Project Gaia, Inc., is a United States nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation and a Pennsylvania registered charitable organization. Project Gaia is part of a global initiative for the development of clean-cooking fuels. It seeks to establish and promote the use of alcohol fuels for household energy for all who have limited access to clean energy, including disadvantaged and marginalized people who suffer the added burden of being energy poor. Read our mission statement and meet our board of directors.
Project Gaia oversees the Project Gaia Research Initiative, which currently has programs in Brazil, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. Inquiries may be addressed directly to Project Gaia at info@projectgaia.com or to the individual country programs.
BRAZIL
Regina Couto, Projeto Gaia (assisted by Centro Cape: Instituto Centro de Capacitação e Apoio ao Empreendedor). Contact: rcouto@projectgaia.com or rcouto@gmail.com. Web site (in Portugese): www.projetogaia.com.
ETHIOPIA
Gaia Association, a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization registered with the FDRE Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission. The Gaia Association’s mission is to provide clean, safe, sustainable household energy to the people of Ethiopia. Read complete mission statement and meet the Gaia Association board of directors. Contact: gaiaassociation@ethionet.et or frehiwoth@projectgaia.com. Gaia Association key staff include Milkyas Debebe, Managing Director; Firehiwot Mengesha, Deputy Director; Wubshet Tadele, Project Coordinator; Ermias Girma, Accountant/Finance Head; Frehiwot Hailu, Office Manager. Support staff are Hiwot Fiseha, Simensh Techane, Yohaness Ayalew, Terefe Tedah, and Kibret Eshete.
NIGERIA
Joe Obueh, Director, Center for Household Energy and Environment (CEHEEN), and Project Gaia Research Studies, Inc. (Nigeria). Contact: jobueh@projectgaia.com or jobueh@gmail.com. Contact CEHEEN: ceheen@hotmail.com.
INTERNATIONAL
Project Gaia, Inc., and the country teams are assisted by a core staff of consultants and advisors with international focus:
Fiona Lambe, Head of African Development (based in Stockholm, Sweden). Contact: flambe@projectgaia.com or fionalambe@gmail.com.
James Murren, Administration and Liaison to the Brazil Program (based in Lafayette, Indiana, USA). Contact: jmurren@projectgaia.com or jmurren@gmail.com.
Harry Stokes, Project Leader and Liaison to the Nigeria Program (based in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA). Contact: hstokes@projectgaia.com and hstokesoffice@gmail.com.
James Crocco, Alcohol Fuels and Markets (based in Trinity, Texas, USA). Contact: jcrocco@valornet.com.
Chris Kimple, Office Manager (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA). Contact: ckimple@projectgaia.com or info@projectgaia.com.
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BRAZIL
Regina Couto, Director of Project Gaia in Brazil, is experienced in sustainable development, poverty alleviation, and renewable energy. She sits on the Agenda 21 Working Group in Betim City and is President of Mais Vida, a local NGO whose mission is to promote regional sustainable development. Meet Regina’s field staff.
ETHIOPIA
Milkyas Debebe joined Project Gaia at its inception in 2004 as a logistical support person for the pilot study. He became director of the Gaia Association in 2007. Milkyas holds diplomas in Marketing Management, English, and basic accounting. Prior to joining Gaia, he taught English and owned and operated a wood and metal workshop.
Firehiwot Mengesha was recruited by Project Gaia in 2004 as a field surveyor while a student in the Addis Ababa University School of Science and Technology. She holds a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering and serves as the Gaia Deputy Managing Director. As a Project Coordinator for Gaia, she specialized in stove testing and indoor air pollution monitoring.
Wubshet Tadele holds a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering and was likewise recruited to Project Gaia in 2004 from the AAU School of Science and Technology. As Project Coordinator, he travels extensively in the field, and together with Firehiwot handles many of Gaia’s technical responsibilities, including fuel handling and storage. He and Firehiwot received training from the University of California–Berkeley staff in indoor air pollution data collection and assessment.
Ermiyas Girma holds a diploma in Advanced Accounting from Africa Beza University College and is currently pursuing his B.A. in Accounting and Finance at City University College in Addis Ababa. Ermiyas is supported in the Finance Office by Hiwot Fiseha who serves as Gaia cashier.
