Wood for fuel: high costs for households and the environment

For the poorest people in developing countries, fuel costs represent a significant portion of their household budget. In western Kenya up to a third of household income is spent on energy.  Added to the significant household energy costs is another problem: the scarcity of wood. The need for firewood  is demanding on ecosystems and its use is not sustainable.

The good news is that solar energy is plentiful and sustainable. A family using Solvatten can reduce their energy expenses by more than 30% if they switch from boiling and heating water on the stove. For families living in poverty, these savings can significantly improve their quality of life and opportunities.

Household savings with Solvatten

If a family uses Solvatten for five years, treating 20 liters of water for 330 days a year, they will produce 33,000 liters of safe and pre-heated water. To boil 33,000 liters of water on a stove would require 14 tons of firewood, and in Kenya the cost of this is about €1,300 at the current market rate. That is the same as for three years of secondary school fees for a child.  With Solvatten households can save on fuel and spend instead on food, education, clothes and so on.

Helping prevent deforestation

Before using Solvatten in Bungoma, Kenya, the average use of firewood per family was 4 tons per year. That is approximately 30 trees. In a few years’ time Solvatten can potentially save a forest. (Reference: Conclusions from Vi Agroforestry/Solvatten AB study 2009 )

Read more about it on Vi-Skogen’s website: www.vi-skogen.se/en