Skylar Schutter

PSC 247 Green Markets Final Paper

A Green Product Analysis of Biolite and the CampStove 2

Biolite’s Campstove 2 is a portable electricity generating wood camp stove that generates

heat into usable energy while reducing the hazardous effects of traditional open-fires. The

dangers of open fires include reduced life-expectancy due to the inhalation of smoke particulates

and increased Greenhouse effects due to increased carbon dioxide emissions. Unfortunately these

effects are more prominent in developing countries where these consequences can have

life-threatening effects. In response to these issues, large international companies are

emphasizing the integration of social-responsible values throughout their supply chain and are

innovating new environmental-friendly products with an environmental-friendly mindset.

Founded on improving social welfare and environmental responsibility, Biolite was founded in

2006 and the company quickly gained attention through its market-based approach and

triple-bottom line business plan.

The Biolite company is dedicated towards reducing global energy poverty which they

define as people who, “either cook over smoky open fires or use dirty expensive kerosene to

light their homes which creates huge economic implications, health implications, and climate

implications1.” With the goal to directly distribute energy-producing products to those impacted

by energy insecurity, Biolite developed a marketing and distribution strategy that would create

the biggest overall impact on social welfare and energy poverty. Maintaining social and

environmentally-responsible ideals as their core values, Biolite has proven that a flexible

1
Tech and innovation, SDG Media Zone - ECOSOC Youth Forum 2018, Jan 31 2018. UN Web TV.
business plan with corporate social responsibility foundations can be successful in the current

competitive sales market.

This paper will analyze the Biolite’s Campstove 2 product through various economic,

political, and social lenses. First the Campstove 2 will be evaluated as a green good in the

context of both public and private markets. Then the paper will state Biolite’s founding core

values and analyze the company’s commitment to sustainability. Then the paper will analyze

Biolite’s advertisements to determine if the company demonstrates greenwashing characteristics.

Finally the paper will present the author’s main thoughts about the future of Biolite and its role

in the green energy/energy poverty market.

Biolite’s Beginnings

According to the Biolite’s main mission webpage, the company’s founding values

include environmental responsibility and improving social welfare. The Biolite company started

when cofounders Jonathan Cedar and Alexander Drummond were on a camping trip, frustrated

by the burden of carrying gas fuel for their stove and annoyed by the unreliable access to

electricity via single-use batteries. When the co-founders began brainstorming solutions, they

realized that unreliable access to electrical energy is a worldwide problem that stunts the growth

of many developing countries. The company’s first product was the BioLite HomeStove, a

small-scale portable electricity-generating wood camp stove that uses innovative technology to

harness thermal energy into electricity. According to their website, the Camp stove 2 requires

50% less fuel, compared to a traditional campfire, and reduces smoke emissions up to 90% 2.

2
​“BioLite Mission: Energy Everywhere.” ​BioLiteEnergy,​ 2019 Biolite Inc. 
With this new innovative product, the founders set out to reduce the global issue of energy

poverty.

Biolite’s Campstove 2- A Relatively Green Good

By definition, the original Campstove 2 is a green product because it addresses public

environmental issues as well as common private health problems. The air people breathe is the

truest form of a public good because globally, everyone has access to the good and

consequentially, everyone can be affected by air quality issues. One of the most common air

quality issues is concern with inhaled black carbon particulate matter which can clog lungs and

increase the risk of heart disease and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). One of

the main contributors to air pollution particulates is open fire cooking which globally produces a

staggering 25% of global black carbon emissions, resulting in over 4 million deaths per year3.

The innovative Campstove 2 reduces this issue by capturing the cooking fire’s smoke and

filtering the particulates while converting excess thermal energy into electricity. As a result,

Campstove 2 users breathe cleaner air compared to those who cook with an open fire.

The Campstove 2’s product design effectively reduces the need for portable fire fuel

sources, such as propane gas, and emits significantly less carbon particulates when the fire is

active compared to a traditional cooking open fire. The two key components of the Campstove 2

are the internal fan and the thermoelectric generator (TEG). The TEG converts thermal heat to

electricity which can then power the fan to provide a steady stream of air to the fire4. Using the

USB port, users can charge their phones or tablets using thermal-generated electricity instead of

3
“Biolite: Our Story.” ​Global Biolite
4
“Reinventing Fire: An Insider's Tour.” ​BioLite Blog​, 28 June 2016
electricity generated from burning fossil fuels. The steady stream of air from the fan is crucial to

reducing the amount of black carbon particulates released by the fire and the sleek streamline

design of the product ensures that very little thermal energy freely escapes the stove without

being used for another purpose- in this case funneled for the use of cooking or utilized to

produce electricity via the TEG.

