Intensive Training Workshop for Regional Testing and Knowledge Centers, held at Zamorano University, Honduras 10-14 December 2013

Participants posing for group Photo in front of the Zamorano Stove Centre

The Intensive Training Workshop for Regional Testing and Knowledge Centre was organized to strengthen the global consortium collaborating on testing and improving clean cooking technologies, as a follow up to the Intensive Training Workshop held in January 2013 in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA. This event aimed to foster the testing capacities of RTKCs, and to ensure quality and uniformity in their services. Topics/activities covered included establishing a laboratory, quality assurance, data management and integration, field testing, field visits and lab observation, round robin testing, among others.

The workshop was organized by Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (GACC), a public-private partnership under the umbrella of United Nations Foundation. The Alliance, in an effort to serve its goal of enabling 100 million households round the world to adopt clean and efficient cooking technologies by 2020 has supported establishment of Regional Testing and Knowledge Centres (RTKCs) in many different countries. As such, the alliance has also been working on capacity development of and collaboration between the RTKCs. Zamorano University hosted the programme and facilitated associated activities. It has a dedicated Stove Unit and also hosts RTKC for Honduras.

Ranyee (GACC) and Tim (ZU) opening the floor with
Introduction of  participants at the Opening dinner at Zamorano Cafeteria

The program brought together participants from various RTKCs and relevant academic, governmental and non-governmental organizations like the US EPA, University of Illinois, Approvecho Research Centre, Berkeley Air Monitoring Group etc. from Asia, Africa, and North, Central and South America.

Various presentations, demonstrations and site visits were employed in the workshop to disseminate pertinent information and for demonstration of facilities and infrastructures, practices, services and practical application of knowledge. Discussions were integrated within these means to foster interactive environment, and separate discussion sessions were held for certain topics.

The presentation (and discussion) topics and rotations/site visits that were performed during the workshop are outlined in the next section.

The workshop enhanced the participants' (particularly from RTKCs) awareness regarding stove testing and provided techniques for other aspects like quality assurance, data management, uncertainty calculations etc. Moreover, it also provided means for RTKCs from all over the world to come together and share their experiences. The programme paved a way for collaboration among all RTKCs for sharing of plans, results and to ensure uniformity in practices.

A tentative plan was formed for the Round Robin Test, through rigorous discussions among the Interim Committee at first and among all participants later. The prototype of base stove model to be tested, fuel and operation methods were determined. Participants also agreed upon means to share related information amongst all associated to make the testing a huge success.

Prof. Rajendra Prasad (Teri, India) discussing with (Gracia, ZU)
on the fire starter at the Zamorano Stove Lab 

Demonstration of new innovations and more readily available technologies gave participants knowledge on recent development in the field of stove testing. Observation of Zamorano Stove Centre's facilities, infrastructures and equipment provided information about their lab, services etc. Site visits provided insight into the scenario of cooking sector in rural households in Honduras.

More Insights on the Workshop:

http://bit.ly/MoCtpH

http://bit.ly/1bjB796