Frehiwot Hailu holds a diploma in Secretarial Science and Office Management and is currently pursuing her B.A. in Business Management in Addis Ababa. Frehiwot worked as Gaia’s Data Operator from 2005 to 2007, has training in statistical software, and entered and managed the extensive field data collected during the two years of pilot studies.
NIGERIA
Joe Obueh, Director of Project Gaia in Nigeria, holds a Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning, a B.Sc. in Geography and Environmental Management and an M.Sc. in Energy and Petroleum Economics. He founded the Centre for Household Energy and Environment (CEHEEN) in Benin City, Edo State, in 1997 and won an Ashden Award for the improved biomass “egaga” stove in 2001. He has worked with Project Gaia since 2002. Joe received a USEPA Partners for Clean Indoor Air grant in 2005 to conduct a pilot study with the CleanCook stove in Delta State, co-sponsored by Delta State Government. Meet CEHEEN’s Nigeria Field Staff.
INTERNATIONAL
Fiona Lambe is from Ireland and is based in Stockholm, Sweden. She has worked with the Stokes Group and the Gaia Association as Project Leader for Ethiopia and East Africa since January 2006. She now leads the African stove development efforts. During 2004–06 she served several tours in Ethiopia, first as an intern, then as field staff. She has an M.S. in Development Studies and an International B.A. in Political Science, both from University College Dublin. Fiona serves as vice president of the Project Gaia, Inc., board of directors.
James Murren is based in Lafayette, Indiana, USA, and is Project Leader for Brazil. He and his wife, Cheryl O’Brien, have worked for the project in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Brazil. Jim holds a B.A. in Political Science with a Certificate in Science, Technology, and Society from the Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Environmental Studies with a focus in Policy from the University of Pennsylvania. Jim served as a Fellow with the National Science Foundation and is a former Peace Corps volunteer (Honduras, 1997–99).
Cheryl OíBrien worked with Project Gaia in 2005–06, performing survey work and reporting in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Brazil. She will rejoin us in the summer of 2008. Cheryl holds a M.Ed. from Harvard and a B.A. in English and in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame. She has worked as an educator, domestic violence counselor, and social worker, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Political Science at Purdue University focusing on issues of violence against women.
Harry Stokes, based in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA, holds a Master’s degree in Forestry from Duke University and has been a member of the Stokes Consulting Group since 1981. He specializes in environmental and resource management, alternative energy, renewable fuels, resource recovery, solid waste management, and community and economic development. He has a number of projects to his credit and has worked around the world.
James Crocco is based in Trinity, Texas, USA, and began his career in the chemical industry in 1961. In 1983 he launched methanol consulting for DeWitt & Co., Inc., of Houston, Texas, becoming president of DeWitt in 1989. He introduced the Weekly Methanol Market Report and the annual World Methanol Analysis. He organized the annual World Methanol Conference. In 1991 Crocco & Associates, Inc. took over the methanol consulting service. In 1995 Jim joined Chemical Market Associates, Inc. (CMAI) of Houston which publishes the Weekly Methanol Market Report and the annual World Methanol Analysis to this day, and hosts the annual World Methanol Conference. Now semi-retired, Jim consults for special projects, such as Project Gaia.
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BRAZIL
Centro Cape (Instituto Centro de Capacitação e Apoio ao Empreendedor),
Tânia Machado, Presidente. Email: ccape@centrocape.org.br
Rua Grão Mogol, 662 - SION - 30.310-010, Belo Horizonte / MG, Brasil.
Telephone: +55 (31) 3282-8305 and (31) 3282-8301. Web site: www.centrocape.org.br. Centro Cape serves as PG’s partner to develop and commercialize the CleanCook stove.
Banco do Povo (“Bank of the People”)
Rua Grão Mogol, n° 650, Bairro Sion – CEP 30310-010, Belo Horizonte / MG, Brasil.
Telefax: +55 (31) 3282-8311. Email: bcodopovo@bcodopovo.org.br. Web site: www.bcodopovo.org.br. Banco do Povo served as Projeto Gaia’s partner to conduct the pilot studies in 2005–06.
Winrock International, Wendy Aulakh, Managing Director. Email: waulakh@winrock.org. Clean Energy Group, 1621 North Kent Street, Suite 1200, Arlington, Virginia 22209, USA. Telephone: +1 (703) 525-9430. Web site: www.winrock.org.
