Stove Design and Performance Testing Workshop 9-13 September 2013

13 September 2013

Participants getting ready for the  group photo

Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC), Center for Rural Technology, Nepal (CRT-N) and Renewable Energy Test Station (RETS) jointly hosted a 5-day Training on Cook Stove Design and Performance Testing at RETS Premises, Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Compound in Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal from 9-13 September, 2013.  The training was sponsored by Winrock International and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and was led by Aprovecho Research Center.  Altogether 41, including 10 female and 31 male, participants from 26 organizations involved in improved cooking stove (ICS) development, dissemination and testing participated in the training.

Trainees conducting CCT with modified stoves

The primary objective of this capacity building training was to equip the organizations with cook stove design principles and cookstove testing knowledge to inform and improve stove design, performance and use. Participants in the training had the opportunity to learn how to test, evaluate and improve their stove models that use solid biomass as a fuel.

More than 4 million households in Nepal continue using solid biomass as the usual type of cooking fuel. So far, with the involvement of a number of organizations, AEPC has successfully disseminated more than 744,000 ICS, nearly 300,000 biogas and 600+ solar cookers in the country. In January this year, while celebrating Renewable Energy Week 2013, Government of Nepal made an ambitious announcement "Clean Cooking Solutions for all by 2017 (CCS 2017) thereby ensuring indoor air pollution free Nepal" with aims to provide cleaner cooking technologies to more than 3 million households by 2017. In addition, as more than 3 billion people around the world use solid fuels for their home cooking and heating, Nepal’s experience, expertise and achievements will contribute to the goal of 100 million homes using clean and efficient stoves by 2020.

At the closing 

The hosting organizations believe that this training will help in designing and selecting quality stoves suitable for Nepalese context and hence support in the dissemination of better quality stoves in the country ultimately supporting the mission of CCS 2017.

 (This was the press note sent to the newspapers on the closing of the workshop)

RTKC Organizes Training and Capacity Building Workshop on Cookstoves Programme Effectiveness

26 July 2013

Participants at the Training: Some of them are missing on the picture

Training and Capacity Building Workshop on Cookstoves Programme Effectiveness – took place during 22-24 July 2013 at Yala Maya Kendra, Patan under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Tami Bond. The event was also supported by Winrock international Nepal. It was participated by 17 Core trainees (13 CRT/N- 3 from field offices, 3 AEPC, 1 RETS). The training workshop was organized to develop the capacity of staffs working in biomass sector at CRT/N and few other related organizations to use testing protocols and develop other tools to evaluate the effectiveness of cook stove programme.

Training Module was based on the following points

                -              Creating RTKC as a Centre of Excellence

                -              Preference of Testing Methods- CCT/KPT/WBT 

                -              Issues related to field/lab tests

Dr. Tami Bond listing out the trainees views on stoves programmes

At the training centre - brainstorming

Mr. Sandeep Joshi clearifying on the questions put by Dr. Tami Bond during the training

RTKC’s Participation at Clean Cooking Market Place (CCMP 2013)

-14 July 2013

CRT/N Stall at CCMP 2013

 RTKC participated the event organized by AEPC along with various stakeholders during 10-12 July 2013 at United Trade Centre, Thapathali. The event included Seminar, Expo and Field Visit. Centre for Rural Technology Nepal (CRT/N) being one of the supporters of the event had participated actively in the mission.  Products, Services and Partnership opportunities were showcased by CRT/N with highlights on Regional Cookstoves Testing and Knowledge Centre (RTKC) establishment that provide cookstoves testing services with precise efficiency and accuracy.  The test results of some of the stoves were pretty interesting to visitors. The other highlight of CRT/N was the Improved Cookstoves Programme with Carbon Finance (ICF) in which the two rocket stoves viz: Rocket stove with Metallic Combustion Chamber and Metallic Top Plate (RS1.1) and Rocket Stove with Ceramic Combustion Chamber and Metallic top plate (RS3.1) being promoted in the far-western development region were showcased. One another attraction was the Business Model ICS (Institutional Rocket Stove with Chimney, IRSC) recently developed by Rural Energy and Technology Service Centre (RETSC) team at CRT/N. For more 

GACC Technical Manager, Dr. Ranyee Chiang Visits RTKC Nepal

Dr. Ranyee Chiang (right corner) with RTKC team in front of  the lab 
(RTKC team Basudev, Shovana, Nisha, Kausila, Cheeza)

Dr. Chiang from Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (GACC) on her mission to south Asian region visited CRT/N on 14 and 15 August 2013. During her visit several fruitful discussions took place. RTKC activities and GACCs views were clarified during the meetings.  

