Comments on: Producer's Notes: Darfur Stoves Project

By: gas fires

gas fires — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 06:21:17 +0000

Darfur is not suitable for using solar stoves. It didn't produce enough heat to prepare the food for those refugee and it's not right idea.

By: Len Johnson

Len Johnson — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:29:07 +0000

It's based on the rocket stove, but it doesn't look as efficient as the Aprovecho designs. There are all kinds of variations, that are not hard or expensive to make. I did some experiments with rocket stoves (and also solar cookers). I posted the results on the alternative-energy-source.org website. The information is free, if anyone is interested in alternative cooking methods.

By: The Darfur Stoves Project

The Darfur Stoves Project — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 05:04:21 +0000

[...] Watch the video below (from KQED QUEST). You can also read more about the Darfur Stoves Project here. [...]

By: Amy

Amy — Sat, 24 May 2008 16:33:47 +0000

Solar stoves can not be used in Darfur. If you go to Darfurstoves.org. There is a Lab report posted. In it, the team describes encountering Solar stoves. They checked the stoves out and considered using them. However, the solar stoves did not producee enought heat to cook the food that the refugee eat. Also. using s sophisticted stove in the IDP camps would not be cost efficient.

By: Mary Jane Holmes

Mary Jane Holmes — Wed, 21 May 2008 23:00:39 +0000

Every time I see an article about these stoves, I wonder why solar stoves – that don't use any wood – aren't being used. There are some extremely sophisticated solar stoves out there.

By: Sheraz

Sheraz — Wed, 21 May 2008 19:48:51 +0000

Hi Marc. This is Sheraz. I assisted Producer Amy Miller on this beautifully produced story. I contacted Dr. Ashok Gadgil about your question. Here's his response:

"(You are)correct in commenting that cooking smoke is a very serious health hazard in the developing countries. The cooking is commonly performed in poorly ventilated kitchens, and the smoke exposure is very substantial. However, in Darfur, the refugees live is practically open shelters, made with straw and tarp, with little protection from outdoor wind. Thus, in this case, we expect the dilution of cooking smoke to be unusually rapid in these shelters, reducing exposure of the cooks.

Our preliminary tests suggest that compared to a three stone fire, the Berkeley Darfur stove emits ~45% less carbon monoxide (CO) and ~45% less mass of particulate matter (the aerosol mass) as smoke, for equivalent thermal output into a cooking pot. We plan to undertake more careful emissions testing this summer."

By: Marc

Marc — Wed, 21 May 2008 05:54:03 +0000

Thanks for the inspiring story. I have read that indoor air pollution from wood-fired cookstoves is a major health problem for women and children. Because the stoves are inside, ventilation is poor, and the fires burn inefficiently, the concentration of smoke and gaseous pollutants in the cooking area is extremely high.

Have the Darfur stove designers done any comparisons of the pollutant output from their stove and the three-stone method?