In Ghana, about 73% of households rely on solid fuels for cooking. Over 13,000 annual deaths are attributed to exposure to indoor air pollution from inefficient combustion. In this study, assessment of thermal efficiency, emissions, and total global warming impact of three cookstoves commonly used in Ghana was completed using the International Workshop Agreement (IWA) Water Boiling Test (WBT) protocol. Statistical averages of three replicate tests for each cookstove were computed. Thermal efficiency results were: wood-burning cookstove: 12.2 ± 5.00% (Tier 0); coalpot charcoal stove: 23.3 ± 0.73% (Tier 1–2); and Gyapa charcoal cookstove: 30.00 ± 4.63% (Tier 2–3). The wood-burning cookstove emitted more CO, CO₂, and PM_2.5 than the coalpot charcoal stove and Gyapa charcoal cookstove. The emission factor (EF) for PM_2.5 and the emission rate for the wood-burning cookstove were over four times higher than the coalpot charcoal stove and Gyapa charcoal cookstove. To complete the WBT, the study results showed that, by using the Gyapa charcoal cookstove instead of the wood-burning cookstove, the global warming impact could be potentially reduced by approximately 75% and using the Gyapa charcoal cookstove instead of the coalpot charcoal cookstove by 50%. We conclude that there is the need for awareness, policy, and incentives to enable end-users to switch to, and adopt, Gyapa charcoal cookstoves for increased efficiency and reduced emissions/global warming impact.

In this study, interviewer-based questionnaires of 67 variables were administered to local fabricators and end-users of single-pot biomass stoves (SPBS) in Ghana. Additionally, two randomly selected traditional and improved SPBS were lab-tested using standard performance metrics. From the study, the relationship between fabricators and end-users was conceptualized based on selected indicators and assumptions. The study results indicated that the primary design resources for fabrication were patterns and templates, and that major challenges to fabrication were lack of training in design principles, standards and safety, poor emission efficiency and financial sustainability. Whereas end-users of improved SPBS were less affected by heat and smoke, end-users of traditional SPBS were mostly affected. From hypothesis test, because the calculated χ2_cal = 24.05, and is greater than the tabulated χ2_crit = 3.841, it is concluded that there is a relationship between heat, smoke effect and gender, and that female end-users of traditional SPBS were particularly affected during cooking. The traditional SPBS emitted more CO₂ and CO than improved SPBS. Comparatively, 38% more end-users of traditional SPBS observed charcoal ash residue in the cooking area than improved SPBS users. Four basic practices of managing ashes from SPBS are developed. Finally, a fabricator and end-user framework are developed for energy sustainability and quality improvement.

Solar PV light provides school children living in off-grid rural communities theopportunity to have clean and bright lighting to study after sunset. On the contrary, lightingprovided from poor sources can pollute and adversely affect human eyes during reading andwriting. Using indicator-based questionnaires in cross-sectional surveys, households with andwithout solar PV lighting were surveyed in off-grid rural communities in Ghana. The studyinvestigated lighting and children’s studies after sunset. The results indicated that whereassolar PV light of 5-20 watts dc lamps was sufficient for 5-6 children to study together, lightingfrom kerosene lantern could be sufficient for 1-3 children. All things being equal, the resultsshowed that children who use solar PV light to study upto 2 hours after sunset are likely toimprove on their examination results. The extent to which solar PV lighting significantlyimpacts on studying after sunset was established using some identified indicators. Knowledgeof the results provides understanding of the relative constraints in lighting services faced bychildren in rural communities without access to quality lighting. Such micro-level data willhelp to enhance policy and planning efforts to increase access to clean and renewable energybasedlighting devices to achieve efficient visual comfort in off-grid rural communities.