[Stoves] DA US$1 stove

[Dr Soumen Maity]

Dear Paul,

Excuse me for not being clear.

A "1 dollar" stove according to me will include only the material and production cost. These will be made locally by Self Help Groups (women in particular) and for intra village consumption. This will enable easier adoption by women within their own village. This will be a part of a new marketing strategy we are thinking of. We suggest to call this the "COM" model (community owned and marketed). Even a profit of Rs. 5 will be sufficient to the groups since the game will be on numbers. 

Another model will the same stove manufactured at a village level but marketed at places beyond 200kms. This is to ensure that their local market is not affected. The marketing model we are suggesting is through TMA (technology marketing agents, essentially unemployed youths). To follow this model the stove price will be more than double when it reaches the customer, I presume approximately "2 dollar". 

For the grate, during the casting process we wuld like to introduce 4-5 mm plain rejected iron rods. They are cheap and would cost anything between Rs. 4-5.

Yes there have been successes with the "3-5 dollar stoves". But with the kind of people we are dealing with, mostly migratory and landless families even to afford "1 dollar" is a matter of concern. The expensive stoves are for a so-called affluent section of the society who have that purchasing power.

I know that it is a challenge to produce a "1 dollar" stove. But that is a dream I have consistently lived with. With all the varied expertise available within the group and the keen interest been shown I am sure that it is achievable. I have believed that challenge is always fun to work with. Just imagine the kind of impact we can make amongst the class of people we are working with in terms of emission reduction, health improvements, child mortality etc.

Thanks

Soumen



On Tue, 17 Jul 2007 Paul S.Anderson wrote :
>Dear Soumen,
>
>Your criteria for the $1 stove contradict each other.
>
>To pack the stoves and have long distance transportation will add a dollar to
>the cost.  Also, transportation should not be needed it the stoves can be made
>by LOCAL women.
>
>Instead, a one-dollar stove would virtually require most of the production to be
>with local "free" materials (clay, wood, etc) (if available), and use the one
>dollar for some key component that might need manufacturing and transport, such
>as a grate or mechanism to control air flow.
>
>If it is to truly cost only one dollar (except for freely collected local
>materials and freely donated local labor such as that of the person who will
>make and own the stove), you have very limited options for what you will spend
>the dollar to purchase.
>
>A worthy goal, an awesome challenge, it is good to raise the issue.  A related
>question is, could you accomplish a $5 stove, then maybe a $3 stove, and then
>get to the single dollar stove someday??
>
>Also, a poor-quality stove (in terms of poor combustion and high Indoor Air
>Pollution and high fuel consumption) should not be offered to people, even if
>it can be made for a single dollar.
>
>Please tell us of your current stage of this project, and maybe mention some
>specific issues of us to consider.
>
>Paul
>
>Quoting Dr Soumen Maity who wrote:
>>>Dear All,
>snip
>>>We are also working on development of what we call a "1 dollar stove". The main objectives of building the stove are:
>>>
>>>1. Affordable cost for people of Bundelkhand (1-2 US Dollar)
>>>2. Can be packed in cartoons during transportation
>>>3. Can be stackable in a truck during long distance transportation
>>>4. Strong and durable enough
>>>5. Can be made by local women communities
>>>
>>>I appreciate feedback on the above objectives and suggestions on the materials to be used.
>>>
>>>Soumen
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Dr. Soumen Maity
>>>Associate Programme Director
>>>Development Alternatives
>>>1087, Civil Lines,
>>>Jhansi - 284 001, Uttar Pradesh
>>>INDIA
>>>Ph. (0510) 2911477,07522)280107
>>>Mobile: 09415031184
>>>URL: http://www.devalt.org
>-- Paul S. Anderson, Ph.D., Geography professor - Emeritus
>Telephone:  USA-309-452-7072 (residence and office)
>Internet site:  www.ilstu.edu/~psanders
>For my gasifier stoves info, go to:
>http://bioenergylists.org/contributors#Paul_Anderson
>
>
>
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Dr. Soumen Maity
Associate Programme Director
Development Alternatives
1087, Civil Lines,
Jhansi - 284 001, Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Ph. (0510) 2911477,07522)280107
Mobile: 09415031184 
URL: http://www.devalt.org