AGA KHAN RURAL SUPPORT PROGRAMME BALISTAN

Report on Fuel Efficient Stoves

By: Sher Khan Manager Resource Development Baltistan

Resource Development (RD) Section Regional Programme Office, Skardu Baltistan Northern Areas April 2005

Table of Contents 1. 2.

Introduction..................................................................................................................... 3 Soap Stone Stoves........................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Defects .................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Comparison ............................................................................................................. 5 2.3 Cost ......................................................................................................................... 5 2.4 Other Soap Stone Stoves models ............................................................................ 5 3. Brick Masonry Stoves..................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Defects .................................................................................................................... 7 3.2 Comparison ............................................................................................................. 7 3.3 Cost ......................................................................................................................... 8 3.4 Other Brick Masonry Stoves................................................................................... 8 4. Metal Sheet Fuel Efficient Stoves................................................................................... 8 4.1 Defects .................................................................................................................. 10 4.2 Comparison ........................................................................................................... 10 4.3 Cost ....................................................................................................................... 10 4.4 Other Metal Sheet Stoves...................................................................................... 10 5. The future of Fuel Efficient Stoves............................................................................... 10 6. Observations ................................................................................................................. 11 7. Conclusion and Recommendations............................................................................... 12

2

1.

Introduction

The Northern Areas in general and Baltistan in particular are scarce in natural forests. Despite the fact that there have been considerable efforts on the part of communities and AKRSP to develop farm forests, this is not yet sufficient for them to meet their extensive heating requirements during winters, where temperature falls mostly below –5 oC. Economic development in the area in recent decades has brought enormous changes in every field of life, including booms in the construction of commercial and government buildings, as well as private homes. Building and heating technology, however, has not kept pace. Most of the newly constructed buildings are not appropriate for this harsh winter environment, and are merely copies of the technologies common in low altitude and temperate areas of the country. This has resulted in buildings that are cold and poorly insulated, which require large amounts of fuel to keep warm. The supply and availability of energy for heating thus remains one of the major issues during winter season. Natural gas is an expensive option, as it has to be supplied from down-country. Electricity is another option, however, the supply of electricity is not consistent throughout the year, where generation capacities are actually at their lowest during winter season. Thus, the use of electricity for heating and cooking purposes, especially by the poor and the underprivileged, is not possible in the current situation. This scenario is ultimately putting high pressure on the existing deposits of community owned natural and farm forests. In most of the communities, fuel wood collection is the traditional responsibility of women. Since the natural forest in the area is very scarce and limited, women have to travel to everhigher areas at long distances to fetch the firewood. This has increased the workload of women enormously. In addition, the time required for this activity prohibits the girls access to, for example, education and vocational training, which would improve their technical skills and contribute to improved livelihood security. To improve the current situation one needs to take a two pronged approach; first, a focus on afforestation and farm forests to replenish dwindling fuelwood resources closer to the villages, and secondly to improve the efficiency of fuelwood use for energy. Keeping in view the above situation, AKRSP Baltistan in collaboration with UMB Norway explored the various fuel efficient heating technologies being developed in Norway, a country which, like Baltistan, experiences long, cold winters where heating is necessary for many months of the year. Through the Norad-funded AKRSP/UMB collaborative research project, a stove expert from Norway was engaged to conduct research and later develop fuel efficient stoves in this part of the country, which it is anticipated will be replicated in the adjoining areas later on. The expert visited AKRSP Baltistan for the first time in November 2004 and developed, together with local masons and metalworkers, a variety of fuel efficient stove prototypes in a short period of time. These stoves are of soap stone, brick masonry and improved metal sheet stoves. The fuel efficient stove expert is working in Norway with a company who develops the soap stone fuel efficient stoves on commercial basis, both for residential and commercial buildings. Similar technology is available for 3

metal stoves as well, which is currently the most common material used in stove-making in Baltistan. From the start, it must be made clear that the development of fuel efficient stoves through the assistance of expertise from Norway does not represent a replication of any specific stove, nor the development of a final prototype for sale in Pakistan. Rather, this entire exercise involves the learning of fuel efficient technologies, the principles of which can be applied in the specific context of the Northern Areas. Thus, local artisans are not trained in merely in the production of specific stoves, rather in the principles of fuel efficiency, and how to design models appropriate to local conditions and demand. It is only through the training of artisans in these basic principles, that they in the end will be able to continue to design stoves themselves, whatever the local conditions. In the end, the artisans of Baltistan will be experts in designing such stoves, making Baltistan the hub of the training of trainers.