In terms of fuel, unlike a modern camping stove, the Campstove 2 requires sticks, leaves,

and other biofuels which reduce the need to purchase environmentally-costly propane and other

expensive fuels. Because the Campstove 2 only needs wood fuel, which can be harvested directly

from the environment, therefore using the Biolite does not require the external cost of

transporting alternative fuels from power plants to the site of Campstove 2 use. The Biolite itself

does not actively “aid” the environment- the product does not have a zero carbon-footprint- but

product’s innovative design makes it more efficient, and therefore more environmentally friendly

compared to a traditional open fire.

One criticism of the Campstove 2 is that the fire has to be burning in order for electricity

to be generated, which increases the need for fuel inputs. Another complaint is that the

Campstove 2 is too heavy for camping or backpacking purposes (weighs 33.5 ounces)5 and

requires multiple hours of burning to fully charge a cell phone. Regardless of complaints, the

combination of the thermoelectric generator, the USB feature and the efficiency of the product

itself, makes the Campstove 2 have a relatively environmentally-friendly green product design.

Campstove 2 Product Analysis and Efficiency

5
Werner, Philip. “BioLite CampStove - The Substance Beyond the Hype.” ​Section Hikers Backpacking
Blog,​ 19 Apr. 2018
 Disassembly of the Campstove 2 (by Popular Mechanics6) reveals that the product

contains 79 different parts, all produced in China. To withstand the fire-generated heat, the most

common material in the Campstove 2 is aluminum with no components made from plastic.

Aluminium itself is more durable than plastic, but it is a much higher energy-expensive material

to produce compared to alternative plastics. Compared to a traditional campfire, which does not

require any external materials besides fuel, the Campstove 2 requires an initial material and

energy investment for assembly. But due to the overall long-term durability and efficiency of the

product, the design of the Campstove 2 ensures that the long-term environmental payoff will

outweigh the initial environmental costs. The main environmental benefits of the product include

the reduction of smoke emissions, reduction of overall fuel requirements, and reduction of

alternative fuel sources compared to traditional open cooking fires.

As for product longevity, Biolite is currently conducting research about the overall

durability of its products. Current tests fuel the Campstove 24/7 to see if the metal deteriorates or

if the efficiency of the thermogenerator decreases. No quantitative or qualitative data has been

reported in any Biolite annual Impact Report or annual Environmental Sustainability Report so

the degree of sustainability of the product itself is unknown.

Recognition of Innovation- Biolite’s Grants and Awards

Biolite’s overall growth and support of emerging markets in the developing world ensure

that the business has created a sustainable model for years to come. From the ground-up, the

company has been built on market-based principles to develop a sustainable social-good business

6
Dupzyk, Kevin. “Things Come Apart: The Biolite Campstove.” ​Popular Mechanics,​ A Part of Hearst
Digital Media, 2 July 2018
plan for selling their products instead of having to rely on government subsidies or aid. The

company has received several innovation awards which improves the company’s reputation and

credibility, and yet the monetary value of the grants are not needed for Biolite to continue

developing new products. Recognition of Biolite’s innovation and creativity has come from

mainstream media companies such as Outside magazine and Popular Science which added

Biolite to their “One of the Most Impactful Entrepreneurs in the Outdoor Industry-2018” and

“Best of What’s New-2018” 7, respectively. If Biolite did not receive any future innovation

grants, the company’s current growth is sustainable to the point that Biolite could continue to

invest in external global emerging markets without the need for supplemental funding.

Biolite’s Company Values and Motivations

Today Biolite produces over 20 different products advertised as being green and claims

to reinvest the profits into growing economies in developing countries. The motivation for

creating these products follow corporate social responsibility values, as the company focuses on

contributing to global economic, social, and environmental sustainable development. Working

directly with developing countries is a key indicator that the company is fueled by the social

motivation to help others who do not have access to electricity or their novel technology. If

Biolite’s main motivation was to produce high short-term profit, they would not dedicate the first

few years of their company to developing the most efficient product, instead they could have

released a low-efficiency product with a short lifespan. Through trial and error, Biolite adapted

7
​BioLite. “Press & Media | BioLite Official.” ​BioLiteEnergy
their business plan to focus on sustainable development and to help those who experience energy

poverty globally.

