Towards 2M Cookstoves: The SunFire way!

Presentation Outline Who are we Where do we work How do we work Our “Other” perspectives Our Other roles

Who are we a Malawian owned start-up renewable energy enterprise Set up in 2016 is aimed at partnering with willing rural communities in Malawi in order to reduce the impact of energy poverty in their households and communities. operates as a social enterprise that employs impact investment principles in order to achieve sustained social-economic change, cleaner climate, and better environment. Mixed Financing: Private Since inception, Sunfire has been operating mainly in parts of Chiradzulu and Balaka 

Who are we (Cont’d) Team Leader Operations Driver ON Need Driver Marketing Data services

Where do we work Can be anywhere in Malawi. Currently operating only in Southern region Chiradzulu Balaka Machinga Zomba Mangochi And other minor sales

How do we work Small, focused, effective team Marketing focuses on: Mobilise the community – kuodika Identify promoters Operations Sources the stoves Looks into quality control Arranges deliveries Both make follow ups on sales and resupplies Work with “village appointed” promoters at GVH level Incentivise - performance based, whatever works for a locality Prioritised women Empowerment Aligned to women’s productive roles Networking with like minded entities – UP, MBAULA

Our Operation Environment Ecosystem Stressors: Poor Land management practices Climate change, global greenhouse gas emissions Fuelwood accounts for 84% of total wood use Deforestation rates approx. 2.3% per year; similar pace to population growth Charcoal for cooking: 1.7% rural; 43.4% urban Other wood uses: tobacco curing, lumber extraction, brick burning 5.3% urban growth rate, rising charcoal demand Rapid population growth Increased cultivation

Our Other perspectives: ICS as a behaviour change intervention Don’t try to change both Technology and Fuel simultaneously UNLESS communities are already “efficiency conscious”. A sort of Stoves ladder? By the human nature and complex needs, Accept that Stove stacking will always be there. Simplify attribution/proportioning impact measurement instead BLEENS are for the better off. Unless the poor progress to the better off too. Or “Bleenise” fuel that is accessible to the BoP: Fuel prep or Tech refinement. NGO approach is good for introduction of the technology. But MUST build in progression toward market based “cost recovery” approached. Identify (and ride on) seasonality. Reasons vary with societal groups. Know yours. Keep pricing of technology within the affordability of the “Primary Cook”

Our Other roles – Carbon monitoring services Sunfire does for itself KPTs, WBTs, Usage surveys for itself as well as acting as a service provider to other players. Has equipment (Scales, Thermometers and Moisture Meters, certified and calibrated by Malawi Bureau of Standards) Pool of constantly re-trained personnel. Monitoring burden could be eased, especially as stove users become more and more. A simplistic tool still needs to be fashioned and agreed upon out there! Cutting cost can mean better outreach, and more players in the sector. The ICS R&D landscape is not growing in our local Universities. refining/simplification of ICS monitoring system.

Our Other roles - Solar Involved in picco products Aims to graduate into SHS

Challenges Low adoption due to poor knowledge on technologies and need for Cleaner cooking Stove breakages – production quality control Difference in market prices Beliefs and traditions