2.

Soap Stone Stoves

Fortunately good quality soap stone deposits are available in many parts of Baltistan region. This has provided the opportunity to replicate the fuel efficient stove technology available in Norway to Baltistan Pakistan. The expert, together with local masons, constructed one version of the fuel efficient soap stone stove in AKRSP Regional Programme Office Skardu. The size of soap stone fuel efficient stove is 24”L x 16”W x 33”H having the fire wood consumption capacity of 8 to 10 Kgs for one fire up of this stove. The stove comfortably heats up the room (size 18ft x 15ft x 9ft) with two doors (size 2(2’-8” x 6’-6”) and 2(2’-6”x 6’-6”)) and two single glassed windows (size 6’-9”x 4-0”). The room is paneled with timber wood and one door of the room frequently opens and closes during the working hours due to flux of visitors and staff persons while the others remain closed. There is another door which opens to the attached bath room under use. Photographs: Soap Stone Fuel Efficient Stove

The temperature variations noted during the winter season were -0oC to -8oC during day time and -3 oC to -15 oC during night time. In the extreme winters the stove was heated up once in the morning and then in the afternoon, which kept the room comfortably warm for

4

the whole day. However during the interim period one or two pieces of fire wood has been added for continuous fire in the stove.

2.1

Defects

After first installation of the soap stone stove, it has been observed that the chimney pipe was seeping liquid smoke, and it makes black charcoal-like leakage from the pipe. To cater this defect the chimney pipes fitting direction has been changed i.e. by tilting it downward to avoided the nuisance. The other defect is cleaning the chimney pipe; in case of traditional stoves cleaning of chimney pipes is easy due to its straight direction inside the stove. In case of this stove to clean the smoke particles stuck with the wall the pipe has to be removed and cleaned it taking outside of the house.

2.2

Comparison

The heating of this room was previously carried out through a traditional metal stove which is common in Northern Areas. To fire up the traditional stove it takes 7 to 8 Kgs of fire wood and the interval of heating use to be 1-1/2 hours. For the soap stone stove, however, the interval of heating was four to five hours. The other benefit of the soap stove is sustainable and gentle heating emission, while in case of traditional stoves high heating makes sitting around the stove uncomfortable.

2.3

Cost

The cost incurred on construction of this type of stove is Rs. 8,000 to 10,000. This cost seems high initially, but compared to the construction cost of such stoves in Norway, it is 20 to 30 times cheaper here in Pakistan. Initially it is because of the easy availability of material and lower labor cost, but the second reason is due to availability of good quality of soap stone in Baltistan region. Also, if one compares the cost with the cost of the currently used metal stoves, the one time investment in soap stone stove is higher (metal stoves range from Rs.2-3,000) but this cost is recovered in couple of years of after use, since it has a longer life and does not have to be replaced every 2-3 years as do the metal stoves, and is much more fuel efficient, cutting fuel wood costs in half. Also, as the soap stone stoves are produced in larger quantities, the costs of production will decrease.

2.4

Other Soap Stone Stoves models

The expert brought brochures of a variety of soap stone stoves from Norway for consideration of AKRSP Baltistan. Being the first year of research and due to funding constrains AKRSP had not considered testing of other models. However it seems from the soap stone stove constructed in AKRSP office by the expert that the soap stone stoves are very much economical to use in domestic and commercial buildings. The selection of its size will depend upon the size of building and its frequency of use. For small rooms with appropriate insulation small soap stone stoves are the best option. For large size houses and

5

community buildings such as mosques, imambargah, large community halls, office buildings bigger size stoves will be required.

3.

