The biogel stove

The Biogel stove
Biogel stoves became very popular during the period of load shedding in South Africa. The fuel is an ethanol gel which is a renewable energy source ie it is not a fossil fuel. Most biogel stoves are very simple, having a reservoir for the fuel, an adjustable vent and a stable base for a pot to rest on. The most popular are double plate stoves which means one can cook two separate foods at once. At the time of writing the stoves and the gel were available at Pick and Pay stores.
Advantages of a Biogel stove
The stove has a wide flat base and can’t be knocked over.
Because the fuel is a gel, not a liquid, it can’t spill.
The vent controls the amount of air getting to the fuel so the stove can be adjusted for low, medium or high cooking.
There is no unpleasant smell, just a clean alcohol smell.
The stove is portable and easy to carry.
Disadvantages of a Biogel stove
Once the food is cooked, if all the biogel has not been used up, it can’t keep in the stove as it dries up. It is necessary therefore to know exactly how long you want the flame to last for and use the appropriate amount of gel (see table below)
Biogel fuel at present is more expensive than paraffin and so is more often used as a back up for electricity cuts in urban areas than as a normal method of cooking in poorer or rural areas where the increased safety would cut down the number of fire related accidents.
Table showing amount of Biogel to use for various times of cooking (measuring cups were used to measure gel)
Volume of Gel                                          Time of burning on high (minutes)

100ml	27
200ml	54
300ml	81
400ml	108
500ml	135

The open fire

This is the most traditional method of cooking and uses wood or charcoal to cook. In rural areas wood is collected for the fire. In more affluent areas open fire cooking is more a recreational pastime as in the braai and special charcoal briquettes or bundles of firewood are bought for the fire.
Advantages of an open fire
1. In general the fuel source, wood or charcoal is a renewable source.
2. The fire gives warmth and is an area where fellowship is shared.
3. The heat is instantaneous and cooking can be fast.
4. If freely available wood is collected the energy is free.
Disadvantages of an open fire
1. Although the fuel is renewable, very often the people involved do not plant more trees but continue to ravage wooded areas.
2. An open fire can get out of control and cause death, damage and devastation.
3. Often things are burned that emit dangerous fumes eg painted wood, plastic.
4. It is very easy to burn food.
5. Usually causes pollution to the atmosphere although taken overall compared to electricity generation, the amount of pollution might not be that significant.