BioLite Stove – Electricity from fire

As you might have noticed, I have a very broad interest, both related to renewable energy for boats and in general. The BioLite Stove is an example of something different that caught my attention. To me, it shows the technological progress that is being made all around us and all the new possibilities of energy generation. In this case, in a small and very well designed package.

The BioLite Stove

The BioLite Stove has a very smart design. The legs can fold in, the electrical unit can detach and fits in the stove. As a result, you can easily take the BioLite Stove with you in a small poach on every camping trip and to other off grid places you might go. Weighing in at less than a kilo, it is not too heavy either, especially as it doubles up as a fire place to put your pan on.

The BioLite Stove is made of stainless steel to which you can attach the electrical unit. It stays in place by unfolding the leg. Very smart! The top is designed to place a pan on, so you can cook or boil some water. 1l water should boil in about 4.5 minutes. That is really fast when you are camping.

How it works

The magic of the BioLite Stove is the thermoelectric generator that converts heat from the fire into electricity. This electricity powers a small fan that makes the fire burn more efficiently, and the excess electricity can charge your phone or other devices via USB.

On a Boat

On a boat, the BioLite Stove could be used as a backup cooking and charging solution. If your main power system fails, you can still cook a meal and charge your devices using nothing but sticks or other biomass.

It's another example of smart technology that helps us become less dependent on fossil fuels and the grid. Every device like this that we add to our toolkit makes us more resilient and more sustainable.