Winrock International Brasil, André Oliver, Program Officer. Email: aoliver@winrock.org.br or mail@winrock.org.br. Avenida Paulo VI, 486, sala 204, Pituba, CEP 41.810-001, Salvador - Bahia - Brasil. Telefax: (71) 3248-0701. Web site: www.winrock.org.br. Winrock International served as technical partner to Projeto Gaia for the pilot studies funded by the Shell Foundation. Meet our other Projeto Gaia Brasil partners.
ETHIOPIA
Makobu Enterprises, PLC, Makonnen Butta, Managing Director. Email: makobu@ethionet.et. P.O. Box 40391, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Telephone: +251-11-465-54-64; Fax: +251-11-465-54-66. Makobu Enterprises PLC is under license with Dometic AB to produce the CleanCook stove in Ethiopia. Start-up is assisted by Gaia Association with a grant from the USEPA Partners for Clean Indoor Air.
Addis Ababa City Environmental Protection Authority, Tekle Woldegerima, Head, Environmental Management and Pollution Control Department. Email: wgtekle@yahoo.com. P.O. Box 8968, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Telephone: +251-11-646-38-42.
Addis Ababa City Housing Agency, P.O. Box 9137, Arada, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Telephone: +251-11-156-23-91/94/96. Web site: www.addisababacity.gov.et. Makobu Enterprises, Gaia Association, and USEPA are working with Addis Ababa City Government to inaugurate a commercial pilot involving new, multi-story city-subsidized condominium housing.
Good Shepherd Sisters Center (GSSC–Kirkos Subcity), Sister Clemencia Flora, P.O. Box 6558, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Telephone: +251-11-466-39-75. Email: gssc@ethionet.et. www.ecs.org.et or www.ecs.org.et/Congreg/Good Shepherd Sisteres.htm#GoodSheph.
Former Women Fuelwood Carriers Association (FWFCA), Ayelech Ulfata, Project Manager; Etenesh Ayele, Association Chair Person. WFC Office, Shirmeda, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Telephone: +251-11-123-6370. Gaia Association is working with these communities to place ethanol stoves into urban low-income homes. GSSC and FWFCA community members will create local ethanol fuel supply businesses to support the stoves in their community.
UNHCR Regional Liaison Office, Dr. Amare Gebre Egziabher, Environmental Rehabilitation Officer. Email: GEGZIABA@unhcr.org. Bole Road, P.O. Box 1076, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Telephone: +251-11-661-28-22.
Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA), Ayalew Aweke Gebru, Deputy Director and Head, Program Implementation. Email: ayalewaweke@yahoo.com. P.O. Box 84, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Telephone: +251-11-155-11-11. Fax: +251-11-155-20-08. Gaia Association is working with UNHCR RLO and ARRA to manage an on-going scale-up of ethanol stoves in Kebribeyah and Teferi Ber camps. These camps house some 5,000 refugee families, or 40,000 people, and are growing. Other partners in this effort are the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Lutheran World Federation.
Women’s Commission for Refugee Women & Children, Erin Patrick, Senior Program Officer. Email: erinp@womenscommission.org. Fuel & Firewood Initiative, 122 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10168-1289, USA. Telephone: +1 (212) 865-2567. Website: www.womenscommission.org. Gaia Association is a Women’s Commission partner.
Ethiopian Sugar Development Agency, Belay Dechassa, Director General, P.O. Box 20034-1000, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Telephone: +251-11-551-25-49 and +251-11-551-09-34. Email: edsa@ethionet.et.
Ethiopian Rural Energy Development and Promotion Center (EREDPC), Asress W/Giorgis, Director General, P.O. Box 8063, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Telephone: +251-11-515-36-89 and 551-01-60. Email: eesrc@ethionet.et.
Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Mines and Energy: The Gaia Association works under the direction of these FDRE ministries and receives an allocation of ethanol from and coordinates closely with the Finchaa Sugar Factory.
NIGERIA
Clean Fuels Development Company Ltd., Boma Anga, Director. Email: bomanga@yahoo.com or b.anga@cgiar.org. The Cassava House, House 32, 351 Road, Off 35 Road, Off Third Avenue, FHA Estate, Gwarinpa, Abuja, Nigeria. Telephone: +234-9-222-4046 and 290-7366. Fax: +234-9-222-404. Mobile: +234-(803) 303-1097.