Brick Masonry Stoves

The second type of fuel efficient stove constructed by the expert consultant was of brick masonry along with stabilized clay. As reported by the consultant expert, this type of fuel efficient stove has been in use in Northern Europe for three to four hundred years and is very common in rural and traditional communities. Therefore its reliability is centuries old and well-tested in Europe. The size of brick masonry fuel efficient stove is 37”L x 28”W x 72”H and it takes 450 bricks for its construction. The one time consumption of fire wood is 10 to 12kgs and it takes two to three hours in average to heat up to its full efficiency. Once heated up it provides sustainable heat for four to five hours. The size of this kind of stove prohibits its construction in small buildings, such as one room houses. This stove is appropriate for central heating of small compact buildings of two to three rooms with good insulation, community buildings such as mosques, imambargahs, jamatkhanas, khankahs, large office buildings and halls having appropriate insulation. The positive thing about this kind of stove is use of local material such as bricks, and stabilized clay which is low cost and easily available everywhere. The stove expert had constructed one such type of brick masonry stove in the conference hall of AKRSP Regional Programme Office Skardu. After construction of this stove it had been fired up before it was properly dried out. The premature heating of stove had brought negative impact on this stove, as later on smoke emitted from the walls on the upper parts of the stove. One of its reasons may be inappropriate filling of clay mud in between the bricks during construction. This stove was dismantled at the end of the winter season and reconstructed as per original design. Sufficient time has been given to dry the substance there off. It was fired up again and tested where the results were quite satisfactory and no smoke emission was observed from the walls. The initial test of this kind of stove had showed the results very encouraging, but later on its malfunctioning had restricted full testing during this winter. Further the construction quality and material of conference room of AKRSP Skardu is not ideal, with its walls and roof constructed of cement masonry blocks, and its windows are single glassed which permits excessive heat loss. Optimal results in heating using this stove are thus not obtainable unless efforts are made to improve the building in terms of insulation. It is clear, however that the stove is much more efficient than the use of two local stoves in the hall which previously were in place, and which only provided intense heat in the area immediately surrounding the stoves.

6

Photographs: Brick Masonry Fuel Efficient Stove

Another brick stove had been constructed in an under construction house. The stove was not tested during this winter as the construction of the house has not yet been completed. In this stove the addition of the soap stone brick wall on outside of the brick masonry is used. Although it is under construction but it has been designed to heat up three rooms of the ground floor of this house. After construction of house this year and completion of stove it’s testing will be carried out in the coming winter season.

3.1

Defects

The same defect of the seeping of the chimney pipe was observed in the brick masonry stove. The remedy of this defect was same as in the soap stone stove as discussed earlier. The other defects observed were leakage of smoke from the upper parts of the wall, but after its reconstruction it was rectified. The doors used in both the stoves were brought by the expert from Norway, and after construction it became loosened from the walls, but it has been properly re-fixed during its reconstruction. On the outer side of the doors the construction of a platform was needed for placing the fire wood and to avoid the falling of the burnt wood from the inside onto the floor. A metal tray was used for this purpose in the conference hall stove during its use.

3.2

Comparison

The Brick Masonry Fuel Efficient Stoves are more cost effective as compared to the soap stone. Although the efficiency of the brick stoves as compared to metal sheet stoves was not yet tested in the context of Baltistan, long experience from Northern Europe tells us that the brick stoves are likely to be much more efficient. The use of readily available local material and the ease in its construction makes it easier for common people to reconstruct it if it is damaged. Further, its construction is not very technical; an ordinary mason with proper training can easily construct this kind of stove. The chambers construction is designed in a way that the heat travels for a longer time within the stove, making the majority of heat available in the room, rather than it being lost at once through the chimney.

7

3.3

Cost

The average cost of the brick masonry stove as constructed in conference hall of AKRSP Baltistan is six to seven thousand. The construction cost involves mainly the cost of bricks. This cost may be lower where the bricks will be available at low rates. As compared to the soap stone stoves the cost of brick masonry is low due to use of readily available local material. However the cost is much higher than the traditional metal sheet stoves which are in use in the area.

3.4

Other Brick Masonry Stoves

The size of brick masonry fuel efficient stove can be increased and reduced subject to the situation but the construction type, the channel system inside, will remain same. The more masonry used, the more it will conserve and produce heat. Although it will take more time to heat up than metal sheet stoves, it will likewise take more time to cool down, which means the heat effect will last longer.

4.

Metal Sheet Fuel Efficient Stoves

The most common heating stoves used in Northern Areas are traditional metal sheet stoves. These stoves are of two types. The first is for only heating purposes and the second is for both heating and cooking purposes. The metal stoves for heating are further classified as fuel wood stoves and kerosene oil stoves. There are varieties in shape and size of both the cooking and heating stoves throughout Northern Areas, but the function and efficiency of these stoves are more or less the same. Photographs: Traditional Metal Sheet Stoves (Kerosene Oil Metal Sheet Stove)

(Heating Metal Sheet Stove)

The fuel efficient stove expert during his visit to AKRSP Baltistan had observed the improved metal sheet cooking and heating stoves of Building and Construction Improvement Programme (BACIP) in Gilgit. BACIP had improved a variety of local stoves making their use easy and efficient. However the fuel efficiency of these stoves is debatable as compare to the existing local stoves.

