Improved Cookstoves Programs in Malawi (EnDev)

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About Energising Development

Energising  Development  (EnDev)  is  an  energy  access partnership  programme  currently  financedby  six  donor countries – the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Australia,  the  United  Kingdom  and  Switzerland  –  which  have provided EUR 263.26 million.

The  Deutsche  Gesellschaft  für  Internationale Zusammenarbeit  (GIZ)  GmbH  acts  as  a  lead  agency  for the  coordination and  implementation of  the programme and  jointly  coordinates  with  the  Netherlands  Enterprise

Agency  (RVO)  on  the  global  level,  as  well  as  other implementation partners on the country level.

EnDev  promotes  sustainable  access  to  modern  energy services  that meet  the  needs  of  the  poor  –  long-lasting, affordable, and appreciated by users. By 2019, access for a minimum 18 million people worldwide shall be achieved.  The bottom-up approach contributes to creating positive economic, social and environmental impacts. Since its initiation in 2005, EnDev has attained a prominent position in the international energy access debate.  EnDev  is  one  of  the  first  outcome-based  and performance-based programmes  in  the energy sector; as such,  EnDev  pioneers  innovative  approaches,  develops new markets  for  pro-poor  energy  access  and  scales  up successful  interventions.  Currently, EnDev is active in 24 developing countries while 50% of the funds are targeted at the least developed countries.  A broad spectrum  of technologies  and  a  variety  of  project  concepts  and instruments  are  applied,  corresponding  to  individual country  situations.  A  thorough  monitoring  system measures the results on a permanent basis: by December 2014,  a  total  of  13.9  million  people,  16,000  social institutions,  and  30,500  small  enterprises  have  gained sustainable access to modern energy services.

Malawi as one beneficiary of the Energising Development programme, has gained access to this partnership since 2012 with the overall aim as to enable sustainable energy access to all. EnDev Malawi which is located in Lilongwe has pionered/coordinated projects, and assists in product market awareness compaigns among others. Its approach has been to involve well established non governmental organisations in the energy sector to implement its projects. Activities that it is involved in can be categorised into three. The Result Based Finance, National Cookstove Steering Committee Support and Commercialisation of Energy Products.

Project Approach

EnDev Malawi is working to promote a financially sustainable market for  improved cooking stoves  in urban and peri-urban areas.  To  do  this,  it  is  carrying  out measures  to  strengthen both the supply and the demand side. Demand-side activities focus on generating greater consumer interest in the ceramic, wood-burning stove known  locally as the  ‘Chitetezo Mbaula’ stove.  On  the  supply  side,  EnDev Malawi  through  its  NGO partners  provides  training  and  skills  for  the  craftsmen  who produce  the  stove.  A  local  non-governmental  organisation, MAEVE, connects production to demand by  liaising between the small-scale stove producers and large urban sales outlets such as supermarkets and filling stations.

The Government of Malawi has  launched an  initiative  to get as  many  as  two  million  energy-efficient  stoves  installed  in Malawian  homes  by  2020.  EnDev  Malawi  is  advising  the National Cookstove Taskforce on  the  implementation of  this initiative.

In  a  separate  component,  EnDev  is  running  a  national awareness  campaign  to  support  the  wider  take-up  of  high quality solar lighting products (solar lanterns and lighting kits), with  a  target  of  reaching  100,000  people,  mainly  in  rural areas.

Impacts 

By December 2014, nearly 93,654 people had gained access to  improved  forms of  energy  for  cooking,  as  a  result  of  the project.  The  number  of  stoves manufactured  by  around  50 producer  groups  and  subsequently  sold  through  sales channels introduced by EnDev has risen to 8,000 each month.  The  stove-making  business  has  created  jobs  for  nearly  300 women and 100 men.

Lessons Learnt & Outlook 

Recently  EnDev  has  started  to  also  promote  small  solar appliances  for  lighting  and  phone  charging  in  cooperation with  the private  sector. The  stove  component  is building on the  experience  gained  in  carrying  out  the  successful marketing  campaign  for  cookstoves.  After  finalising consultations  with  solar  distributors,  a  national  marketing campaign  for high quality solar products which started rolling out in early 2015.  

Projects 

Result Based Financing (RBF)

Access to modern cooking energy for poor and vulnerable groups in Mozambique and Malawi 

GIS Cookstove Mapping Database 

As one way of tracking production and counting energy access, in particular towards the 2 million cookstove access, EnDev is formulating a GIS Cookstove Mapping System for production groups under different organisation within Malawi ofcourse with their consent. The Idea is to capture all the stoves and make it accessible to organisations in Malawi. The database will be easily updated in particular tracking the production as any enumerator will easily track where the production groups exist.