Project Overview

Project Goal
The X Prize Foundation wishes to promote cleaner, safer use of cook stoves in the third world. The NAU Clean Burning Stove Team’s efforts will reflect this objective by developing a functioning solid fuel stove complete with thorough analysis.

Problem Background
Based off a study by the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2000 more than 1.6 million deaths were caused by indoor air pollution.  This is the second largest environmental contributor to poor health.  Most developing countries use simple but dirty solid fuel (wood or coal) burning stoves.  These stoves create bad air pollution that kills the people that breathe in the exhaust; the pollution also can cause pneumonia, cataracts, and tuberculosis.  For example, 70 percent of Indian households depend on these dirty stoves and between 400,000 and 550,000 Indians die yearly.  External air pollution is also a danger to the environment.  Clean burning stoves can help reduce the risk of dying pre-maturely and create less harmful exhaust that goes into the air. Pictured below in is a typical are typical examples of current indoor cooking conditions and the resulting outdoor pollution.