CQC has launched pilot projects to produce and market high density natural shell fuels and crop residue pellets used in forced draft gasifier stoves to be used as an alternative to high priced polluting charcoal and imported LPG for cooking. In Phnom Penh our fuels supply partnership is with charcoal briquette maker, SGFE, which produces cleaned dry coconut shells bagged under our FastFire brand. However, coconut shells are in short supply as Vietnamese traders buy it for activated carbon production. Hence CQC and partners have invested in rice-husk, sawdust and bagasse pellet production as a mainstream pellet fuel. In January 2020, CQC allocated resources to scale up pellet production and stove production and marketing to serve 15,000 households by end 2021. The Nordi Development Facility is supporting this initiative as is SNV for sales capacity building.
In Malawi, through our Energ-G-Africa partnership, we are helping to finance the supply of Mimi Moto stoves to utilize locally made crop residue pellets to replace charcoal for middle income families in Lilongwe. A fully commercial scale pilot started in March 2018 and an assessment of consumer acceptance was completed by CQC staff and consultants in January 2020. The results are very positive hence plans have been agreed to produce lower cost fan-assisted pellet stoves in Lilongwe for the region and Malawi and to expand pellet production.