Improved stoves and wood benches: one alternative energy self-sufficiency at the farm level for dependents of the oak forests of the Eastern Cordillera

In order to improve thermal efficiency of typical cook stoves used in rural area of Encino, Santander, three improved cook stoves prototypes were built, by means of a modification carried out at combustion chamber. The improved cook stoves were tested by using Controlled Cooking Test (CCT) and compared against a typical cook stove. Scores displayed a mean performance of 14.66% among improved cook stoves and typical cook stove, which implies a saving in fuelwood consume of 0.86 ton/year. Likewise, farm fuelwood lots design is proposed by comparing four tree species used for cooking purposes in that place. Finally, impact in terms of avoided deforestation and carbon dioxide emissions is assessed, under a focus that it could integrate both improved cook stoves and farm fuel wood lots.