ACE 1

The ACE 1 is a solar-biomass hybrid that uses one LiFePO4 battery to power a ventilator creating clean biomass combustion, as well as to give users access to solar electricity for mobile charging and lighting. A fan blows oxygen into the ACE 1 chamber through holes at both the bottom and the top. This drives the fire to increase in temperature until it reaches approximately 1000°C. These conditions cause the biomass to gasify. Then the hot gas floats up to the top, meeting more oxygen and combusting completely.

The stove will produce as much as 5kW worth of energy. When fully charged, the battery will power the fan for over 20 hours of cooking. The battery can also be used to charge a mobile device or run LED lighting, and can be boosted using a solar panel.

In 2018 we upgraded the ACE 1 to have ‘smart’ capabilities. The new product comes distributed in a bundle with a smartphone with our proprietary Android ACE app pre-installed on it. This innovative pairing unlocks new features: A Pay-as-you-save model; improved customer service delivery; and quantification of social and environmental impact. See website for more details.

Fuel Consumption: Full fan: 750 grams (8mm pellet) in 50 minutes. Low fan: 750 grams (8mm pellet) in 100 minutes.

Charging time: 3 hours of cooking ≈ 1 hour of charging Solar panel charging time may vary according to exposure to sunlight

African Clean Energy has been founded to provide smokeless and sustainable cookstoves for anyone, anywhere. Initially with a focus on local supply around South Africa they are currently expanding beyond this region with the introduction of online ordering. Manufactured in Africa.

The Cookstove is sent via a flatpack shipping option, which means the stoves can be sent in parts, saving substantially on logistics costs. The first shipment can come with the tools necessary to finish assembly, supporting the set up of local production lines.

Publicly available: yes
Countries where available: Worldwide
Price range (USD): 100 to 200 USD
Available online: yes
Offered or can be licensed for local manufacture: Yes

Dimensions: 33 x 33 x 35 cm
Weight: 4.6 kg