National workshop on bioethanol for clean cooking in Rwanda

Background

The Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) is a multilateral initiative established in 2006 with the aim to   support “biomass and biofuels deployment, particularly in developing countries where biomass use is prevalent”. GBEP aims mainly to: promote high-level policy dialogue on bioenergy and facilitate international cooperation; support national and regional bioenergy policy-making and market development; favour the transformation of biomass towards more efficient and sustainable practices; and foster exchange of information, skills and technologies through bilateral and multilateral collaboration. As of today, the Partnership brings together approximately 90 members, including national governments and international organizations, and represents the leading forum for discussions on the sustainability of bioenergy. Rwanda participates as an Observer to GBEP. The GBEP Secretariat, based in FAO headquarters, has vast expertise in organising national and regional forums, bringing together relevant national and regional stakeholders to discuss specific topics related to the promotion of the sustainable production and use of modern bioenergy.

As of today, more than 2.5 billion people (around 30 percent global population) still do not have clean cooking facilities, and about 800 million people do not have access to electricity. On the other hand, energy contributes 75 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from the burning of fossil fuels. Therefore, a just and inclusive transition from traditional and fossil fuels, like fuelwood or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), to modern and clean cooking options, including bioenergy solutions, is urgently needed as a contribution to achieve SDG7 (Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all) but also many others related SDGs. The situation is Rwanda is particularly acute, with around 83 percent of the population using biomass (charcoal and firewood) as a source of energy for cooking.

Bioethanol cookstoves have emerged in recent years as one of the most valuable and accepted bioenergy options for clean cooking. Bioethanol is primarily derived from plant-based sources such as sugarcane, corn or other biomass materials, which can be produced on marginal land or as secondary crops on agricultural land, as well as from agricultural residues. There are multiple benefits to using bioethanol as a cooking fuel compared to traditional or fossil fuels. Bioethanol is a clean burning fuel, producing minimal smoke, soot or toxic fumes, which helps improve indoor air quality and reduce the risk of respiratory diseases and blindness therefore ensuring a healthy environment, especially for women and children in emerging economies. Switching to bioethanol cooking stoves can also reduce GHG emissions compared to traditional energy forms, while reducing the pressure on forest resources and contributing to Forest Landscape Restoration. Moreover, bioethanol as a cooking fuel is versatile, can be easily transported and stored, and is readily available in many parts of the world. Notably, bioethanol cookstoves offer a straightforward design and can be manufactured at a relatively low cost in countries with industries producing items such as steel pots.

Although bioethanol cookstoves, along with other clean cooking technologies, offer multiple benefits, their uptake in emerging economies can face several barriers. These include: limited infrastructure and supply chain networks for ethanol production, distribution and storage, which can limit fuel availability and technical capacity for manufacturing and maintenance; relatively high cost of ethanol appliances and fuel; and lack of awareness regarding safety standards and regulations.

This national dialogue is part of a wider series of initiatives implemented in the context of the FAO/GBEP project “International dialogues on bioethanol as a clean cooking fuel in selected countries in Africa and Asia”. The project, which is kindly supported by the United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS), has the overall objective to facilitate dialogue on bioethanol for clean cooking among stakeholders from different realms, with a view to intensify opportunities for collaboration and to develop a joint agenda for action to improve the sustainability of the sector. The project aims to better understand the suitability, and the economic and social sustainability of bioethanol for clean cooking in various country contexts, such as urban and rural areas, and in humanitarian settings, and to identify strengths and weakness of the sector, with a focus on market and the existing national policy framework (i.e. clean cooking strategy and safety and quality standards). This will allow for the identification of barriers preventing the development of the sector and a discussion on how to overcome them, as well as the identification of best practices to be replicated in other countries. Furthermore, it will provide the opportunity to continue a dialogue between the public and private sector, financial institutions and the civil society on ways to improve cooperation to facilitate access to modern and clean cooking technologies for all and support a just energy transition. The workshop is intended to be the inception of future activities on the thematic area of clean cooking, serving to bring together all relevant stakeholders to investigate funding mechanisms to provide continuity. 