NEPAD Pan-African Cassava Initiative (NPACI). Contact: Boma Anga, Steering Committee Chairman. Email: b.anga@cgiar.org. Cassava House, Abuja. Main Office: Chitedze Research Station, P.O. Box 30258, Lilongwe 3, Malawi. Telephone: +265-1-707-014/022; Fax: +265-1-707-026. Email: NPACI@iitamw.org. Project Gaia is working with the Clean Fuels Development Company, Ltd., to commercialize alcohol appliances and produce alcohol fuels in Nigeria. Project Gaia has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Pan-African Cassava Initiative to promote shared objectives.
USAID/Nigeria Office of Partnership and Private Sector, Nikhil Jaisinghani, Project Development Officer. Email: nJaisinghani@usaid.gov. U.S. Agency for International Development, #7–9 Mambilla Street, Off Aso Drive, Asokoro, Abuja FCT, Nigeria. Telephone: +234-9-461-9300. Fax +234-9-234-2930. Web site: www.usaid.gov/ng. USAID Nigeria is assisting the Project Gaia Research Initiative with technical support and facilitation.
Ministry of Power and Energy, Delta State, Nigeria. Contact: Okey Ofili, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power and Energy, Old Secretariat, Anwai Expressway, P.M.B. 95086, Asaba, Delta State. Telephone: +234 (802) 335-8261. Web site: www.deltastate.gov.ng. CEHEEN and Project Gaia conducted pilot studies in Delta State during 2004–07 with funding provided by Delta State Government and USEPA.
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS
Project Gaia researches, recommends, and works with appropriate technology partners in order to disseminate the best available technology and, thereby, promote the production and use of alcohol fuels. Please watch this location for additional partners.
Dometic AB, Ted Örbrink, Marketing & Sales Manager. Email: ted.orbrink@dometic.se. CleanCook Stove (and other products), Sibir International AB, A Division of Dometic AB, Torggatan 8, SE-171 54 Solna, Sweden. Telephone: +46 8 501 025 50. Fax: +46 8 501 025 98. Web site: www.sibir.com or www.dometic.com/enie/International/Site/CleanCook.
Hydro-Chem, A Division of Linde BOC Process Plants LLC, Dennis Norton, President. Email: norton@hydro-chem.com. Raju Natarajan, Director, Proposals & Process Engineering. Email: Raju.Natarajan@hydro-chem.com. 125 Hickory Springs Industrial Drive, Canton, GA 30115, USA; P.O. Box 869, Holly Springs, GA 30142, USA. Telephone: +1 (770) 345-2222. Fax: +1 (770) 345-2778. Web site: www.lindebocpp.com. Hydro-Chem: www.hydro-chem.com.
Britelyt Inc., and Britelyt Petromax Lanterns, George E. (Eddie) Draper. 9516 Lake Drive, New Port Richey, FL 34654, USA. Telephone: +1 (727) 856-9245. Fax +1 (727) 856-7715. Email: britelyt@britelyt.com. Web site: www.britelyt.com or www.petromax.com.
Limana Poliserviços, Denis Delavi, Depto Jurídico, projetos para microdeslilaria. Email: denisdelavi.microdestilarias@gmail.com. Rua Julio de Castilhos 2365 - Centro - Cep: 97 760-000–Jaguari, RS, Brasil. Telephone/Fax: +55 (55) 3255-1778. Web site: www.limana.com.br.
Tecnosignal Indústria Ltda, Carlos Ferraz, Diretor. Rua Coronel José Benjamim, 176, Padre Eustáquio Belo Horizonte, Cep: 30.720-430 Brasil. Telephone: + 55 (31) 2515-3622. Email: tecnosignal@tecnosignal.com.br. Web site: www.tecnosignal.com.br.
Usinas Sociais Inteligentes S/A, Engº Eduardo Cauduro Mallmann, CVO/CEO. Av. Furriel Luiz Antonio Vargas, 380 ch 313, Porto Alegre-RS-Brasil 90470-130. Telephone: + 55 (51) 3330-0042; + 55 (51) 9966.7272. Email: eduardo@usibiorefinarias.com; eduardoc.mallmann@gmail.com. This socially-engaged industrial company is devoted to continuous bioethanol distillation and production of biorefinery modules and reaches a capacity of 500 to 5000 L/day of bioethanol (94°/96°GL) derived from raw materials such as starch and sucrose (sweet sorghum, cassava, sweet potato, and others) that can be used as fuel for automobiles, agricultural machines, electrical energy generators, stoves, and showers.
