Biomass Fuels & Cookstoves

2.7 billion people worldwide rely on traditional uses of solid biomass fuels to meet their daily energy needs, an increase in 38 million over last year (IEA 2014). Traditional means of cooking pose acute and chronic health risks, introduce time burdens on women and children, contribute to unsustainable harvest of forests, and in many cases, represent a significant cost burden on base-of-pyramid households. Without major policy changes, the number of households relying on solid fuels will continue to increase through 2050.

D-Lab is committed to addressing these issues through:

• Applied research to evaluate existing fuel and stove technology and design improved solutions
• Support for a community of social entrepreneurs who are supplying clean fuels and stoves to their communities
• Engagement in international agreements to increase the quality, availability, and sustained adoption of clean cooking technology