Sunderbans is a part the world’s largest Mangrove Forest. The area is in the delta of the Ganges River and the Bay of Bengal. It is the home of the endangered Royal Bengal Tigers.

The area is very remote and the main mode of transport is mechanized boats as the communities live in back waters. The supply of essentials is thus a big issue and the population irrespective of their economic status is forced to use fuel wood as the main source of energy. The firewood in this region is mainly collected from the forests leading to an acute problem of deforestation in the entire region.

The project activity aims to reduce the fuel wood consumption of households by disseminating improved wood gasifier cook stoves, called TLUD. These stoves use 50% less wood in comparison to traditional stoves. Moreover, the stoves generate charcoal, supplying an additional fuel source for local charcoal users. Additional benefits to the climate shall be achieved by supplying TLUD users with renewable biomass for use in the TLUD.

The project will use carbon revenues to subsidize the purchase of these efficient stoves, and thus make them available for the poor.

The TLUD is especially suitable for the cooking habits of the people in the target region, since rice is the basic dish. Its design ensures efficient combustion of fuel and cleaner fire therefore uses considerably less fuel compared to traditional stoves.

• atmosfair will provide upfront funding for the implementation to the project
• Servals will produce the TLUDs in their facilities in Chennai.
• Sapient will coordinate and supervise the sales activities.
• Cookstove distribution will be done through national field assistants who are responsible for stove distribution in their own communities.
• Cooperation with local partners such as the NGO Mass Education or Sheeny International is a part of the project, e.g with recruitment of field staff.

Project impacts and benefits:

• This project is made up of two micro-scale projects that are reducing 20.000 tons of GHG emissions per year (combined)
• The TLUD reduces indoor air pollution and hence improves health conditions for women and children.
• The project results in significant saving of cooking fuel and thereby reduces the time and monetary cost of obtaining cooking fuel.
• Due to the reduced deforestation the project helps to preserve the mangrove forests and the enormous biodiversity, including the Bengal Tiger.
• It works on the pyrolysis technology and hence represents an improved biomass stove that generates a flame comparable to an LPG burner and uses 50 % less fuel wood.
• It is simple to operate and the design is adapted to the local necessities of the users.
• It allows faster cooking due to high fire power moreover there is no need to monitor the flame during the cooking session.
• During the combustion process charcoal is produced which is collected for multiple commercial applications.
• It requires low maintenance since it is made of stainless steel, durable and easy to clean.

Apart from the direct benefits to the users, there are additional benefits to the community since the project will catalyze economic activity:

• There will be a thorough monitoring to ensure long-term operation of the improved cook stoves. For this purpose, a large number of local field assistants will be employed.
• The use of remaining charcoal will also offer income and employment to locals. The project will establish a collection chain for the use of charcoal. The additional income can be used for different purposes, e.g. food, health and educational issues.