Biolite’s Business Plan Developments- Learning from the Past

Biolite’s first business plan involved planting their Campstove products in Indian handi

shops, small retail storefronts that sell cooking supplies. Biolite soon realized that low-income

families, who would benefit the most from using a Campstove 2, would not visit the handi shops

and would need to see proof-of-product before investing in the stove8. Biolite then changed to

investing to build their own “Apple-like” stores where they hired employees and custom displays

in order to streamline the purchasing process 8​​ . Originally Biolite thought complete vertical

integration within the company would be the best way to advertise and sell their product, but

they soon realized that the best business plan requires full product transparency so that customers

could reliably trust Biolite and their products.

Biolite realized that the first two business plans did not reflect their core business value

of creating sustainable markets, so they altered their business plan to hire Biolite Burners, local

door-to-door salesman who were trained on how to properly use the product and deliver

customized-customer sales pitches. Biolite trained Burners with a 5-day training program and

supplied Burners with motorcycles for transportation, which were customized with HomeStove

Delivery Boxes that ​“accommodate the unique physics and movement of the stove and the

motorcycle” 8​​ . Besides the additional advertising, the motorcycles help Burners sell to customers

that may not have access to big city markets. Biolite explains that their employee training

8
“What's In Store When There Is No Store.” ​BioLite Blog​, 7 Sept. 2016
program and their financial support of developing markets is different from traditional charity

organizations, “We are not TOMS: (Our business plan) is not a marketing tactic, and it’s not

simply a corporate social responsibility campaign​.”

Biolite’s Contributions to Sustainable Social and Economic Development

From the original conception of the Campstove 2, Biolite has developed a sustainable

business model focused on problem-based solutions rather than a more traditional profit-based

business model. While observing the increasing growth of cell phone company popularity in

developing countries, Biolite realized that adopting the commercial approach to selling their

products may create a bigger positive societal impact than the traditional philanthropic approach.

Recognizing that long term business sustainability correlates to the integration of social

responsibility values, the Biolite co-founders analyzed the business model of supposedly

“sustainable social good” companies in order to identify key components of other impactful

sustainable businesses. To Biolite, TOMS’ buy one, give one program and Patagonia’s 1%

program seemed too small scale for the business’ ambitions to solve global energy poverty9.

Biolite realized they needed to source their energy-generating products directly to those

experiencing energy poverty, and do so at a reasonable price.

Biolite’s products and values directly reflect both business and industrial-oriented

sustainable values throughout the company. The company calls its core sustainable value

“parallel innovation” which prioritizes profitability for a social responsible reason. “Parallel

innovation” involves investing in and developing technologies that serve a wide range of

9
“The Road To Impact.” ​BioLite Blog​, 10 Feb. 2016
customers so that maximum profits can be reinvested back into developing countries such as

India and Sub-Saharan Africa. According to Biolite, the reinvestment of funds “incubates

emerging markets (in developing countries) to a place where they can sustain their own growth”
9​
. This investment promise suggests that Biolite is committed to global economic development

and sustainability. Besides financial investments, Biolite invests in communal sustainability by

hiring resellers and distributors from the intended place of sale. For example, Biolite hires locals

from countries they intend to expand into, nicknamed “Burners”, who are trained to not only sell

Campstoves but to also demonstrate proper setup and care of their products 8​​ . Demonstration of

proper product care and worker training shows the company’s commitment to sustainability

because it ensures product longevity and therefore effectively reduces the number of product

returns and waste. Additionally and most recently, Biolite has partnered with microfinance

institutions to lower the cost of their products to allow low-income household to afford highly

valuable home investments. By working directly with developing communities, Biolite has

demonstrated a genuine commitment to promoting the growth of global energy market

economies.

Biolite Advertising and Product Education

In Biolite advertisements, the “social good” and “environmental good” aspect of their

products is highly prioritized. In videos, articles, and advertisements, Biolite emphasizes that

their products directly help solve the world’s energy poverty problem while reducing

environmental issues such as the need for gas fuel and the release of particulate matter from

traditional open fires. Appealing advertisements show a globally-diverse range of customers, but
Biolite emphasizes that most of their company’s meaningful impact occurs more in developing

countries. Those who have access to internet have access to a plethora of information about

Biolite- their product’s personal health and public environmental benefits. The challenge for

Biolite is that most of their target customers do not have access to electricity or internet, and

therefore not have reliable access to Biolite product information. This is where Biolite’s innovate

business plan comes into action. By training Biolite Burners about the health consequences of

traditional open fires and explaining the benefits of thermoelectric generator technology, Biolite

employees can directly and accurately educate customers about the benefits of Campstove 2 and

their other products.

