Technical Advisor for Improved Cookstoves – Offgrid Sun
Job Title: Technical Advisor for Improved Cookstoves
Type of contract: Individual Consultant Contract
Contract duration: TBD
Location: Tanzania (mainly Dar Es Salaam, with short travels in remote areas)
Starting date: ASAP
Deadline for Application: 02/06/2024
Post level: National or International Consultant
Language Required: English (Swahili is an asset)
Background information
OffgridSun is an innovative Italian small-medium enterprise whose mission is to develop, design, manufacture, and commercialize innovative technical solutions to improve access to reliable, clean, and affordable energy for rural offgrid communities in developing countries.
Since 2016 OffgridSun implements solar energy projects worldwide in collaboration with local companies and civil society organizations in more than 10 African countries to provide drinking water, clean energy, and productive use of energy solutions with the aim of mitigating the impact of climate change and enhancing the social and economic development of rural communities.
Since 2021, the company has started to work into the carbon credits sector by designing and implementing clean water access and clean cooking projects in East Africa (Kenya, Zambia and Tanzania). The projects are aimed at mitigating climate change by reducing CO2 emissions through the introduction of zero or low emissions technologies.
OffgridSun is registered as a project developer to Gold Standard, the leading certification body for carbon credit projects internationally.
On clean cooking sector, OffgridSun is currently mainly working in Tanzania with the programme “Green Cookstoves Tanzania” registered at Gold Standard, aimed at improving access to improved biomass cookstoves in communities living in rural remote areas in the country, affected by high levels of deforestation due to fuelwood collection and charcoal production.
The overall objective of the programme is to reduce CO2 emissions and fuelwood consumption related to domestic cooking practises by:
- Sensitizing local rural communities on environment protection and benefit of clean cooking
- Replacing traditional, inefficient three stone fire stoves with locally-made, portable, improved cookstoves with high thermal efficiency (approx. 35%) that help to reduce up to 70% the firewood and charcoal consumption.
OffgridSun has been working in cooperation with local manufacturers for the designing and testing of a double fuel (firewood and charcoal) improved cooking stove.
In order to improve the technical characteristics, durability and quality of the current improved cookstove model, the company is looking for a Technical Advisor to be contracted as consultant, reporting to the Head of Carbon Projects Portfolio and collaborating with the other project managers, both in Italy and Tanzania.
The location of the job is Tanzania Mainland, mainly in Dar Es Salaam area with short trips to rural areas for surveys (Morogoro Region).
Tasks of consultant
- Perform a detailed technical analysis of the current prototype of the improved cookstove developed in collaboration between OffgridSun and local manufacturing companies, also by checking the cookstoves which have already been provided to the end-users in rural areas and are currently being in use, in order to understand their conditions and performance over time, collecting feedbacks from the customers and identifying critical points for performance and durability improvement.
- Based on the analysis performed on the ground, develop a technical proposal for the improvement of design of the stove in terms of:
- materials used for production
- cookstove performance, with a focus on the combustion chamber and airflows to increase its efficiency and reduce fuel consumption while keeping it user friendly
- product expected lifetime (minimum 5 years)
- user’s functionality
- production costs optimization
- Design specifications and prepare a prototype of the new model of cookstove based on the suggested improvements, to be tested at nationally recognized institution (Tanzania Bureau of Standards)
- Prepare a business plan for establishment of industrial production, inclusive of a detailed list of machines, infrastructures and resources needed
- Develop procedures and protocols for:
- Standardization of cookstoves production
- products quality standards
- post-production quality check
- cookstoves maintenance
- occupational safety & health measures
- Perform training to local manufacturing company staff
- Perform a technical analysis of other ICS designs present in the market of Tanzania to assess weaknesses and strengths
- Update the team on legal framework developments in relation to carbon credits standards
- Complete any tasks assigned by the Head of Carbon Projects Portfolio in an efficient and timely manner
Expected outputs and delivers:
- Technical report of the current improved cookstove design, with identification of problems and suggested intervention
- Technical design of a new model of improved cookstove with technical specifications and production process explanation
- 2 prototypes of the new model to be tested at the Tanzanian Bureau of Standards for thermal efficiency, durability and safety
- Manual for production and post-production management protocols
- Business plan for establishment of industrial production site
- Market assessment report on ICS in Tanzania
Requirements and skills
- Working experience:
- At least 5 years of proven work experience in the improved cookstoves design and production sector.
- Previous work experience in East Africa is an asset.
- Education:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Renewable Energy Technologies
- Education in cookstove design and testing is an asset
- Skills:
- Proficiency in English is mandatory, knowledge Swahili and/or Italian is an asset.
- Project Management Skills
- Digital Skills
- Soft skills: ability to work in a multicultural team, to perform several tasks simultaneously, problem solving, decision making, communication and cooperation with other team members.
- Availability to travel to remote areas in Tanzania for a short period (approx. 1 or 2 weeks)
Terms of application
The deadline for the submission of CVs is 02/06/2024. CVs should be submitted via mail at the address info@offgridsun.com
Shortlisted candidates will be requested to submit a proposed workplan, including the technical and financial proposal, on how it is intended to deliver the services outlined in the TOR. Offerors will be selected based on highest score in both technical and financial proposals.
To learn more and apply, click here.
