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– Affecting Change, Building Community –

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Energy Alternatives for Haiti

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The Haitian Context

In Haiti, as in many other developing countries, cooking is the single most energy-consuming activity. Most of the energy used for cooking is derived from traditional charcoal, rather than from alternative and more efficient sources. The use of charcoal creates a range of problems for human and environmental health:

• Haiti has lost up to 99% of its forest cover
• Cooking with charcoal accounts for approximately 70% of the country's energy use
• The production of charcoal results in further reduction of forest cover
• Deforestation causes loss of habitat for flora and fauna, which wastes potential income from forest products or eco-tourism initiatives
• Deforested areas suffer from reduced water retention capacity leading to increased cvulnerability to landslides and floods
• Soil erosion from deforestation reduces agricultural productivity, produces lower yields, higher input costs, and food insecurity
• Charcoal is relatively expensive to produce and it burns inefficiently
• Smoke from cooking with charcoal is highly detrimental to physical health causing respiratory diseases and certain types of cancer
• Cutting trees in the forest for the production of charcoal is a dangerous acivity often resulting in accidents and injuries
• Charcoal production -- primarily near Parc La Visite -- has become a huge business and source of all kinds of illegal and criminal activity
• The collection of tinder and firewood is usually an activity reserved for women and children exposing them to long walks and the dangers of theft or (sexual) assault along the way

"Household air pollution (HAP) resulting from incomplete combustion of solid fuels, such as firewood and coal traditionally used for cooking and heating, affects nearly 3 billion people primarily in low-and middle income countries. HAP remains the greatest single environmental cause of early mortality, contributing to an estimated 4.3 million deaths in 2012 according to the World Health Organization (World Health Organization 2014). HAP’s high level of pollutants, including both particulate and chemical constituents, are associated with a range of health risks, including respiratory infections, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, lung cancer, and eye disorders in adults, stillbirth, low birthweight, and impaired cognitive development in infants. Other dangers associated with traditional fires for cooking include injuries, (burn and scalds) and acts of violence suffered during fuel collection in zones of conflict."

The project will be working on an action plan to implement community-driven evaluation of various models of clean-energy cook stoves in South-East Haiti and to promote and distribute the most culturally and economically appropriate models. The project includes grassroots partners in rural Haiti. A successful clean cook stove project would simultaneously address issues of energy, environmental protection, climate, health and gender. 

Video of CDi and Konpay's Visit to the University of Kentucky, September 2013

Demonstration Project at
New Earth Farm, Virginia Beach

The outdoor stove, built and presented by our Haitian Farmer-to-Farmer Exchange participant Guypson Catalis, during our opening dinner on the farm. Next steps: Kiln construction and Briquette Press for biochar and briquettes made on site!

Your kind donations on this page will be used to grow our Biochar & Briquette Production, both in Haiti and in Virginia. What is biochar? See here.

The Work we Seek to Support

Collage showing Konpay's current briquette production process

Three models of stoves compared in terms of fuel cost on time to boil 2.5 Liters of water.

The graphic above depicts a comparative water boil test conducted with Konpay's improved stove and other models. Below, the top three tasks represent the time  needed for Konpay's improved stove, the bottom two represent a tradional Haitian stove fired by "Chabon". The efficiency savings and economic benefits are inherent. 

Top: The Konpay stove bringing water to boil more quickly and more efficiently than a regular Haitian stove (below).

Any revenue ultimately generated from the sale of briquettes made in Virginia will ultimately support Energy Alternatives programs in Haiti.

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Some Facts on Forests

• Forests, including the last remaining forested areas in Haiti, are home to 80% of our terrestrial biodiversity
• The livelihoods of over 1.6 billion people globally depends on forests and forest products
• The world's forests store more than 1 trillion tons of carbon 
• Deforestation accounts for 12 to 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions which contribute heavily to global warming ​

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