Motivations of Biolite Customers

For customers in the developing world, investing in the Campstove 2 improves cooking

efficiency and grants access to electricity to those who need it. Interesting, Biolite found that

their products yielded an unexpected secondary effect- their products were uniting families

together in the kitchen. Traditionally in developing countries, women are expected to cook and

men are usually not found in the kitchen. The Campstove 2 physically connects cooking values

with electricity needs and, as a result, Biolite found that more men would stay in the kitchen to

charge their phone when women would prepare the family meal10. Decreasing the space

separation between men and women in developing countries may lead to a better understanding

of the other gender which, in the long term, may decrease the social and economic gender gap

observed in many developing countries. The initial motivation of Biolite customers is likely to

10
“How Do You Design a Fire For Three Billion People?” ​How Do You Design a Fire For Three Billion
People? – BioLite Blog​, 14 July 2016
purchase a more efficient stove that has the added benefit of electricity, but another secondary

benefit of the Campstove 2 may be increased family connectedness and happiness.

For Campstove 2 customers in the developing world, a central motivation for purchasing

the Campstove 2 may be to increase personal reputation or decrease the risk of respiratory health

problems from a traditional campfire. Developed world customers, namely outdoor enthusiasts,

may be more motivated to purchase Biolite products to boast their reputation as true

“outdoorsman” who do not need traditional gas fuels to cook their food on the go. Other

customers may simply be motivated to purchase Biolite technology for the “coolness” factor that

they can show off and brag about to their friends later. Most importantly, no matter the

customer’s motivations, Biolite’s commitment to social and market sustainability ensures that

profits will be redistributed to global growing markets and not solely monopolized into one

company.

Biolite’s Customer Transparency and Lack of Greenwashing Criticisms

Oftentimes major international companies are subjected to accusations of greenwashing,

but notably a quick search for “Biolite” and “greenwashing” yields only praise for the company’s

efforts and business model. Accusations of greenwashing are usually directed towards companies

who overstate their environmental contributions or are secretive in their business transactions.

From the beginning, Biolite has provided extensive transparency about their overall goals and

progress. Additionally, the company releases an annual Impact report11, which includes product

and market development updates, an overall corporate sustainability summary, and personal

11
“Biolite 2018 Impact Report”. Amazon AWS. Pdf.
social “stories of impact” which reflect diverse perspectives across the globe. The company also

releases an annual Environmental Sustainability Report12 that includes an analysis of the

product’s life cycle carbon impact, and a thorough breakdown of the company’s total emissions-

buildings, corporate travel, employee commuting, and product manufacturing and shipping. To

date Biolite has provided internal extensive proof of product and company analysis and due to

their impressive transparency, and as a result, the company has rarely, if ever, faced large-scale

accusations of greenwashing.

Most of Biolite’s testing is conducted by their research department, so the customer must

trust that the company is advertising credible claims. Because Biolite has been so transparent

from the beginning, there has been little to no customer skepticism about the efficiency of the

Campstove 2. There is no third party certification that verifies the product’s efficiency but the

main target customer, those living in energy poverty, build trust with the company by watching

live Campstove demonstrations and from word-of-mouth from people they know.

Personal Perspective on Biolite Greenwashing

To investigate possible Biolite greenwashing, I contacted Biolite’s Chat feature on the

main website to find out more about the overall composition of customers. In my opinion,

Biolite’s proof of dedication to helping developing countries should reflect the company’s

customer composition. When I asked for a breakdown about where most Biolite customers are

located, customer service replied with, “Most of our customers are from US and CAN, but we do

business all over the world. In emerging markets, Kenya and Uganda are our primary

12
“Biolite 2018 Corporate Sustainability Report”. Amazon AWS. March 2019. Pdf.
customers”, but when I asked about customer percentages, customer service estimated that “80%

of sales come from the United States and Canada.” These findings were particularly

disappointing in that Biolite centrally advertises their commitment to helping developing

countries, but most of their customers come from developed countries. While I understand that

Biolite needs consistent revenue from customers in developing countries in order to expand into

energy markets in developing countries, after 13 successful years I expected Biolite to have a

stronger presence in developing countries. When asked directly about the company’s core value,

customer service responded, “we are solely focused on energy independence which does 2

things- it reduces black carbon emissions from countries where most people still cook over open

fires and it enables people to participate in their economies by creating energy independence”

After contacting customer service, I believe that Biolite has slightly greenwashed claims and

advertising because most of Biolite’s sales come from more developed countries where the

alternative products available to customers are power grid electricity and gas-burning stoves. My

opinions of Biolite’s greenwashing characteristics are mixed- one on hand the majority of

developed world customers do not have a true need for the Campstove 2, but on the other hand

their financial support for the company does enable Biolite to assist other developing countries

that do not have access to such products.

