wPOWER PROJECT PROMOTING CLEAN ENERGY

Overview Partnership on Women’s Entrepreneurship in Renewables (“wPOWER”) project is an initiative of the Department of State launched the in January The Department of State teamed up with the Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace & Environmental Studies (WMI), Green Belt Movement, MacArthur Foundation, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, CARE International, Solar Sister, Women for Women International and the Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) India

Goal Empower more than 8,000 women clean energy entrepreneurs who will deliver clean energy access to more than 3.5 million people over the project cycle across;  East Africa  Nigeria  India

We aim to tackle i.Health - Indoor Air Pollution ii.Climate change and Environment – Firewood and charcoal as a primary source of fuel iii.Gender – women and children most impacted iv.Livelihoods – Clean energy entrepreneurship

Why women Women are the primary users and most affected together with their children

Women entrepreneurs are untapped resource Women entrepreneurs demonstrate more than twice the level of business capacity and success as compared to men

Clean energy Energy produced from renewable sources in a process that has minimal impact to the environment and/or livelihoods. Examples include solar wind Biomass Geothermal Hydro

Why clean energy 14,000 people die annually as a result of indoor air pollution million tons of wood charcoal are consumed annually More than 80% of households depend on biomass for cooking and heating Less than 15% of the population have access to electricity Kerosene lamps still remain the main source of lighting for 55% of households. Kerosene for lighting in rural households is 87%

Causes of Indoor air pollution

Smoke constituents

Climate change Burning biomass as wood or charcoal releases green house gases such as carbon dioxide which causes global warming by trapping excess heat in the atmosphere

Fuels – cooking & lighting The main sources are firewood and charcoal This can be sourced sustainably from Forests Woodlots/Farm lands Agricultural biomass

Alternative fuels  Briquettes Made through compaction of biomass material in to a solid unit. The process can be manual or machine operated. A binder is added to make the biomass material stick to one unit. The binder can include starch, gum arabica, soil, animal dung, waste paper Bio mass material can be from rice husks, sugarcane bagasse, coconut husks, maize cobs, saw dust, charcoal dust etc.

Advantages Less emissions Easy to make Cheap High heating value

 Pellets Pellet fuels are fuels made from compressed organic matter, or, biomass

 Biogas This is a renewable energy source form waste that has decomposed. Materials used as organic matter include: Kitchen wastes, animal manure and slurry, agricultural residues, food and agro industries wastes, organic municipal wastes

 Bio fuels – ethanol & bio diesel Energy derived from renewable plant and animal materials. Examples of biofuels include; ethanol, biodiesel (vegetable oils and liquid animal fats)

Clean energy technologies Cookstoves Why have a Clean and modern cookstoves Saves more fuel Less toxic emissions Less cooking time & time to collect fuelwood Reduced greenhouse gas emissions More time for education and income generating activities

Traditional Stoves Improved Stoves and Fuels Advanced Super Clean Stoves and Fuels Technology shift

Solar lighting It is the Energy from the sun Can be used for cooking, lighting, running gadgets and electronics. Advantages Clean- no emissions Free from a renewable source Cheaper Low maintenance cost