Women can try before they buy the Prime Cookstove
Low Emissions Enterprise Initiative representatives promote the Prime cookstove at the weekly market in Simataniari, Tapsel
Ibu Rambe uses her Prime cookstove to fry bananas to sell
Vernando Aruan, a LEE Tech Agent demonstrates the Prime cookstove at the market in Sipirok, Tapsel
Pak Muhammad Nurhuda has been hailed as a visionary in the renewable energy sector for his work designing fuel-efficient cookstoves for the developing world. He was recently shortlisted for an Ashden Award, the world’s most prestigious sustainable energy prize. Kopernik has been working with Pak Nurhuda for five years, and we profiled him in one of our first inventor storiesback in 2011.
Recognising the quality and innovation of his work, Norwegian investment group Differ has become the majority investor and distributor of Pak Nurhuda’s Prime cookstove. I recently interviewed Camilla Fulland, Differ’s Business Development Manager, about how Differ is working to scale-up distribution of the Prime cookstove around the world, so that Pak Nurhuda’s ground-breaking stove design can deliver cleaner cooking to more people.
INVESTING IN INNOVATION
“WORKING WITH SUCH A TALENTED AND CREATIVE PERSON IS VERY REWARDING, BUT CAN ALSO BE A CHALLENGE, AS HE OFTEN COMES UP WITH NEW IDEAS AND CHANGES FOR THE STOVES WHICH CAN BE CHALLENGING FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE,” SAID CAMILLA.
“HOWEVER, COMPLEMENTING PAK NURHUDA’S DESIGN STRENGTHS WITH DIFFER’S STRENGTHS IN INVESTING IN RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY, WE HAVE THE PERFECT COMBINATION TO ADDRESS THE NEED FOR CLEAN AND EFFICIENT BIOMASS COOKSTOVES GLOBALLY THROUGH A SUSTAINABLE COMMERCIAL BUSINESS.”
The Prime cookstove is a top-lit updraft gasifier, a type of stove which offers ultra-efficient fuel combustion. Camilla says the Prime cookstove is a major improvement from previous models developed by Nurhuda, and it outperforms most existing stoves, which is why it has received so much praise.
“A LOT OF TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH REGARDS TO FUEL EFFICIENCY AND CLEANLINESS OF THE STOVE. MORE IMPORTANTLY, MAJOR CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO MAKE THE STOVE MORE USER-FRIENDLY, CHANGES BASED ON INPUT FROM ACTUAL USERS IN THE FIELD. ”
Prime stoves now come with new packaging, user manuals, serial numbers, and a fireproof powder coating. The quality of the product is backed by a one year warranty.
“THESE PRODUCT IMPROVEMENTS WILL MAKE OUR STOVES EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE TO CUSTOMERS, FACILITATING SALES,” CAMILLA SAYS.
FEEDBACK FROM THE FIELD
User feedback suggests that Prime cookstoves are meeting a real need. A recent impact assessment in North Sumatra, Indonesia found that families cooking with Prime stoves are using less than half the wood needed by a traditional stove. Test results also found the cookstoves reduce nearly all emissions that cause respiratory diseases.
“THE MAIN REASON WHY PRIME COOKSTOVES ARE SO POPULAR IS THE PRICE, COMBINED WITH THE FUEL SAVINGS THAT THEY OFFER,” SAYS CAMILLA.
“END-USERS CAN SAVE UP TO US$2.50 PER WEEK IF THEY PURCHASE WOOD, OR SAVE AROUND EIGHT HOURS OF LABOUR PER WEEK IF THEY ARE COLLECTING WOOD.”
“THIS GIVES A PAYBACK TIME FOR THE PRIME COOKSTOVE OF LESS THAN THREE MONTHS, WHICH IS VERY ACCEPTABLE FOR INDONESIAN HOUSEHOLDS.”
DIFFER & KOPERNIK
Differ has partnered with Kopernik on the Low Emissions Enterprise (LEE) initiative, which aims to sell 17,000 Prime cookstoves in North Sumatra by the end of 2015.
In 2014 Kopernik recruited sales agents and built partnerships with cooperatives, women’s groups, farming groups and other community groups to distribute the stoves. More than 10,000 people are already enjoying the benefits of the Prime stove, which in the long term includes a reduced risk of chronic diseases caused by smoke from traditional cookfires. Despite some initial challenges, Camilla believes this year will be one of rapid growth and that more households will embrace this simple, fuel-efficient technology.
“INTRODUCING A NEW TECHNOLOGY IN A MARKET IS ALWAYS CHALLENGING, AND IT DEMANDS A LOT OF EFFORT FROM BOTH MANAGEMENT AND STAFF. BY LISTENING TO THE FEEDBACK FROM OUR FIELD STAFF, TAKING A DYNAMIC APPROACH, ACCOMMODATING THE NEEDS OF OUR CUSTOMERS - FOR EXAMPLE INTRODUCING AN INSTALMENT PAYMENT SYSTEM - IN ADDITION TO HAVING AMAZING FIELD STAFF, WE ARE CONFIDENT WE CAN ACHIEVE OUR TARGETS.”
Kopernik is currently raising funds to make Prime cookstoves available in remote villages in and around the Dieng Plateau in Central Java, as part of the Clean Stoves Initiative Indonesia. Please pitch in to help Fire Up Central Java, Indonesia.
