The laboratory undertakes the following services
Testing and analysis related to stove technical quality, indoor air pollution, and energy efficiency;
Assist stove developers in improving stove design and construction methods;
Conduct research and development in collaboration with national and international research institutes and laboratories; and
Serve as a national demonstration center for clean cooking technologies
The laboratory has the following equipments
Laboratory Emissions Monitoring System (LEMS):
This is a sensor box that is comprised of CO2, CO and Particulate Matter sensors and computer connected output. Sample emissions from stoves during testing are passed through this box and the results are logged onto a computer for recording and analysis.
Laboratory Emissions Monitoring Hood:
Stoves for testing are placed inside the hood and emissions pass through the ducting.
Gravimetric system:
This comprises of black carbon filter box and a suction pump. Sample emissions are sucked through this system and black carbon is trapped in a filter placed in the box.
Miscellaneous equipments including two highly sensitive weigh balances, desiccators for drying filters and thermocouples for taking water temperatures,
All these equipments are used to carry out Water Boiling Test. The test essentially measures and analyses thermal efficiencies of stoves, fuel efficiency when compared to traditional stoves, and emissions (CO2, CO and PM). The Laboratory also has a number of Indoor Air Pollution Meters. This meter is a miniaturized version of the LEMS and is used to carry out field tests of stoves. The meter has a CO2, CO and PM sensor and is worn as a back pack by cooks. A hose connected to the meter is placed close to the nose of the cook so that the air sample it collects is almost the same as what the cooks breathe in. A memory card in the meter records the emissions which are analyzed in a computer after a test.
The centre in collaboration with Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) organized a capacity building programme for relevant stakeholders from government, private sector and academia on clean cookstoves testing and analysis in January/February 2014. The collaboration also led to expanded capacity development for all ECN research centres and selected federal universities in April 2015. In June 2017, the laboratory hosted stakeholders from the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) on a week-long clean cookstoves testing, analysis and certification training. Stakeholders were drawn from all the ECOWAS countries including the secretariat of ECREEE. In 2018, ICEED with support from ECN conduct technical training on fuel efficient wood and charcoal stoves design and production for a group of NYSC members serving in the Southeast region
The laboratory has assisted a number of institutions and organizations in improving their stove designs. It supported the Jigawa State Government, to improve on its stove designs. The state government was producing and disseminating efficient household and institutional woodstoves at no cost to its citizens. The state has distributed over 70,000 stoves before it commissioned the laboratory to assist it in improving the designs. The improved designs was completed in June 2014 and handed over to officials of Jigawa State Alternative Energy Agency. The laboratory also helped the National Centre for Energy and Environment, University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria, to improve on two stove models it developed in June 2014. From 2015 to d2019, the laboratory supported an EU funded project in Katsina State to design and improve the stove designed for the project. The project seeks to disseminate at least 35,000 stoves in Katsina State by 2018.
To ascertain the performance characteristics of clean and efficient cookstoves in Nigeria, the laboratory routinely collects stove samples from both local and international organizations operating in Nigeria for testing. Some of the stoves tested include a wide range of Envirofit wood and charcoal stoves, Save80 woodstove, Fast Fire stove, Qunitas biomass gasifier stoves, Musa Raymond charcoal stove, Roshan charcoal stove, etc.