what makes us tick

Meet the Suppliers to the Clean Energy Store


When asked how the first three months of the Clean Energy Store had affected him, Jean, the man who hand-makes efficient stoves in Les Anglais, said he had been able to send both his son and his daughter to school because of his increased sales through the Store.

Making Efficient Stoves in Les Anglais, Haiti from EarthSpark International on Vimeo.

In the year preceding the opening of the Clean Energy Store, Jean had sold a total of 60 efficient cookstoves. As the town’s leading metalsmith, Jean had received the pattern and tools for the “Miracle Stove” (Recho Mirak) 15 years ago at the height of international organizations’ efforts to promote the charcoal-saving design. As we have written before, the Mirak consumes about 25% less charcoal than a traditional stove, and those who cook with it give it rave reviews. Households spend up to 20% of their income on charcoal.

Jean continued to make and sell the Miraks, but the demand for the stoves never took off. An efficient cookstove costs US$1 more than a traditional cookstove, and even with charcoal savings of US$0.25/dayfor some users, the upfront cost poses a barrier. The Store’s outreachand education around the stove, combined with some end-user financing, have made sales of efficient stoves jump in Les Anglais. Compared to 60 efficient stoves sold all year last year by Jean, the Store sold over 150 efficient stoves in the first 4 months of operation, and sales have since jumped again with the official launch of a ‘rent-to-own’ program.

Now, because the Store places orders in the dozens, Jean is able to buy his materials in bulk and negotiate better prices from his suppliers. Jean is shifting his production away from inefficient cookstoves. Though in years past Jean had been agnostic about which stove he sold, he has become an ardent promoter of the Miraks. He explained in a recent interview, “With the Miraks, people save money and fewer trees are cut for charcoal.”

From Jean making stoves by hand in Les Angalis to turn-key solar system manufacturers Barefoot Power and SunNight Solar producing best-in-class products for export from China, EarthSpark's product suppliers are leading the way on clean energy innovation. A special congratulations to D + E Green Enterprises, a leading efficient stove maker based in Port-au-Prince that supplies the Store with the Eko-Recho, a longer-lasting clay-lined efficient stove. D+E is currently a finalist in Haiti's "Digicel Entrepreneur of the Year" competition.

Get involved: What are your ideas for slogans for an expanded Mirak marketing campaign? We would like to share your ideas with the Clean Energy Store staff as part of a brainstorming session on next steps in marketing. They will determine if any concepts can be adapted to local market conditions. Their favorites and ours will appear in the next newsletter. Please send your ideas (in English, French or Creole) to Allison (Allison@earthsparkinternational.org) Thanks for your help!