Master thesis in Sustainable Development 2018/34 Examensarbete i Hållbar utveckling Design Improvements for Top-Lit UpDraft Biochar-Producing Gasifier Stove in Rural Kenya from the Users’ Perspective Made Sania Saraswati DEPARTMENT OF EARTH SCIENCES INSTITUTIONEN FÖR GEOVETENSKAPER Master thesis in Sustainable Development 2018/34 Examensarbete i Hållbar utveckling Design Improvements for Top-Lit UpDraft Biochar-Producing Gasifier Stove in Rural Kenya from the Users’ Perspective Made Sania Saraswati Supervisor: Cecilia Sundberg & Mary Njenga Evaluator: Magdalena Kuchler Copyright © Made Sania Saraswati, Published at Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University (www.geo.uu.se), Uppsala, 2018 Content Content ........................................................................................................................................................... i List of Figures .............................................................................................................................................. iii List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................ iii Design Improvements for Top-Lit UpDraft Biochar-Producing Gasifier Stove in Rural Kenya from the Users’ Perspective ........................................................................................................................................ iv Design Improvements for Top-Lit UpDraft Biochar-Producing Gasifier Stove in Rural Kenya from the Users’ Perspective ......................................................................................................................................... v Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................................... vi 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1. Aim ................................................................................................................................................ 2 1.2. Research questions ........................................................................................................................ 2 2. Background .............................................................................................................................................. 3 2.1. Energy and development .................................................................................................................... 3 2.2. Kenya .................................................................................................................................................. 3 2.2.1. Household main energy consumption ......................................................................................... 4 2.3. Biochar and smallholder farmers in Kenya – improved use efficiency of farm-level organic resources in relation energy, crops and soil project ................................................................................... 5 2.3.1. Biochar ........................................................................................................................................ 6 2.3.2. Kwale County .............................................................................................................................. 7 3. Literature review ..................................................................................................................................... 9 3.1. Improved stove projects in Kenya ...................................................................................................... 9 3.2. Linking environmental burden – reduce fuel consumption .............................................................. 10 4. Theoretical framework ......................................................................................................................... 12 4.1. Participatory technology development approach.............................................................................. 12 4.2. Design for environment concept....................................................................................................... 12 5. Methodology ........................................................................................................................................... 14 5.1. Methods ............................................................................................................................................ 14 5.1.1. Structured user observations ...................................................................................................... 14 5.1.2. Focus group discussion .............................................................................................................. 15 5.1.3. Semi-structured interview.......................................................................................................... 16 5.2. Transformative mixed methods design ............................................................................................. 17 6. Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 19 6.1. Studies of users and cooking practice............................................................................................... 19 6.1.1. The demographic of users .......................................................................................................... 19 6.1.2. Cooking practice ........................................................................................................................ 20 6.2. Study with the users.......................................................................................................................... 25 6.2.1. Experience in using TLUD stove .............................................................................................. 25 6.2.2. Users’ aspirations for TLUD gasifier stove ............................................................................... 27 6.3. Understanding the technology .......................................................................................................... 27 6.3.1. Expectations for the TLUD gasifier stove ................................................................................. 28 6.3.2. Response to the users’ feedback ................................................................................................ 29 7. Discussion ............................................................................................................................................... 31 7.1. Designing with the users .................................................................................................................. 31 7.2. Meeting the aspirations ..................................................................................................................... 32 7.3. Comparing TLUD gasifier stove and TSF ....................................................................................... 32 7.4. Co-designing for environmentally friendly technology ................................................................... 33 7.5. Limitations ........................................................................................................................................ 34 8. Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................. 35 9. Acknowledgement.................................................................................................................................. 35 10. References ............................................................................................................................................. 36 11. Appendix .............................................................................................................................................. 40 11.1. Observation checklist ..................................................................................................................... 40 11.2. Focus group discussion result ......................................................................................................... 40 11.3. Interview questions guide ............................................................................................................... 41 11.4. Transcript ........................................................................................................................................ 42 ii List of Figures Figure 2. 1. Geographical location of Kenya (TUBS, 2011) and the relief map of Kenya (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2006) ............................................................................................. 4 Figure 2. 2. Source of cooking energy in Kenya (KNBS, 2009a) ............................................................... 5 Figure 2. 3. TLUD gasifier stove used in BSFK project (left), and the accessories (right) ((KIRDI, n.d.- b) .................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 2. 4. Biochar technology summary in sub-Saharan Africa showing potential feedstocks (A), the pyrolysis systems (B), the potential applications (C) and forecast on the impacts of application (D)