German firm develops stove fueled by plant oil

Introducing: The world’s first plant oil-fueled stove.

It was developed by the BSH Bosch and Siemens Hausgerate GmbH, a German firm, in partnership with research, scientific, and environmental partners, among them the Leyte State University (LSU) in Baybay town situated 120 kilometers south of the Leyte capital city of Tacloban.

The project is supported by the environmental foundation Euronatur, which views this innovation as a concrete example of climate protection with the aim of protecting health and maintaining biodiversity. Euronatur has been working on renaturation of cleared rain forests for many years.

Others involved in the project are the Hohenheim University, DEG Deutsche Investitions-und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (KfW Bankengruppe), Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), GmbH, and Bellagio Forum for Sustainable Development with member organizations.

Dr. Paciencia Po-Milan, LSU president, told this writer that the plant oil-fueled cooking stove will be unveiled to journalists and other visitors from various parts of the world who will join an expedition to Leyte on April 4-10.

The stove is initially being used and tested everyday at 150 locations, including private homes and professional kitchens on Leyte Island in cooperation with LSU.

Dr. Milan said the stove, which does not emit noxious elements, is fueled by plant oils such as those of coconut, corn, peanut, and castor.

It can be manufactured out of locally available materials, thus, its production cost can be made less expensive.

The stove has been envisioned to help solve energy problems in cooking; eliminate the health problems associated with open fires, especially for women and children; reduce deforestation for firewood or charcoal; promote effective cooking systems that use renewable fuels; and protect biodiversity.

"This high-tech cooking appliance makes it possible for rural communities in developing regions to cook without noxious emissions," Bosch stressed.

At present, the German firm noted, about 2.5 billion people cook everyday using open fires, burning wood, or charcoal with devastating consequences for humans, nature, and the environment.

"Women and children are the worst affected, since they breath in the smoke that accumulates inside their dwellings, and develop problems such as respiratory disease and eye disorders later on," it said.

On the other hand, while many developing countries have to import expensive petroleum, plant oils (palm, cocoa, castor) are available more cheaply, or can quite easily be produced locally.

"In the future, the stove will mainly be manufactured locally," Bosch said. – Rudy A. Fernandez