BRAZIL
Shell Foundation funded a 100-stove pilot study in Minas Gerais State titled “Project Gaia Brazil: Tapping the Potential of Proalcool for the Household Energy Sector.” Project duration 2005 to 2006.
ETHIOPIA
Shell Foundation funded a 500-stove pilot study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia titled “Commercialization of a New Stove and Fuel System for Household Energy in Ethiopia Using Ethanol from Sugar Cane Wastes and Methanol from Natural Gas.” Project duration 2004–06.
Shell Foundation funded a 300-stove pilot study in three UNHCR-administered refugee camps titled “Project Gaia Humanitarian Relief and IAP Monitoring in Ethiopia.” Project duration 2005–06.
UNDP Global Compact Research Fund co-funded the Project Gaia and UNHCR pilot study in the Shimelba Refugee Camp, 2005. The Global Compact also funded the completion of a Business Plan for Manufacture and Sale of the CleanCook Stove in Ethiopia, 2006–07.
UNHCR Cooperating Partner Agreements for the provision of household energy and supporting services in Kebribeyah Camp, 2006–08, and in Teferi Ber Camp, 2008.
U.S. Ambassador’s Fund (U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia) provided funding for ethanol fuel for Kebribeyah Camp, 2006–07.
IRC supplied ethanol stoves to Kebribeyah Camp 2007–08.
Lutheran World Federation supplied ethanol stoves to Teferi Ber Camp, 2008.
An Ashden Grant was used to provide ethanol stoves in Kebribeyah Camp, 2007.
USEPA Partners for Clean Indoor Air funded “Scaling Up of CleanCook Stove and Ethanol in Ethiopia.” This grant funds the technology transfer of the Dometic ethanol stove to Ethiopia and initial dissemination of locally manufactured stoves in urban renewal condominium housing in Addis Ababa.
NIGERIA
Delta State Government provided matching funds for a 150-stove pilot study in the Delta State cities and regions of Asaba, Abraka, and Warri, 2005–07.
USEPA Partners for Clean Indoor Air funded a pilot study of the CleanCook stove in Delta State using methanol fuel, 2005–06.
We thank the sponsors who provided us not only with financial support but also with technical support and project facilitation.
Dr. Charles A. (“Andy”) Stokes was the originator of Project Gaia. Andy was trained in chemical engineering at the University of Florida and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He worked in energy for 65 years, from 1938 to 2003. Born in the Florida backwoods in 1915, Andy grew up in a home that depended on wood fuel for cooking and heating. His career in energy spanned a wide range of fuels, from charcoal to coke and coal, to petroleum and petrochemicals, to synfuels (synthetic fuels made from coal, natural gas, or biomass), to landfill gas, solar energy and returning to biofuels. As a result of work he did in India and Asia later in life, Andy developed a vision to pioneer the manufacture and use of clean, safe, alcohol fuels by and for those living in or near poverty in the developing world. He knew that, if these fuels were used in the right appliances, they could rival natural gas or electricity in performance. He assembled a team of appropriate technology owners and inspired them to work to make alcohols possible for the millions of families around the world who still depend on dirty, inferior fuels or increasingly expensive petroleum fuels, or who do not have enough energy to sustain a decent quality of life.
Bengt Ebbeson is the inventor of the Dometic Origo stove, the prototype for the CleanCook ethanol/methanol stove currently being used in Ethiopia, Nigeria and Brazil. An aeronautical and mechanical engineer, Bengt received his advanced degree from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, in 1966. He first developed the innovative alcohol stove at his family’s factory, the Origoverken, in Halmstad, Sweden, commercializing it in 1979. It is now in use in sail boats and recreational vehicles in Europe, the U.S., and elsewhere and is the dominant stove in its market. His goal was to develop a stove safer than kerosene or propane stoves, with superior performance, that would take advantage of the intrinsic properties of alcohol to burn safely, efficiently and cleanly, without the production of soot (fine particulate matter) or carbon monoxide. Andy Stokes knew of this stove and believed it was the key to this project. When he tracked down the owner, at the time Electrolux Leisure Appliances, now Dometic, he found that Bengt had long believed the stove needed to be adapted to a larger purpose. Thus began a collaboration that would result in Project Gaia.
Read more about our founders.
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