We value all our past and existing

funders, supporters and partners including

Aryavart Gramin Bank, Uttar Pradesh
Department for International Development (DFID), United Kingdom
Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India
Kashi Gomti Samyut Gramin Bank, Uttar Pradesh
Nav Durga Metal Industries, Uttar Pradesh
Improved Cookstove Initiative
University of California, San Diego Addressing health risks from direct exposure to toxic emissions

For any further information or suggestions and for partnership opportunities,

please feel free to contact us.
Social Transformation Division
Contact us:
I H Rehman
The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi
Director (Social Transformation Division),
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI),
Darbari Seth Block, IHC Complex, Lodhi Road,
New Delhi – 110 003, India
E-mail: ihrehman@teri.res.in
Tel. (+91 11) 2468 2100 and 4150 4900 The Energy and Resources Institute
The Challenge TERI’s Improved Cookstove (ICS) Initiative
Globally almost 2 million deaths a year attributable to indoor air pollution With learning from past action oriented projects and research activity,
from solid fuel use (UNDP and WHO, 2009). TERI is promoting adoption of improved cookstoves (ICS). With support
Around 65 per cent of households in India primarily depend on from Department for International Development (DFID), United Kingdom,
biomass as fuel for cooking (GoI, 2013). envisages the institutionalization of a value chain based supply chain
comprising manufacturers, distributors and last-mile agents - Energy 40,000 plus lives
Entrepreneurs. In long run, TERI aims to facilitate creation of a new Over 40 EEs
directly impacted
robust supply chain at last mile locations and strengthen existing supply commissioned in
chain (if any) primarily to ensure usage and adoption. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh,
To foster the same, TERI is undertaking a range of initiatives Odisha and Madhya
including: Pradesh
• Improving awareness levels: TERI is undertaking necessary village
level awareness activities to encourage usage of ICS.
• Improving reliability: The forced draft ICS developed by TERI is one
of the models approved by MNRE. TERI provides opportunity to ICS Over 300 ICS
manufacturers to engage in manufacturing of ICS on a royalty free sold by EEs
basis. TERI mandates the manufacturers to be willing to serve rural
markets.
• Addressing challenge of availability: TERI is facilitating
institutionalization of independent Energy Enterprises (EEs) as
shops that carry direct retail sales of clean energy based lighting Over 500 ICS
and cooking devices, manage spares bank and provide after-sales- disseminated
service at last mile locations. TERI provides them necessary business
and technical skills apart from facilitating their linkages with the short-
Primary risk listed manufacturers for energy efficient end-use devices.
• Facilitating access to finance: Where the paying capacity of the The Opportunity
Women and accompanying children exposed to health risks from toxic end-users does not match with retail cost of the cook stove, TERI
emissions released during inefficient burning of biomass in poorly facilitates linkage of the community and EEs with reputed financial • Facilitate adoption of ICS.
ventilated kitchens. institutions for financing of end-use devices. • Adopt a village or hamlet and
Black carbon released from inefficient burning of solid biomass is one join in to create model ICS
of the climate change agents. village and hamlet.
Primary dependence on wood fuel exerts extreme pressure on
greenery in surrounding areas and can lead to faster deforestation.
Primary benefits of ICS • Support awareness activities
and learn about quantifiable
• High reduction in toxic outputs.
Alternative fuel is a difficult proposition emissions during cooking in
rural households.
• Support institutionalization of
EE units at last mile locations.
Modern cooking fuels like Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) are often • Reduction in consumption of • Support capacity building
termed as expensive by poor households in remote villages. cooking fuel. activities for EEs, distributors
Not all households in remote villages have enough cattle dung and • Reduction in cooking time. and manufacturers of ICS.
agricultural biomass available throughout the year to set-up biogas • Reduction in direct exposure • Support creation of spares
plant. of women and accompanying banks and institutionalization of
Food cooked using biomass as fuel is often preferred by rural children to toxic emissions after-sales-service facilities at
inhabitants primarily due to taste of food. during cooking. last mile locations.