Partner Spotlight: Centre for Research in Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC), Uganda
With biomass accounting for 92% of the energy use in Uganda and majority of the population still using three-stone fires and unimproved charcoal stoves as cooking technologies, there is a key role to play in ensuring the efficient utilization of biomass.
The Centre for Research in Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC) has developed into an internationally recognized Regional Testing and Knowledge Centre (RTKC) working in partnership with the Global Alliance for Clean Cook stoves (Alliance). The objective of the RTKC is to provide stove and fuel testing services through globally accepted testing procedures for the East-African region, with a knowledge hub in bioenergy technologies, research, design and development. The RTKC is technology and fuel neutral.
CREEC is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is “to enhance access to modern types of energy through research, training and consultancy in East-Africa.” It focuses on the thematic areas of rural electrification, energy for productive use, household energy and energy entrepreneurship with energy efficiency as a cross-cutting theme. It aims at application and adaptation of technologies to the local and regional environment. These focal areas are strategically manned under 1) project engineering and 2) energy testing services (improved cookstoves and solar PV equipment).
The CREEC RTKC:
Commissioned in 2010 as a Biomass Research Centre to conduct practical tests, training and applied research in bioenergy, the RTKC has since grown and expanded in a very short time, developing into an international testing centre after recognition from the Alliance and acquisition of testing equipment. Some of the key services provided at the centre include: stove and fuel testing, consultancy services, capacity building, and stove design improvement.
The Centre has tested over 50 types / models of cookstoves varying from portable, stationary, wood, charcoal, pellet, briquette, micro-gasification and biofuel stoves for local, regional and global manufacturers and clients. From basic stove tests to assessing performance of stoves in different environments (inter-laboratory and field testing), the Centre continues to grow its abilities while enhancing technical capacity through upgrading with globally accepted equipment, staff capacity development, and creating awareness on the need for stove and fuel testing. Recent efforts are geared to providing preliminary stove testing to local and regional stove producers to aid in improving their stove designs; the output will contribute to the development of a stove performance database for East-Africa.
As part of efforts to develop global standards on clean cooking, the RTKC team is providing expertise on the ISO TC 285 working groups. CREEC is also a key driver for the Standards and Testing taskforce of the Uganda National Alliance of Clean cooking (UNACC) an affiliate to GACC. Furthermore, as part of the RTKC’s efforts to ensure quality assurance, the Centre is working towards ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation and to date several laboratory management procedures have been developed towards achievement of this process.
The CREEC RTKC actively participates in a wider global consortium of recognized stove testers and has shared experiences on improvement of the technical and business aspects of stove testing. This provides an excellent way to bring together those involved in stove technology and testing centres to share knowledge and formulate effective strategies and best practices of stove testing and development.
Please visit us at www.creec.or.ug or www.stovetestingafrica.com for more information.