 

 

Objectives of the workshop

The workshop has the following objectives:

• Convene stakeholders from relevant government ministries, research institutions, private sector and civil society to discuss options for achieving energy access for clean cooking, including the potential contribution of bioethanol. 
• Identify and discuss environmental, social and economic considerations for the local production of bioethanol and its use in clean cooking.
• Promote consensus among stakeholders on the necessary conditions and policies for the sustainable growth of the local market for bioethanol production and use for clean cooking. 
• Identify financing mechanisms and investment opportunities to facilitate the sustainable development of the sector. 

Agenda

09.00 – 09.30	Registration of participants
09.30 – 10.00	Opening session and welcome remarks
	Master of ceremonies: Claire Muneza, FAO Rwanda
	Welcome statement
	Coumba Dieng Sow, FAO Representative for Rwanda
	Statement
	Fatmata Lovetta Sesay, Resident Representative in Rwanda, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
	Opening remarks
	Beatrice Cyiza, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment of Rwanda
	Introduction to the Global Bioenergy Partnership and bioethanol clean cooking project
	Tiziana Pirelli, Coordinator, Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP), FAO
10.00 – 10.15	Photo session and coffee break
10:15 – 11.30	Session 1: Bioethanol for clean cooking: Current status, policy and regulatory framework
	The session will focus on the current challenges to achieving universal access to clean cooking and policies and projects already in place to tackle these challenges, with a specific focus on bioethanol.
	Moderator: Constance Miller, GBEP/FAO
	Overview of the household cooking sector in Rwanda: Main sustainability issues and key barriers to overcome towards the achievement of SDG7
	Tom Rwahama, SEforALL
	National policy and strategy on clean cooking, with a focus on bioethanol
	Steven Bihinda, Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA)
	Regulatory framework on bioethanol quality and safety standards in Rwanda
	Clement Uwimana, Rwanda Standards Board (RSB)
	Bioethanol quality and safety standards – global and regional perspectives
	Alicia El Mamouni, PIVOT Clean Energy
	Q&A session
11.30 – 13.00	Session 2: Social and economic sustainability considerations of bioethanol use for clean cooking
	This session will examine the benefits to the use of bioethanol for clean cooking, as well as the potential weaknesses of this solution and barriers to uptake. The social and economic factors related to different clean cooking options will be compared.
	Moderator: Tiziana Pirelli, GBEP/FAO
	Creating sustainable clean cooking value chains – experiences from the ReCIC project
	Simone Fehrenbach, GIZ Rwanda
	Clean cooking solutions in humanitarian settings in Africa
	Iwona Bisaga, Global Clean Cooking Lead at the GPA Coordination Unit and NORCAP, UNITAR
	Comparison of bioethanol with other bio-based cooking options
	Jan de Graaf, BioMassters
	Creating a sustainable bioethanol distribution network in Rwanda: Data and experiences of KOKO Networks
	Sophie Odupoy, KOKO Group Head of Public Affairs, KOKO Networks
	Q&A session
13.00 – 14.00	Lunch
14.00 – 15.10	Session 3: Opportunities and threats for sustainable production of bioethanol and related technologies at the national level
	This roundtable session will investigate the sustainability of the national production of bioethanol from locally sourced biomass, as well as the manufacture of cooking solutions. Presentations will focus on development opportunities for farmers on one hand and potential environmental or social threats on the other.
	Moderator: Constance Miller, GBEP/FAO
	Panellists:
	- Madeleine Usabyimbabazi, Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB)
	- CJ Fonzi, Co-Founder and COO, Africa Climate Ventures
15.10 – 15.30	Coffee break
15:30 – 16:40	Session 4: Investment and financing options and opportunities for clean cooking
	This roundtable session will focus on financing and investment opportunities to support the sustainable development of the sector.
	Moderator: Alicia El Mamouni, PIVOT Clean Energy
	Keynote speech: Experiences from the Clean Cooking Results-Based Financing subsidy  Alida Ikuzwe, Development Bank of Rwanda
	Roundtable panel discussion
	- Joseph Ndakize, Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)
	- Bernardin Uzayisaba, UNDP
	- Gbenga Apampa, US Grains Council
16:40 – 17:00	Concluding remarks
	Overview of discussions, next steps and follow up activities.
	Tiziana Pirelli, Coordinator of the Global Bioenergy Partnership, FAO