Report on Fuel Efficient Stoves - AGA KHAN RURAL SUPPORT PROGRAMME BALISTAN
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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. Introduction..................................................................................................................... 3
2. 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 ever-
higher 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
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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.
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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.
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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
10promoted 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.
11It 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.
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