A case study of the ethanol CleanCook stove intervention and potential scale-up in Ethiopia

The CleanCook ethanol stove has been implemented as an energy intervention for the vulnerable refugee population in Ethiopia for over 13 years. There has been limited success of a subsidized CleanCook stove among low-income households in Addis Ababa. This case study demonstrates the complexities of promoting a new fuel for household cooking, and the numerous obstacles and stagnations in implementation. Ethanol demonstrates some potential for scale-up and commercialization as a household fuel in Addis Ababa, but it may require simultaneous stabilization of ethanol supply, growth of a city-wide distribution infrastructure, and an affordably priced stove and fuel.