Fuelwood-fired cookstoves in Sri Lanka and related issues

Abstract

The historical development of cookstoves and improved cookstove (ICS) development and dissemination programmes conducted in Sri Lanka are reviewed and the current utilization patterns of different cookstoves are estimated. Performance characteristics and emission factors of most commonly used stove categories are presented. Environmental and health implications of domestic cooking are discussed. Impacts of dissemination of ICSs, in terms of fuelwood savings and emission reductions, are also estimated. The results indicate that only 12% of the fuelwood used for cooking in the domestic sector is consumed in ICSs and around 41% of fuelwood could be saved by dissemination of ICSs. This would lead to a considerable reduction in the emissions generated from fuelwood use in domestic cooking.