Dr. Ranyee Chiang in interaction session with CRT/N collegues; 
Mr Lumin Kumar Shrestha, Officiating ED; Mr Subarna Kapali; 
Mr. Basudev Upadhyay, Coordinator RTKC

Taking advantage of Ranyee's expertise Idea Shearing on Improving Testing Protocols – was organized jointly by RTKC CRT/N and AEPC at AEPC Conference hall in the afternoon of 14 August 2013 in the special presence of Dr Ranyee Chiang. The outcome of National Workshop on Standards and testing of Cookstoves were shared and discussion took place on improving testing protocols among the number stakeholders of GoN, individual testing centres including NGOs, INGO etc. in the context of GoN’s mission of “Clean Cooking Solutions for all by 2017”  and biomass experts. Over 35 participants participated in the programme.

At Idea sharing workshop on testing protocols - at AEPC. Mr. Upadhyay 
Sharing on the out comes of  National Workshop on Standards
 and Testing of Stoves held on 25 July 2013
Also read

Prof. Dr. Rajendra Prasad from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) visits RTKC Nepal

CRT/N team with Prof. Dr. Rajendra Prasad at CRT/N meeting room

 – Prof. Dr. Rajendra Prasad from IIT India visited CRT/N RTKC on 11 July 2013. RTKC Nepal’s activities and vision/mission were shared. Prof. Prasad did share on the National Standards of Cookstoves Testing in India and envisioned us on the latest developments on the stoves testing tools in the global arena. His presence also as a RTKC coordinator at IIT, India helped RTKC Nepal built up the smooth relation among the RTKCs supported by GACC. His willingness to support and move ahead in a collaborative manner had been an encouraging factor for RTKC Nepal.

Prof. is looking after RTKC in India.

Prof. Dr. Govinda Raj Pokhrel and Dr. Mrigendra Raj Pandey Jointly Inaugurates RTKC Nepal

-The formal inauguration of

Prof. Dr. Govinda Raj Pokhrel and Dr. Mrigendra Raj Pandey
cutting ribbon to declare the opening of RTKC Lab

RTKC took place on 6 June 2013 in the special presence of Prof. Dr. Govinda Raj Pokharel, Executive Director Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC), Government of Nepal (GoN) and Renowned Cardiologist Dr. Mrigendra Raj Pandey. Representatives from various organisations - government bodies, INGOS, NGOs were invited.

In the programme RTKC vision and mission with activities were shared and various delegates spoke on the necessity of a wel equipped biomass laboratory in Nepal. They also congratulated CRT/N for such initiation.

Delegates at Inauguration ceremony

The main speakers were Mr Bim Prasad Shrestha, HOD, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Kathmandu University; Prof. Dr. Govinda Raj Pandey, Executive Director of Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC); Dr. Mrigendra Raj Pandey, Chairman of Mrigendra Memorial Trust and renowned cardiologist; Mr. Hari Gopal Gorkhali, RTKC Lab supervisor; Mr. Ganesh Ram Shrestha, Executive Director, Centre for Rural Technology (CRT/N)

Laboratory Emissions Monitoring System (LEMS) Setup and Water Boiling Test (WBT) Training

Setting up hood for LEMS (Roshan with hood tube, Homnath on the ladder)

Trainees Learning on Laboratory Procedures

Laboratory Emissions Monitoring System (LEMS)  Setup and WBT Training – a ten days training on LEMS setup and Introductory WBT Training was conducted at its renovated laboratory at CRT/N under the guidance of Mr. Alex Seidel, Emission Engineer at ARC lab during 8-18 April 2013. LEMS was setup and CRT/N RTKC along with Renewable Energy Testing Station (RETS) participants under Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) also benefited form the training. RTKC lab came into operation from May 2013 with makeup tests for sharpening the testing ability of RTKC staffs.

Alex explains the   LEMS sensor box components