Toward Cleaner Cooking in Ghana
Despite growing support for clean cooking, over 54% of Ghanaian households, and 78% in rural areas, still rely on charcoal, firewood, and crop residues. These fuels contribute to deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and dangerous indoor air pollution.
Ethanol-based stoves offer a cleaner alternative, with the potential to reduce reliance on wood fuels and improve health outcomes. However, challenges such as design inefficiencies, fuel access, and affordability limit adoption.
A recent ACEP pilot study revealed strong interest in ethanol stoves, reinforcing the need for innovation that makes these technologies safer, more efficient, and locally adaptable.
Read the pilot study for insights on user perceptions and key design barriers.
The Hackathon
The Ethanol Stove Innovation Hackathon is designed to encourage youth-led innovations in developing working prototypes of ethanol-based cookstoves that are not only environmentally sustainable but also meet the diverse needs of households in Ghana and beyond. Participants will compete individually or in teams to design stoves that are efficient, affordable, safe, and locally adaptable.
Driving
youth-led innovation in ethanol stove design for cleaner, safer cooking.
Promoting
affordable and locally adaptable alternatives to polluting cooking fuels.
Empowering
young Ghanaians to lead solutions in clean energy and product design.
Creating
open-source design knowledge to scale clean cooking technologies.
Competition Phases and Process
The Ethanol Stove Innovation Hackathon will be structured as a two-phase process to identify and support innovative stove concepts that combine environmental sustainability with technical and economic viability.
The first phase is the open call for applications, inviting interested applicants to submit preliminary concepts. At this stage, applicants will be required to undertake the following:
- Present an initial sketch or schematic (not necessarily drawn to scale) of their proposed ethanol stove design. These sketches must convey the proposed stove's basic structure, layout, and intended functionalities. Submissions with vague or poorly defined sketches will not be considered.
- A design concept not exceeding 1,500 words. This document should describe the key features of the stove, addressing aspects such as effectiveness, fuel efficiency, safety, ease of use and adaptability to local conditions.
- A brief profile outlining individual or team competencies, relevant skills, and motivation for participating in the competition.
Assessment at this stage will focus on the originality and clarity of the design concept, alignment with the minimum performance criteria, and the applicant’s capacity to develop the idea further. The most promising entries will be shortlisted for advancement to the second phase.
Shortlisted applicants must refine their design concepts into more detailed technical proposals. This phase is designed to assess the feasibility and readiness of each design for further development into a full prototype. The deliverables for this phase will include:
- Detailed Design Documentation (Max 2500 words): Applicants must submit a more refined and technically complete stove designs. These should represent all key components and characteristics of the stove, including fuel chambers, combustion systems, safety mechanisms, and heat flow pathways. The design should also be detailed enough to identify materials, fabrication processes, and assembly requirements.
- Cost Breakdown and Feasibility: This aspect must reflect the anticipated material and service costs and an estimated unit cost for producing the stove. This breakdown is essential to evaluate the economic viability of each design. Participants must consider potential challenges (if any) in the production process and propose feasible solutions.
Assessment for this stage will be based on the design’s technical soundness, feasibility for mass production, cost efficiency, and alignment with the clean cooking goals of the competition.
The successful applicant(s) selected from the previous stage will receive grant support of up to USD 15,000, intended to cover the costs of materials, fabrication, and testing required to develop a functional ethanol-based stove prototype and a detailed design guide. This final phase aims to translate the winning concept into a tangible and replicable product that demonstrates practical operability under real-world conditions and reflects the technical and economic strengths presented earlier. To support this process, the selected applicant(s) will benefit from mentorship and coaching, including guidance from industry experts, user-centered design feedback, and periodic check-ins with the organising team. This is to ensure the resulting prototype meets safety, efficiency, and affordability benchmarks.
The prototype must be constructed using materials and production methods consistent with the original proposal, ensuring it remains cost-effective and scalable. The accompanying design guide should serve as a blueprint for future iterations, adaptation, and potential scaling by third parties. It will be made publicly available to support innovation and wider adoption within the clean cooking ecosystem.
Applicants will retain ownership of their intellectual property, but must agree to license the design guide under an open, non-commercial public license. This ensures that while innovation is protected, the core design can be freely accessed and improved upon by others working to expand clean cooking access.
Eligibility Criteria
The Ethanol Stove Innovation Hackathon is open to young Ghanaian innovators passionate about clean energy, product design, and sustainable development. To ensure the competition meets its goal of nurturing emerging talent, the following criteria will apply:
Nationality: Applicants must be Ghanaian citizens.
Age Limit: Applicants must be 35 years or younger at the time of submission of the Expression of Interest.
Target Participants
- Tertiary-level students, including those enrolled in universities, technical universities, and TVET institutions.
- Early-career professionals in energy, product design, technical innovation, or related sectors.
- Young entrepreneurs and innovators with demonstrable interest or experience in product development, clean energy technologies, or sustainable solutions.
Team or Individual Entry: Applicants may apply as individuals or in teams. For team submissions, the maximum number of members is five (5). All team members must meet the eligibility criteria outlined above.
Skills and Experience: While applicants from diverse academic and professional backgrounds are welcome, those with relevant skills in stove design, mechanical engineering, materials science, environmental health, or industrial design will have an added advantage.
We strongly encourage applications from women and persons with disabilities, and welcome gender-diverse teams as part of our commitment to inclusive innovation.
