Bridging Theory and Practice for Clean Cooking: A Practical Approach on the Optimal Selection of Biomass Cookstoves

Abstract In a world where billions of people still rely on unsustainable fuels and inefficient stoves, the need for clean cooking technologies has never been more urgent. However, the complexity of varying regional dynamics hinders one-size-fits-all solutions. Biomass cookstoves have been used for many years with a number of different models, prototypes, or products which are either already available in the market or still being researched. They can be one of the answers in paving the way to clean cooking, especially in developing regions. Yet, the selection of appropriate fuels and operating conditions is a crucial aspect that is often overlooked. Effective decision-making, based on case-specific evaluations, remains essential for the adoption of suitable technologies. This review paper provides a perspective on biomass cookstove technologies, addressing design and operational characteristics, the impact of pretreatment methods, and the potential applications of by-products. On this basis, a decision-making framework is proposed to facilitate the context-specific selection of biomass cookstoves. By integrating multiple factors, and real-world examples, the proposed approach aims to guide more informed decision-making for cookstove selection and contribute to accelerating progress toward universal clean cooking access. Our aim is to provide a practical and integrative perspective rather than a comprehensive systematic review, aiming to bridge the gap between theory and application for biomass-based clean cooking.