New stove saves fuel

Nov 15, 2004

A NEW version of the wood fuel saving Lorena stove has been introduced. Users of the Rocket Lorena in the districts of Kanungu , Mbale and Bushenyi said it saves firewood.

By Kikonyogo Ngatya

A NEW version of the wood fuel saving Lorena stove has been introduced. Users of the Rocket Lorena in the districts of Kanungu , Mbale and Bushenyi said it saves firewood.

Rosette Kabuleta, a communication officer with Energy Advisory Project said the stove is economical.

She was launching two of the stoves in Nabutaka village, Wakiso district. So far, 30 non-governmental organisations have been given skills on the stove to pass on to people in their localities. Rocket Lorena does not emit smoke.

John Kuteesakwe, a consultant with German Technical Cooperation, which supports introduction of the stoves, said the it is made from easily available materials in the country. He added that the stove has an in-built five centimetre thick thermal insulator, which stops heat from escaping to other parts of the stove.

The stove has an L- shaped combustion chamber, which supplies heat to the saucepan. The thermal insulator has materials which prevent heat loss.

Leonard Mugerwa, a renewable energy consultant said the ordinary Lorena stove is not as good. He added that the stove was claimed to save firewood by 50 percent, but research in Uganda and beyond has dismissed this as false.

Mugerwa said the new rocket Lorena enables a user to heat 90 per cent of the saucepan’s surface area, the ordinary Lorena allows only 30 percent.

He said they use bricks, sawdust and anthill soil due to its sticky nature.

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