The Aller Stove
Improved Cookstove Technology
“Since receiving our Aller Stove, our family’s health has improved dramatically. We no longer suffer from constant smoke in the kitchen, and our children are coughing much less. Cooking is faster and easier, and we use much less firewood, which saves us both time and money. Thank you, Hands for Peacemaking Foundation, for this life-changing gift.”
A new generation of improved cookstoves is emerging that promises to deliver not only better performance, but also health, environmental, and economic benefits. These cookstoves incorporate improved combustion technologies that result in more complete burning of fuel, thus reducing harmful emissions. In addition, many of these stoves are designed to be more efficient, meaning they use less fuel to achieve the same cooking results.
The benefits of improved cookstove technology are already being seen in countries around the world. In India, for example, the government’s National Biomass Cookstove Initiative is working to promote the use of improved cookstoves in households. The initiative is estimated to have the potential to save nearly 2 million tons of fuelwood per year, while also reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.5 million tons.
In addition to the environmental benefits, improved cookstoves can also have a positive impact on health. Studies have shown that exposure to smoke from traditional cookstoves is a major health hazard, particularly for women and children who spend the most time near the stove. The use of improved cookstoves can help to reduce this exposure and the associated health risks.
Finally, improved cookstoves can also help to save money. In many cases, the use of improved cookstoves can result in significant fuel savings, which can free up resources for other needs.
The benefits of improved cookstove technology are clear. With the potential to improve health, the environment, and the economy, there is a strong case for promoting the use of these stoves in households around the world.
Village Needs- Aller Stoves, San Jose Jolomtaj
Fuel harvesting and use represent a significant time burden for women and girls, who may spend up to six hours per day on cooking-related tasks. A substantial share of cooking wood fuel is harvested unsustainably, and residential cooking contributes significantly to global black carbon emissions (Bailis et al. 2017; Batchelor et al. 2019).
Transitioning this population to Improved Cookstove Technology—part of UN Sustainable Development Goal 7(SDG 7), which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030—would thus have important development benefits, particularly for public health, climate/environment, and gender equality (United Nations General Assembly 2015). What Drives the Transition to Modern Energy Cooking Services? A Systematic Review of the Evidence. Technical Report 015/21. Washington, DC: World Bank. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO
The Aller Stove is an advanced woodstove developed and manufactured in Barillas, Guatemala by local artisans at the Aller Skill Center.
Recognized for its efficiency among Plancha-based stoves, the Aller Stove reduces wood fuel consumption by more than 50% and decreases cooking time by approximately 40%.
Since the center’s establishment in 2010, Hands for Peacemaking has distributed over 5,000 stoves to communities in Barillas and surrounding areas.
Monthly firewood use with Three Stone Fire
Monthly use with Aller Stove