8

Because of the low costs of the existing metal sheet stoves and their widespread use, particularly among poor, rural households, AKRSP and UMB researchers had stressed to the Norwegian expert the importance of developing fuel efficient metal sheet stoves along with the soap stone and brick masonry fuel efficient stoves. After observing the local stoves the expert had designed a fuel efficient metal sheet stove by reshaping the local metal sheet cooking and heating stove. The expert had introduced a two stage metal sheet heating stove, having the lower portion (in two layers) with a cavity inside filled with soap stone crush. The upper stage is with a chamber where the heat and smoke travels two times longer as compare to the traditional metal stoves. Use of crushed soap stone in the lower chamber cavity has two benefits. First it retains heat for a longer time, and secondly it avoids burns from accidental touching of outer surface especially by the children. The drawback of the traditional metal stoves is most of the heat went out through pipe during and after burning of the fuel wood. Introduction of the upper cabin with three chambers to travel the heat provides longer distance for the outgoing heat and smoke to keep more heat inside building. The expert also introduced a multipurpose stove by synchronizing the heating stove with the cooking stove, such that the quicker heat used for cooking would be channeled for longer-term heating, such it did not merely escape through the chimney. Photographs: Improved Metal Sheet Fuel Efficient Stove

A variety of metal sheet stoves have been developed by the trained entrepreneur. One of the heating stoves was installed in the conference hall of AKRSP and five others have been sold to different staff members of AKRSP as per their demand. Observation during winter showed that the improved version of the heating stove in the conference hall of AKRSP is more efficient as compared to the traditional metal sheet stove installed in parallel in the same locality. It has also been observed that more staff members gather around the improved stove after fire up as compare to the traditional stove during meetings. The improved version preserves heat for longer period as compare to the traditional metal stove. A separate report has also been developed by Manager Market Development Baltistan for the metal sheet stove manufactured for cooking and heating purposes.

9

4.1

Defects

The complain reported about the metal sheet stove by one staff member, it was about the size and weight and late heat up as compare to the traditional stoves. The other common complain about these stoves is cleaning of the chimney pipe. In case of the traditional stoves cleaning of choked pipe is easy process but for this kind of stoves it is a bit difficult. Furthermore the cleaning of the upper chamber of the stove is also difficult especially the three cabins. Although the stove is fuel efficient, but it is to be reshaped in terms of size and cleaning of chambers and chimney.

4.2

Comparison

Since the majority of the population is familiar with the use of metal sheet stoves, and the costs are relatively low, this kind of stove has been accepted widely. The metal sheet entrepreneur trained by the expert had sold a few stoves of this type during the winter season other than the stoves sold to the AKRSP staff. In fact the demand for these stoves was very high, but it has not been propagated in the first year since it was still being tested. The improved metal sheet stoves are clearly more fuel efficient as compared to the traditional stoves in the area. In these stoves the heat travels longer as compared to the traditional stoves, the lower combustion chamber burns fuel more efficiently, and the cavity filled with the crush of soap stone provides conservation of heat for a longer time as compared to the traditional stoves. Further, the upper portion with three chambers inside provides longer time to travel the heat inside, thus makes the stove more efficient. However the size and weight of the stove is bigger than the traditional stoves and its weight prohibits the shifting of the stove from one room to the other easily. The improved metal sheet stoves introduced by the expert were highly appreciated, but despite the demand these were not promoted this year in order to check for defects and explore improved versions in the next year.

4.3

Cost

The cost of this stove varies from Rs, 1, 500 to 3,000 subject to the size, weight and quality of metal sheet used. The average cost of the stoves manufactured by the AKRSP was two thousand, which excludes the crushed soap stone cost. The cost will be further reduced if it is manufactured by the individual entrepreneurs.

4.4

Other Metal Sheet Stoves

Using the same methodology variety of the metal sheet stoves with different sizes and shapes can be manufactured. There is an option under consideration to introduce water heating in this type of stove as well as in the brick masonry stove. It will provide an opportunity for the beneficiaries to heat the water for domestic consumption.

5.

