About Aprovecho

Aprovecho Research Center is a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization that was founded in 1976. ARC provides various services involved with biomass cookstoves including:

  • Initial design or re-design of cookstoves to achieve improved heat transfer and combustion efficiency. Working in the field with users to assure the effectiveness and market viability of the new stove.
  • Manufacturing and sales of the laboratory and field emissions equipment to measure PM2.5, CO, CO2, CH4, VOC, and black carbon emitted from biomass cookstoves. Other combustion parameters are also available (temperature, air flow, gas velocity, O2).
  • Training of laboratory and field staff to set up and operate the Laboratory Emissions Monitoring System (LEMS) to test and improve cookstove performance. Testing of cookstoves using the Water Boiling Test (WBT4.2.4 and ISO 19867) and Controlled Cooking Test with the emissions hood in the lab and field.
  • Testing of cookstoves in households using the IAP Meter and the Kitchen Performance Test.
  • Working with factories to build the new generation of clean burning cookstoves.
  • Conducting research to improve the technical understanding of cookstoves.

Our Network

ARC has established an extensive network of partners in the improved cook stove community, including the arenas of policy-making, government, universities, aid agencies, corporate sponsors, and NGO’s. In addition to the Global Alliance for Clean Cook Stove sponsored (and independent) Regional Testing Centers that use the LEMS or the PEMS this network includes:

  • ProBEC
  • Shell Foundation
  • Shell Global Solutions
  • Trees, Water & People
  • UC Berkeley/CEIHD/Berkeley Air
  • University of Illinois
  • University of Oregon
  • USAID
  • US Environmental Protection Agency
  • World Food Program (WFP)
  • World Health Organization (WHO)
  • ARC has worked with many of the stove projects around the world. We are familiar with key personnel, logistics, and cultural and economic realities.

Having university research partners available to help monitor and assess data quality, contribute to training materials, quantify our testing, and qualify research findings is invaluable to ARC in both developing project plans and maintaining a quality assurance program.

Our Research Partners Include: