Efficient Electric Pressure Cookers (EPCs)

Country:
Tanzania
Why to choose this solution?
The continued large-scale use of wood-based fuels is deemed to be unsustainable due to the significant health and environmental impacts associated with wood harvesting and use. The current unsustainable production and use of woodfuel for cooking undermines household food security, income, exposes women and children to indoor air pollution, and creates high barriers for economic development, hence a poverty trap. Use of efficient electric pressure cookers (EPCs) address most of these shortcomings of wood fuels. EPC is the fastest, cleanest, and cheapest way of cooking.
Savings per day or production:
EPC is approximately seven times cheaper than kerosene, ten times cheaper than gas, and thirteen times cheaper than charcoal for boiling heavy foods, based on existing market prices in Tanzania.
Cost in money and in own time to construct:
EPC costs about twice as much as an electric hotplate. Market prices in Tanzania range from 180,000 to 250,000 TSh (USD 77 to 107) for quality EPCs with capacities of four to six liters, depending on the point along the market chain at which the appliances are procured by end-users.
Lifetime:
About 5 to 6 years.
Maintenance needed:
Requires replacement of rubber seal on the lid after being used for some time.
Resources needed in use:
Electricity from grid, mini-grid, and solar home systems can be used.
Problems and limits:
Use only one type of pot. Not suitable for some food like nyama choma, chapatti, and deep frying. Looks complicated at first.
Where and how can you get it or make it?
Most of them are imported from China, Japan, South Africa, Europe, etc., and distributed by various companies including SESCOM in Tanzania. To produce EPCs, you need investment to establish a factory.
Skills needed to produce, install. maintenance, use:
EPCs are manufactured in factories and special engineering knowledge is required. Training is required to be able to provide after-sale services. Simple training/introduction is required on how to use EPCs.
How to use it:
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/my-drive
How to maintain it:
0
Climate effect (if any):
Saves forests by providing an alternative clean cooking solution. Avoids emissions from combustion of biomass.
Where it is used and how many users are there?
Mostly used in households in Dar es Salaam city, Dodoma, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Mwanza in Tanzania. Also used in Saranda and Londoni village of Singida region, Changombe village in Gairo by customers with mini-grid electricity operated by the PoweGen company.
Why is it successful?
Awareness and capacity-building have contributed a lot in addressing the knowledge gap which exists in the country. Most of the people do not consider electricity as a cooking fuel, as they perceive it to be expensive. After discovering that the use of EPCs is the cheapest way of cooking, the adoption rate has increased sharply.
If you can make it, a short description, typical problems, materials needed.:
N/A
How to make it (if possible):
N/A
How is it delivered and by whom?
Main actors in the supply chain of EPCs include importer, distributors, retailers, and end-users. The EPCs are manufactured in various countries, then imported by local entrepreneurs or owners of supermarkets in Tanzania. The local dealers supply EPCs to urban end-users through distributors who have been selling them to retailers. The retailers may transport the EPCs to remote areas connected with electricity. Some of the retailers are mini-grid developers who intend to introduce new electric appliances to the mini-grid customers. Main actors: SESCOM, a social enterprise promoting, importing, and marketing EPCs, along with TaTEDO, which focuses on support services, i.e., research, awareness-raising, capacity-building, market development, and lobbying for conducive environments for EPCs under the support of a MECS programme financed by DFID. SESCOM imports EPCs directly from manufacturers and takes them to agents and end-users.
Successful financial model
EPCs are delivered with a pay-as-you-go financing model to the mini-grid customers, whereas customers who cannot pay the whole price at once are linked to micro-financing institutions, which arrange for them to make payments on an installment basis.
What policies and strategies helped the success?
The National Energy Policy (2015) promotes energy efficiency and alternative energy (use of biomass for cooking). Micro finance Policy (2017) creates an enabling environment for an efficient and effective microfinance sub-sector in the country that serves the needs of low-income individuals, households, and enterprises. Other supportive strategies and regulatory frameworks include SE4ALL Action Agenda (2015), Electricity Act of 2008, Rural Energy Act of 2005, and Environmental Management Act 2004.
More info:
https://tatedo.or.tz/attachments/article/43/Ecook%20Book%20(english).pdf
Sources:
https://www.tatedo.or.tz/
Name of the association uploading the case:
Centre for Sustainable Energy Services (TaTEDO)
When was the case uploaded? (YYYY-MM-DD):
2020-09-27