The future of Fuel Efficient Stoves

The excessive use of limited forest resources has aggravated the fuelwood and environmental situation to the extent that the natural forests have been diminished. At present, there is no strategy at government and/or private sector level to help the communities come out of the current situation. In the past two decades AKRSP has 10

promoted plantation of forest and fuel wood trees in Northern Areas and Chitral, which has brought positive changes to some extent. However, research by AKRSP and researchers at UMB (Norwegian University of Life Sciences) confirms that the pressure on the natural forest is increasing day by day, not only for fuelwood, but for construction purposes as well. To address the situation in terms of fuel wood, a two-pronged approach is needed; firstly to generate farm forests and regenerate and natural forests, and secondly to adopt fuel efficient heating and cooking techniques. The development of fuel efficient stoves with the assistance of the Norwegian expert is a step in this direction. After further research and testing of the improved fuel efficient stoves, it is hoped these will be replicated throughout Northern Areas and Chitral. According to the Norwegian expert the soap stone available in Baltistan is of high quality. The soap stone fuel efficient stoves made in Northern Areas therefore can be exported to the rest of the country where availability of the fuel wood is in excess. The brick masonry and metal sheet fuel efficient stoves developed by the expert can also be constructed in down country with even a lower cost than in the Northern Areas, mainly due to the availability of low cost materials such as bricks. Replication of the fuel efficient stoves in other parts of the country as well as the adjoining countries such as Afganistan will bring positive changes in improving the forests reserves as well as reducing the women and girls workload where collection of fire wood is mainly a women activity. Other than reduction in the work load, these will also help to improve health status of women by reducing smoke inhalation in the home, and it will also enable girls to use their time for other, more productive activities i.e. attending school or vocational training. The reduced pressure on forests for firewood will also bring positive changes to the environment, soil erosion and the ecosystem and ultimately to the sustainable development in this part of the world.

6.

Observations

In construction of most of the buildings in Northern Pakistan cement concrete is used without having insulation techniques. The construction of windows is single glassed and the glass used is of low quality. The doors are with clips and opening and closing of the doors is not automatic providing more loss of heat from inside building during its operations. The construction material of walls and roofs are highly permissive for heat and cold transfers, resulting in loss of the energy from inside of the building. While focusing on fuel efficient stoves it should be considered to rectify the insulation defects in the buildings where fuel efficient stoves to be installed, failure of which will inhibit the benefits of the fuel efficient stoves. In the case of the conference hall of AKRSP it has been observed that the leakages in the windows, cement masonry walls, RCC roof and its door operation prohibits the full benefits of brick masonry and improved metal sheet fuel efficient stoves. In contrast, the RPM’s room due to insulation of walls and roof maximizes the benefits of the soap stone stove. The insulation and/or double glassing of the windows and controlling the door operations of the conference hall may thus have had further maximized the benefits of the soap stone fuel efficient stove.

11

It has been observed during use of the stoves installed in AKRSP office that the operation and use of doors, for example of them being left open for long periods by the staff of AKRSP, results in particularly large losses of heat. The use of the improved stove with precautionary measures, such as the installation of door springs, is a must for a better effect of the stoves in future. Furthermore the cutting of the fire wood must be according to the size and specification of the stoves, otherwise it may cause difficulties in operation of the stoves.

7.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The limited forests and fuel wood in Northern Areas and high demand of the fire wood due to severe cold in winters puts for sustainable strategies to meet the future demand of the communities. The high demand can only be met through hydropower generation and use of fuel efficient techniques by modifying the current practices. The limited forests vanished in most parts of the Northern Areas as a result of extensive use and non-availability of cheap alternatives and lack of its sustainable use. The use of fuel efficient stoves at mass level in northern Pakistan could not only slow down deforestation but it will also improve the environment by reducing the smoke emissions from fuel wood burning. Further it will also help to improve the health hygiene condition of the communities, especially of the women. The following is therefore recommended: •

To fully promote the further development of fuel efficient soap stone stoves, fuel efficient brick masonry stoves and fuel efficient metal sheet stoves as introduced by the fuel efficient stove expert from Norway, with small modifications as per requirements of the individuals and general households of the area. The fuel efficiency and acceptability of each stove type needs close monitoring for an interim winter season in comparison with the traditional stoves, to be able to demonstrate conclusively to the local population the efficiency of the fuel efficient stoves.

•

To allocate appropriate funds for this research during next year and possibly the research should be conducted in collaboration with UMB with RD section funding in this sector.

•

To process a joint project including the improvement of housing by including the insulation along with the improved fuel efficient stoves, possibly through BACIP and/or a separate project of AKRSP if feasible.

•

Finally, to train a series of masons, metal workers and entrepreneurs in the principles of fuel efficiency, and the development of fuel efficient stoves of all kinds as per demand and needs of the individual costumers. The artisans and entrepreneurs must be skillful and technology oriented to make modifications as per demand of the customers. In this regard the technical staff of AKRSP may be assigned the responsibility of training and quality control, with technical support from the visiting expert when needed, and further train a series of entrepreneurs in various towns of the region.

12