Access to clean and efficient household energy remains a major challenge in developing countries, where more than 4 billion people still rely on traditional biomass for cooking. In Ethiopia, injera baking is the most energy-intensive household activity, consuming about 50% of total household biomass energy use annually. Traditional three-stone stoves used for injera baking are associated with low thermal efficiencies (5–10%), high fuel consumption, indoor air pollution, and health risks. This study aimed to evaluate the thermal performance of a Top-Lit Updraft (TLUD) injera baking stove under real household conditions in Digga and Caliya districts of Western Ethiopia. The stove was constructed using a 60 cm clay pan, mild steel sheet, fiberglass insulation, aluminum sheet, and square pipe framing. Three households were selected for experimental evaluation using 3 kg of eucalyptus wood per test. Temperature profiles, fuel consumption, biochar production, and baking performance were measured using digital instruments. Results showed that the TLUD stove achieved an average thermal efficiency of 25.2%, significantly higher than the 5–10% efficiency typical of traditional stoves. Pan temperatures remained within the optimal injera baking range of 180–209°C, while baking time averaged 2.14 minutes per injera. Fuel consumption was reduced by 50–60%, and each test produced 326–426 g of biochar. Compared to traditional three-stone stoves, the TLUD stove demonstrated substantial improvements in efficiency, energy savings, safety, and environmental performance. The study concludes that TLUD stoves present a viable, clean, and efficient alternative for injera baking at household level. Further work is recommended on emission testing and user perception studies.
Tesfaye et al. (Sat,) studied this question.