Transitioning pellet stove production: China to Rwanda

Partners: Biomassters (Uk)

Country: Rwanda

Technology: Modern cooking

Stage: Early

Stage: Round 10

BioMassters are responsible for the first WHO, tier-4 clean burning gasification stoves to run on biofuel, the portable Mimi Moto model was an important innovation in clean cooking. Pellet fuel is roughly 30% cheaper than charcoal and uses 90% less biomass than charcoal cooking.

BioMassters wants to roll out a new version that can be assembled locally at home. By producing the stove in Rwanda, Mimi Moto’s cookstoves will lower its market rate, create green jobs and enable customisation. A pilot initiative with several Village Chiefs saw positive feedback. By building trust with Village Chiefs, it’s hoped that with support from Energy Catalyst this initiative can open people up to replacing traditional methods with pellet fuel and stove systems. Since cooking in Rwanda is carried out primarily by women and girls, BioMassters positively impacts both the environment and women’s health.