Alexis Belonio - 2008 Associate Laureate

Belonio's gas stove is a metal cylinder with a fan at its base to provide the air needed for the rice husk gasification process. Belonio sells his stoves at cost price and plans are available for free on the internet. Piles of rice husks are left to waste, contributing to environmental pollution. Belonio's project converts this agricaultural residue into a clean gaseous biofuel that is cheaper than kerosene or LPG. Belonio's mother, Dominga, uses rice husk ash to make cement to insulate her traditional wood stove - an example of how rice husks can be recycled even after their use as combustible gas. Student Emok Galeo uses Belonio's rice husk gas stove to fry fish. The stove releases neither smoke nor toxic fumes inside the house and cooks the fish in 15 minutes. Under Belonio's supervision, rice farmer Sabina Mendoza uses the rice husk gas stove for the first time. Belonio developed his stove to be easy to use and transport, and to require little maintenance. Engineer and inventor Alexis Belonio has created a series of gas stoves that provide clean, inexpensive energy by recycling waste from rice production. Alexis Belonio with a pile of rice husks. This vegetable waste has no nutritive value and is usually dumped or burned in large quantities. With this project, Alexis Belonio is helping rice farmers get cheap domestic fuel for their cooking needs and provides a solution to their agricultural waste disposal problem. Rice is a staple food in Asia, nourishing two billion people. But its cultivation also produces some 125 million tonnes of rice husk annually. The rice husks are removed when the rice is milled and dehulled, then poured through a duct pipe and piled up in the fields. The husk represents about 20 percent of the paddy weight. Alexis Belonio showing the rice husk left by a mobile milling machine. His product allows rice farmers to benefit from this neglected waste. Belonio teaches agricultural engineering students at the Central Philippine University how his gasifier stove works and how much rice husk it needs. This type of stove usually consumes about 2 kg of rice husk per hour. How the rice husk burner works.
Belonio's gas stove is a metal cylinder with a fan at its base to provide the air needed for the rice husk gasification process. Belonio sells his stoves at cost price and plans are available for free on the internet.

©RolexAwards/Kirsten Holst

Tubungan, Iloilo, Philippines, 2008
Belonio's gas stove is a metal cylinder with a fan at its base to provide the air needed for the rice husk gasification process. Belonio sells his stoves at cost price and plans are available for free on the internet.

Piles of rice husks are left to waste, contributing to environmental pollution. Belonio's project converts this agricaultural residue into a clean gaseous biofuel that is cheaper than kerosene or LPG.

©RolexAwards/Kirsten Holst

Leganes, Iloilo, Philippines, 2008
Piles of rice husks are left to waste, contributing to environmental pollution. Belonio's project converts this agricaultural residue into a clean gaseous biofuel that is cheaper than kerosene or LPG.

Belonio's mother, Dominga, uses rice husk ash to make cement to insulate her traditional wood stove - an example of how rice husks can be recycled even after their use as combustible gas.

©RolexAwards/Kirsten Holst

Tubungan, Iloilo, Philippines, 2008
Belonio's mother, Dominga, uses rice husk ash to make cement to insulate her traditional wood stove - an example of how rice husks can be recycled even after their use as combustible gas.

Student Emok Galeo uses Belonio's rice husk gas stove to fry fish. The stove releases neither smoke nor toxic fumes inside the house and cooks the fish in 15 minutes.

©RolexAwards/Kirsten Holst

Dingle, Iloilo, Philippines, 2008
Student Emok Galeo uses Belonio's rice husk gas stove to fry fish. The stove releases neither smoke nor toxic fumes inside the house and cooks the fish in 15 minutes.

Under Belonio's supervision, rice farmer Sabina Mendoza uses the rice husk gas stove for the first time. Belonio developed his stove to be easy to use and transport, and to require little maintenance.

©RolexAwards/Kirsten Holst

Tubungan, Iloilo, Philippines, 2008
Under Belonio's supervision, rice farmer Sabina Mendoza uses the rice husk gas stove for the first time. Belonio developed his stove to be easy to use and transport, and to require little maintenance.

Engineer and inventor Alexis Belonio has created a series of gas stoves that provide clean, inexpensive energy by recycling waste from rice production.

©RolexAwards/Kirsten Holst

Iloilo City, Philippines, 2008
Engineer and inventor Alexis Belonio has created a series of gas stoves that provide clean, inexpensive energy by recycling waste from rice production.

Alexis Belonio with a pile of rice husks. This vegetable waste has no nutritive value and is usually dumped or burned in large quantities.

©RolexAwards/Kirsten Holst

Iloilo City, Philippines, 2008
Alexis Belonio with a pile of rice husks. This vegetable waste has no nutritive value and is usually dumped or burned in large quantities.

With this project, Alexis Belonio is helping rice farmers get cheap domestic fuel for their cooking needs and provides a solution to their agricultural waste disposal problem.

©RolexAwards/Kirsten Holst

Pototan, Iloilo, Philippines, 2008
With this project, Alexis Belonio is helping rice farmers get cheap domestic fuel for their cooking needs and provides a solution to their agricultural waste disposal problem.

Rice is a staple food in Asia, nourishing two billion people. But its cultivation also produces some 125 million tonnes of rice husk annually.

©RolexAwards/Stefan Walter

Banaue, Philippines, 2008
Rice is a staple food in Asia, nourishing two billion people. But its cultivation also produces some 125 million tonnes of rice husk annually.

The rice husks are removed when the rice is milled and dehulled, then poured through a duct pipe and piled up in the fields. The husk represents about 20 percent of the paddy weight.

©RolexAwards/Kirsten Holst

Dingle, Iloilo, Philippines, 2008
The rice husks are removed when the rice is milled and dehulled, then poured through a duct pipe and piled up in the fields. The husk represents about 20 percent of the paddy weight.

Alexis Belonio showing the rice husk left by a mobile milling machine. His product allows rice farmers to benefit from this neglected waste.

©RolexAwards/Kirsten Holst

Dingle, Iloilo, Philippines, 2008
Alexis Belonio showing the rice husk left by a mobile milling machine. His product allows rice farmers to benefit from this neglected waste.

Belonio teaches agricultural engineering students at the Central Philippine University how his gasifier stove works and how much rice husk it needs. This type of stove usually consumes about 2 kg of rice husk per hour.

©RolexAwards/Kirsten Holst

Iloilo City, Philippines, 2008
Belonio teaches agricultural engineering students at the Central Philippine University how his gasifier stove works and how much rice husk it needs. This type of stove usually consumes about 2 kg of rice husk per hour.

How the rice husk burner works.

©Thames & Hudson/Rolex Awards


How the rice husk burner works.