THE INITIAL PLANNING
This methodology for fuel-use monitoring was developed to assess the impact of the Ugastove improved wood and charcoal stove designs on fuel use and costs in households. The Kitchen Performance Test (KPT) is comprised of quantitative and qualitative fuel-use surveys. Unlike laboratory stove-efficiency tests that reflect the value of improved stoves in a controlled setting, the KPT illuminates the overall effectiveness of improved stoves in real households.
2006 KPT, Ugastove & CEIHD
From June through August 2006 the a KPT was administered in Kampala. Household fuel use was measured for one week using traditional stoves and then for one week with improved stoves. This allowed a comparison of total household fuel consumption before and after the implementation of the improved Ugastove stove. The investigation included both wood and charcoal, but more attention was given to measuring the impact of the charcoal stoves – the most frequently used fuel in Kampala, followed by wood. The KPT was run on 68 households in four divisions of Kampala that used charcoal predominantly and 13 households in one division that used wood. The results were striking:
Switching to an improved charcoal stove saved 36% in fuel use
The switch to a wood rocket stove was even more dramatic, with an average 58% saving.Based on typical fuel prices and the cost of the stove, average household savings over the first 3 years of an improved stoves lifetime would be:
The improved charcoal stove will save a household approximately $130 USD over three years.
The improved wood stove will save approximately $50 USD over three years.