Biolite Patents Prevent Product Competitors

Biolite markets their products in over 100 countries worldwide and has built the company

based on consumer trust and word-of-mouth. Biolite was the first company to develop a product

like the Campstove 2 that converts excess thermal energy into electricity. Biolite currently holds
four patents for the Campstove product including, “Portable combustion device utilizing
13
thermoelectric generation” which prevents competitors from developing a similar product.

Biolite has effectively monopolized the campfire-energy independence market by first

establishing their brand and then developing other products, like solar lights, to assist company

growth. With over 515,000 satisfied customers, Biolite has successfully built a trustworthy

following, making it difficult for other companies to compete against Biolite products.

The Future of Biolite

Over 13 successful years, Biolite has developed innovative products to help solve global

energy poverty. As Biolite increases their global impact in the energy market, the opportunity to

contribute to global energy poverty decreases. Because the Campstove 2 is designed to be a

life-long durable product, Biolite customers are usually one-time purchasers of a product which

requires Biolite to keep developing and marketing new kinds of products. Perhaps new company

research will discover a new solution that can be mass-marketed to help another increasingly

relevant climate change issue or global health issue.

Most recently, Biolite became a member of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves

which was co-founded by the UN foundation, which unites creative innovators to tackle the UN

Sustainable Goal #7- Access to Affordable and Clean Energy. As Biolite continues to partner

with other international companies, it is predicted that the success of the company will

continually increase until the issue of global energy poverty is minimal. While Biolite may

exhibit certain greenwashing characteristics, there is a low risk that they will be targeted with

13
BioLite. “Biolite Patents.” ​BioLiteEnergy.​
greenwashing claims because of their impressive customer transparency and their active work

with the United Nations. Biolite has altered their business plan by learning from other “social

good” businesses and has learned from their past mistakes. Unless there is a large market crash

or economy shift, it is expected that Biolite will continue to fund new projects and continue to

integrate their products into the energy markets of developing countries.

Works Cited:
Dupzyk, Kevin. “Things Come Apart: The Biolite Campstove.” ​Popular Mechanics​, A Part of Hearst
Digital Media, 2 July 2018,
www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoor-gear/a25459/biolite-campstove-disassembly/
Werner, Philip. “BioLite CampStove - The Substance Beyond the Hype.” ​Section Hikers Backpacking
Blog,​ 19 Apr. 2018, sectionhiker.com/biolite-campstove-the-substance-beyond-the-hype/.
“BioLite Mission: Energy Everywhere.” ​BioLiteEnergy​, 2019 Biolite Inc.
www.bioliteenergy.com/pages/mission
“Biolite: Our Story.” ​Global Biolite,​ global.bioliteenergy.com/pages/our-story.
“Biolite 2018 Corporate Sustainability Report”. Amazon AWS. March 2019. Pdf.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/biolitemedia/Impact+2018/BioLite+Corporate+Sustainability+Report+
2018_final.pdf
“Biolite 2018 Impact Report”. Amazon AWS. Pdf.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/biolitemedia/Impact+2018/2018_BioLite_Impact_Report.pdf
“How Do You Design a Fire For Three Billion People?” ​How Do You Design a Fire For Three Billion
People? – BioLite Blog​, 14 July 2016,
blog.bioliteenergy.com/blogs/road-to-impact/driving-adoption-through-design.
“Reinventing Fire: An Insider's Tour.” ​BioLite Blog​, 28 June 2016,
blog.bioliteenergy.com/blogs/road-to-impact/reinventing-fire-an-insiders-tour.
“The Road To Impact.” ​BioLite Blog,​ 10 Feb. 2016,
blog.bioliteenergy.com/blogs/road-to-impact/89921475-the-road-to-impact.
“What's In Store When There Is No Store.” ​BioLite Blog,​ 7 Sept. 2016,
blog.bioliteenergy.com/blogs/road-to-impact/how-one-startup-developed-a-sales-model-that-wor
ks-in-emerging-markets.
BioLite. “Biolite Patents.” ​BioLiteEnergy​, www.bioliteenergy.com/pages/patents.
BioLite. “Press & Media | BioLite Official.” ​BioLiteEnergy​, www.bioliteenergy.com/pages/press-media.
Tech and innovation, SDG Media Zone - ECOSOC Youth Forum 2018, Jan 31 2018. UN Web TV.
http://webtv.un.org/search/tech-and-innovation-sdg-media-zone-ecosoc-youth-forum-2018/57233
91789001/?term=sdg%20media%20zone&sort=date