I am developing a solar biomass cook stove for clean cooking. The appliance, a solar biomass cook burner, will make clean energy accessible through solar electricity and smart cooking. It will offer access to electricity and power the ventilator required for clean biomass combustion, the gadget combines solar and thermal energy with a solar-charged battery. The solution will allow users to power light bulbs, charge electronics, and maintain connectivity while saving an average of 83% on energy costs and reducing dangerous indoor air pollution. The smart system, which includes a smartphone with an integrated app, may be acquired using a flexible microloan, allowing clients to pay via energy cost savings realized and recoup their initial investment within six to nine months.

About up to four million people die prematurely each year from illnesses related to indoor air pollution caused by exposure to open fires, inefficient cook-stoves and burning solid fuels such as wood, charcoal, tree leaves and crop residues. Around the world, nearly 3 billion people still rely on open fires or inefficient cook-stoves to cook their meals; 85% of whom are concentrated in just 20 high impact countries. Women and children are disproportionately impacted, as they spend the most time near the cooking areas.

Replacing polluting, open fires or inefficient cook-stoves with clean cooking technologies reduces exposure to household air pollution, lowering the burden of associated diseases. For the nearly 3 billion people who lack access to clean cooking, significant improvements to health can only be achieved by switching to the lowest emission cook-stoves and fuels.