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Published on December 4, 2007

Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand yesterday said he had asked the Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency Department to promote use of the special wood, charcoal and biomass stoves, which produce up to 29-per-cent more heat than conventional stoves.

Piyasvasti said it was calculated that use of the stoves to be given out would reduce household consumption of charcoal by 690 million kilograms per year, worth Bt6.9 billion, and of wood by 3,450 million kilograms annually.

"Households that adopt the special stoves will each be able to save charcoal costs of Bt1,200 per year," he added.

He said 5.8 million households used conventional wood and charcoal stoves.

The ministry will distribute the 180,00 special stoves free of charge - 85,000 each in the North and Northeast and 10,000 in Bangkok.

In the next phase of the plan, the ministry will offer low-interest loans for entrepreneurs to start manufacturing the special stoves.

Director-general Panit Pongpirodom said his department had set a target of producing and distributing at least 1.5 million of the stoves over the next four years, which would enable a reduction in wood and charcoal consumption of 123.7 billion tonnes.

The special stove also has a longer life span than conventional stoves: two years instead of one.

Energy Reporters

 The Nation