveAlex Belonio, Philippines

Green Fire Tech stoveAprovecho group

TLUD stovePaul Anderson

Issues in Improved Cookstoves New products in the market

– High Cost

– Product Life not very high

– Stoves with fan : need for battery or electricity or costly

thermoelectric generator

– Need for processed fuel (issue of supply and cost)

– Maintenance requirements and network

Technology development

– Driven by supply, not demand

– Need for user participation in developmental process

Lack of awareness about health issues vis-à-vis cookstoves

Who decides to buy or not to buy the stove : the women

or the men?

Technology Interventions Technology development to take care of

– Regional cooking needs

– Low maintenance requirements

– Quality assurance

– Cost reduction

– Assured fuel supply

– Linking with local employment generation

– Use of local materials, decentralised manufacturing and fuel

processing

– Consortium approach to ensure the above

Standards and Certification

– Testing protocols

– Performance standards (Star rating)

– Certification centres

Policy Interventions Support technology development with quality technical input

Need for implementation strategy promoting self-sustained

business approach in the long run

– Government a facilitator rather than owner of such programmes

– Promote Public-Private Partnership among all stakeholders

– Quality standards and certification mechanisms

– Entrepreneurship development, networking

– Support for market development

– Tax benefits

Promoting financing schemes for purchase of cookstoves and

fuel supply – support for micro-financing

Linking up with NREGA, housing, rural electrification etc.

Linkages between various ministries

Effective mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation

Awareness Generation

Need for widespread awareness campaigns

among men and women

– to link health issues with cleaner cooking technologies

– cost benefit analysis: expenses on health Vs stoves

– to link health and productivity and hence income

Possible modes for campaign

– Mass media

– Government channels such as schools and health and

social services institutions

– Village demonstrations and Village Fairs (melas)

– Word-of-mouth advertising among village families

Networking and Delivery

Using existing chains

– Small industries network

– Agricultural networks and retail chains

– Primary health centres

– Special incentives for pregnant women through

prenatal care centres

Empowering Self Help Groups to take lead in

– Microfinancing

– biomass processing and supply

– maintenance of cookstoves.

Biogas Technology

Millions of family size plants installed during

NPBD

Major advantages of technology

– LPG like clean cooking fuel

– Dual usage of cattle dung (fuel + manure)

Limitations for wider adoption

– High initial cost despite subsidy

– Space requirement & slurry handling difficulties

– Need for minimum two adult cattle

– High water requirement

– Lack of proper maintenance infrastructure

Biogas Technology (2)

Recent developments

– Compact biogas plants

– Alternative feedstock

Need for Technical Work for

– Increasing efficiency of cattle dung based plants

– Low cost, user-friendly, optimal plant designs

Greater thrust for commercialisation and local

entrepreneurship development

Development of training & service infrastructure

Involvement of women in awareness generation

and training

Summary Need for technology interventions

– to provide technology options to the users for cleaner cooking solutions

– to take effective care of all the links in the technology chain with involvement of women

– technology development with participation of users and grass-roots workers: women

Need for policy interventions– to facilitate development of suitable technologies

– to enable effective sustainable dissemination of the technologies with monitoring and evaluation

This will go a long way in empowerment of women and improving their quality of life

Thank You