Bioethanol as a clean cooking fuel in Africa and Asia
Traditional use of biomass for cooking can have harmful effects on people’s health and wellbeing, and the environment, leading to increased emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants, poor indoor air quality and deforestation. Ethanol cookstoves have recently emerged as a valuable and widely accepted bioenergy option for clean cooking.
Ethanol is a plant-based alternative that could be produced from crop residues or dedicated crops in marginalized land, without affecting food production. Ethanol cookstoves have several benefits, such as improved indoor air quality and reduced emissions, but their widespread adoption in developing countries faces challenges: limited infrastructure, high costs, and limited awareness about the need for high quality and safety standards for both ethanol cookstoves and fuel.
Objectives
The project aims to facilitate cross-sectoral dialogues for the adoption of sustainable bioenergy, focusing on ethanol for clean cooking in African and Asian markets. It seeks to increase understanding, awareness, and adoption of internationally recognized standards related to ethanol fuel and related cookstoves.
The final objective is to support the increased use of ethanol for household energy, resulting in positive impacts on human health, the global environment, green jobs, and economic growth for farmers.
Activities
Activities include engaging key stakeholders in African countries to discuss transitioning from traditional to modern bioenergy, with a special focus on ethanol's benefits for clean cooking. The plan involves organizing national-level dialogue events, conducting an online workshop to raise awareness, and developing a report on the advantages and challenges of ethanol as a clean cooking fuel in African and Asian countries.
Bioethanol Workshops in Rwanda and Uganda Highlight Pathways for Sustainable Clean Cooking
The Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP), in collaboration with the governments of Rwanda and Uganda, recently held successful workshops focused on bioethanol as a sustainable fuel alternative for clean cooking. These events, conducted in Kigali and Kampala, brought together key stakeholders, including policymakers, industry experts, and international organizations, to explore the potential of bioethanol as an alternative to traditional biomass fuels.
Discussions highlighted the potential environmental, economic, and health benefits of using bioethanol fuel and related cookstoves in various country contexts, while addressing challenges such as fuel and stove affordability, biomass availability for local production, and regulatory frameworks.
The workshops mark significant steps forward for both countries in their clean energy transitions, with the outcomes expected to inform future policies and strategies.
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Read more:
Uganda and Ethiopia showcase clean cooking efforts at 11th GBEP Bioenergy Week
At the 11th GBEP Bioenergy Week, clean cooking was a key topic. Ms. Justine Akumu, Senior Energy Officer with Uganda's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, highlighted Uganda's comprehensive strategy to transition from biomass dependency to modern clean cooking solutions by 2040 through initiatives like tax waivers on biodigesters and promotion of bio-LPG and ethanol. Clean cooking is also integrated into Uganda's national priorities and NDCs.
Ms. Tirhas Mebrahtu, Director for Resource Mobilization and Projects Monitoring at the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority, provided an overview of Ethiopia's efforts to expand clean cooking access. With less than 10 percent of the population accessing clean cooking solutions, Ethiopia's strategy focuses on utilizing its rich renewable energy resources and huge livestock population for biogas production. Since 2009, Ethiopia has built 44,000 biodigesters and is updating policies to support the expansion of clean cooking. Ms. Mebrahtu also highlighted the severe health impacts of traditional cooking methods and the necessity for policy frameworks to support the transition to cleaner energy.
10th GBEP Bioenergy Week highlights ethanol as a sustainable alternative for clean cooking
At the GBEP Bioenergy Week in 2023, a session highlighted the benefits of ethanol as a sustainable alternative to traditional biomass cooking methods. A clean-burning fuel that can be produced from a variety of renewable feedstocks, ethanol is a proven alternative to traditional biomass fuels, such as wood and charcoal, which are often inefficient and have a negative impact on the environment.
Ethanol has the potential to play a significant role in improving access to clean cooking in developing countries. However, the session also underscored the challenges in scaling up ethanol for clean cooking, which include the need for standardized production and distribution, awareness-raising on the benefits of ethanol, and making ethanol cookstoves more affordable for households. By addressing these challenges, ethanol could become a mainstream clean cooking solution for millions of people around the world.
Harnessing the power of ethanol for clean cooking in East Africa
Around 2.3 billion people worldwide still lack access to clean cooking and use traditional woodfuel for cooking and heating. This poses serious health and environmental risks, including indoor air pollution, deforestation, and GHG emissions.
But there is a promising solution: ethanol cookstoves. Ethanol cookstoves are clean-burning, efficient, and affordable alternatives to traditional biomass stoves. They produce fewer emissions, improve indoor air quality, and help protect our environment.
Watch this webinar and learn the market opportunities for ethanol as a clean cooking fuel in East Africa.
Beneficiary countries:
Asian and African countries; National Stakeholders dialogues will be held in Uganda and Rwanda
Duration:
September 2023 - August 2025
Donor:
USDA - FAS
