Cambodia –Efficient Stoves

Project Location: Across Cambodia.

Project Type: Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) Project

Emissions Reductions: 4,500 tonnes

Baseline (situation without project): Inefficient traditional Lao Stove

Project Status: The project is ongoing and stoves have been disseminated throughout Cambodia since 2006.

Validation: Project is validated with early vintages verified.

Project Start: 2006

Summary: 90% of the Cambodian population rely on fuel wood and charcoal for cooking their meals, seriously threatening forest resources through deforestation which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This project replaces the traditional inefficient Lao Stove with a new improved version of the stove, resulting in substantial savings in charcoal fuel required to cook a meal. Importantly, the new stove produces less smoke, reducing stove users’ exposure to associated hazards and improving health. Carbon finance is providing the financial backing which helps to build capacity within the market.

In March 2010 the project disseminated its millionth stove.

Summary: Currently domestic households use kerosene fuel and grid electricity for lighting. Commonly water is also heated with grid electricity. The grid in India is powered largely by coal and so has a high CO2 emission factor.  Kerosene also has a high emissions factors.  These fuels form the baseline for the project, which focuses on emission reductions arising from solar hot water and solar electric installations.

The project will develop a network of franchisees throughout India for the sale, installation, and service of solar water heaters, solar electricity units, and energy efficiency appliances.

The project raises awareness of renewable energy as a practical reality for home and small business power generation and reduces dependency on the unreliable grid supply.  It builds local business and professional skills in the community and creates new jobs whilst encouraging the widespread dissemination of low carbon technologies.