| Contributed by
James Robinson |
| 08 April 2008 |
Global energy giant BP is producing and marketing Oorja, which means energy in Hindu, a small pellet stove costing $17 that could reduce carbon emissions and improve women’s health in India From an article by Margot Cohen on the YaleGlobal website, 7th April 2008
 An innovative wood-burning stove in India holds promise for a warming world |
The invention of a tiny stove in India demonstrates the link between reduced carbon emissions and improved health – and how technology can contribute to slowing climate change. Global energy giant BP is producing and marketing Oorja, which means energy in Hindu, a small pellet stove that produces substantially fewer emissions than the traditional wood-burning stoves so common throughout India. In developing the stove, BP ran models by rural consumers. A team of businesswomen based in villages sell stoves and fuel made of agricultural waste products, while also offering BP advice on promoting other energy products to rural India’s millions. The multinational corporation does not expect to earn profit on the product until 2010, and the very poor cannot afford it, but the small stove still points to a new direction. In wealthy and poor countries alike, efforts to control climate changes will require innovative and affordable alternative-energy products, combined with meticulous grassroots marketing campaigns in order to change old habits
Read the full article here
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