[Stoves] The PROTOS Plant Oil Cooker

[David Whitfield]

Hi Sam,
Welcome aboard the stoves lists.  I am expecting major contributions  
from you on the list, and wanted to express how grand it was to get  
to know you in Bangalore at the PCIA conference.

It's great for more representation of commercial enterprise and it is  
refreshing to me that major actors like Bosh are concerned with, not  
only making a profit but helping improve lives.

keep the comments rolling.

un abrazo
David


On May 2, 2007, at 3:52 AM, Shiroff, Samuel Neal (VB 3) wrote:

> A.D., Peter, Jeff,
>
> I appreciate the interest and positive orientation toward  Protos.   
> We at
> BSH are certainly aware that there are significant challenges to  
> face in
> introducing a new technology with a new fuel source.  As much as we  
> would
> like it to be true, we share Dr. Karve's concern about Jatropha  
> hype and
> clearly recognize that the sourcing/availability of adequate  
> amounts of
> inexpensive plant oil as the primary obstacle/requirement for  
> successful
> introduction of our stove.
>
> To briefly respond the question of Castor oil, the cooker will burn  
> any type
> of plant oil so castor is definitely an option where it makes economic
> sense.  In an ideal world, non-edible plant oils will be available  
> at a
> price lower than kerosene and produced by cooperatives that are  
> also able to
> make use of our stove themselves.  In reality, we recognize that  
> this may
> not always be the case.  When not, we are striving to ensure  
> supplies of
> plant oil are sustainably produced (biodiversity issues, water issues,
> exploitation issues, etc.) and that use of the cooker will not cause a
> significant market price change in the circumstance that the oil being
> burned might otherwise be edible - for instance coconut oil.  We  
> are in the
> process of discussions with some international environmental  
> organizations
> to make sure that there is adequate expertise on board.
>
> The nice part about the technology is that it really is a universal  
> burner -
> although some oils burn more cleanly and more efficiently than others.
> Biodiesel works like a charm, but since it is a higher-value fuel  
> tends to
> make little economic sense.  As mentioned, castor oil is certainly a
> consideration wherever it fulfills the requisite environmental,  
> social and
> economic conditions.  It should also be clear that we have not yet
> completely solved the issue of residue left over from burning; that  
> may be a
> technical impossibility.  Over the last 3 years, we have improved the
> lifespan from 2 hours to 2000+ hours (with proper maintenance). The  
> cooker
> requires cleaning in a process that takes about 20 minutes and must  
> be done
> twice a week depending upon usage.  However, unlike a kerosene  
> stove, the
> unpleasantness of the cleaning is only that one gets a bit of plant  
> oil on
> ones hands;  which actually makes the hands softer, so it isn't all
> negative.
>
> It should also be noted that we have identified the primary market  
> as those
> individuals who are already paying for their fuel supply -  
> generally wood,
> charcoal or kerosene.  It is the nature of this particular  
> technology that
> this is the market segment most likely to make use of it and be  
> able to
> afford the operating costs.  Perhaps at some point in the future we  
> will
> design a stove for other market segments, but at the moment we are
> concentrating here.  BSH is in a learning process.  We have sold  
> tens of
> millions of stoves/cookers, but never to this group of customers.  Our
> primary goal is to cover our costs at the moment - not to make a  
> profit -
> although if this turns out to be possible at some point in the  
> future, that
> would probably be a good way to ensure better products and more  
> competition.
>
> Regards,
>
> Sam
>
> ********************************************
>
> Samuel N. Shiroff
>
> Director
>
> BSH Bosch and Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
>
> Carl-Wery-Strasse 34
>
> 81739 Munich
>
> Germany
>
> T: +49 89 4590-3039
>
> F: +49 89 4590-5079
>
> E: samuel.shiroff at bshg.com
>
> www.bsh-group.com / www.plantoilcooker.org
>
> Protos. The Plant Oil Stove.
>
> An Initiative of Bosch and Siemens Home Appliances Group.
>
> BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH, Carl-Wery-Str. 34, 81739  
> München
> Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: Rudi Lamprecht
> Geschäftsführung: Dr. Kurt-Ludwig Gutberlet (Vors.), Dr. Wolfgang  
> Colberg,
> Jean Dufour, Prof. E.h. Werner Vogt
> Sitz: München; Registergericht: Amtsgericht München, HRB 75534;
> WEEE-Reg.-Nr. DE 57986696
>
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David Whitfield
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-------------------------------

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David Whitfield V.

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