[Stoves] SilverFire / UCEED (University Center for excellence and developmental disabilities targeted families). Stoves to Puerto Rico

Sun Dec 3 17:38:11 CST 2017

Dear Nikhil and Todd

Much as I had higher hopes for the US-funded stoves community, I agree with the evaluation given below.

I am not sure how you define ‘corruption’. It matters more that significant advances in testing and product development have been deliberately blocked, meaning as a conscious act, not incompetence. In one case the GACC required, as a condition of funding a national stove programme, that two people they identified not be permitted to participate, one the international advisor of the national programme and the other, the one directing testing and test methods. Is that business as usual or unusual business?

I am interested to know from anyone on this list of the GACC has required, as a condition of getting funds for a stove programme, the use of the WBT for product rating and selection. The GACC very publicly (in North Carolina) accepted to take over the custodianship of the WBT and it is literally “their test method” now. It has also been just as publicly criticized very specifically for technical errors. Some of these errors have been quietly corrected. Some have been publicly corrected, and many more have not.

What is a problem is any demand to use a test method with such important known defects as a condition of getting funded. Everyone agrees, everyone, that the WBT does not predict performance in the field. This statement has nearly always been accompanied by some qualification saying that while it is good for product development and pre-screening, field evaluations should always be done.  Well, stop right there! If it doesn’t predict even reasonable, performance in use, it sure as heck should not be used for pre-screening anything. “Pig in a poke<http://www.dictionary.com/browse/pig-in-a-poke>” and all that.

If the entire stove community, including the WBT authors and proponents and custodian agree that no WBT reasonable predicted field performance, then all WBT results should be chucked in favour of either a recalculation or testing. Deleted with these results should be the Stove Comparison Chart with all its misrepresentations.

Re-rated properly, the most significant changes in ratings will be seen for TLUD gasifiers that make charcoal, and Rocket Stoves (because they make above-average amounts of char). It would be interesting to see where charcoal stoves land on a new rating platform.

Regards
Crispin

From: Nikhil Desai [mailto:pienergy2008 at gmail.com]
Sent: 4-Dec-17 01:13
To: Todd Albi <todd.r.albi at gmail.com>
Cc: Discussion of biomass cooking stoves <stoves at lists.bioenergylists.org>
Subject: Re: SilverFire / UCEED (University Center for excellence and developmental disabilities targeted families). Stoves to Puerto Rico

Todd:

Picking up on this thread rather late. My response to Xavier about house of cards and paper tigers reminded me of your original post here.

It is sad that "numerous agencies and organizations with no response or apparent interest" fprced you to raise funds directly from the public. Congratulations for your deliveries to Puerto Rico. Do please post some pictures and stories of how they are used, and also write to Jose Andres, who also helped in Puerto Rico.

It is curious that many organizations rushed to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. But that was because of the Clinton glamour. By contrast, none of the organizations in and around this GACC venture of EPA have the funds or the interest in doing anything in Puerto Rico. After all, that is a part of the US, and The Donald has repeatedly dissed Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans; none of the EPA contractors in the "clean cookstove" bandwagon stand to gain anything in the face of cynical politics by the US President.

1. So, I must congratulate you for "We have given up on organizations like GACC and others claiming that they are involved in ICS stove implementation." What you describe of your experience re: Marshall Islands and Myanmar - two areas where some friends have been active in energy work - only confirms what I wrote to Xavier: that GACC is a contractor. We can never tell what its contracts with its clients - EPA, other governments - require, but I am reasonably sure that GACC does not have any independence in how it spends its money. Nor does it have the competence to judge on testing protocols, stove design. It does what it is told by the higher powers.

2. I generally hesitate to ascribe to conspiracy that which mere stupidity or subservience to bosses can explain. Here you say "The same issues seem to be true with stove testing, while many organizations have had stoves tested at no cost, other organizations have been blocked from testing altogether."

My guess is, EPA issued the RFA in the beginning and selected compliant friends and family members (from PCIA) for testing stoves (under WBT, of course, so it can get the results it expects). It had no money nor the competence to do any stove design or testing that may prove useful in actual practice anywhere in the world. From what I know of EPA planning and budgeting process, this "cookstoves" work came out of the Office of International Programs, which simply may not have the jurisdictional mandate to do such work. So Lisa Jackson could only fund research and could contract GACC for only a limited range of activities.

GACC has no legal status, no legal authority, and I might say no legal accountability either. It's a bubble floated by Jacob Moss and Susan Annenberg, raised by Tim Wirth and Leslie Cordes, none of whom have any experience with the ground realities of food and cooking by the poor. Why would anybody trust GACC to do anything like supporting stove implementation? That would have been USAID job, and I am intrigued that USAID did nothing. (My reading the Thailand report yesterday reminded me of the good that USAID did do.)

GACC did not issue any RFAs for stove testing on its own because it simply wasn't contracted to do so. EPA seems to be happy spending money on its research programs, and Jackson, McCarthy may even have been privately happy unloading PCIA on to UNF.

Jim Jetter was perfectly fair in telling you "If we have resources in the future, we will issue another RFA ".

I am puzzled at your "GACC claims otherwise." Simply put, EPA did not give GACC the money, nor did its - or any other donor's - contract with GACC demand that GACC issue another RFAs. Radha probably didn't mean to mislead you on that account.

However, I am not surprised by your observation - "Stove testing process by EPA, flawed Aprovecho WBT protocols, with unreliable Aprovecho emissions equipment, leaves our organization with the impression much of the clean cook stove sector is significantly flawed and actually corrupt."

Yup. I won't challenge your impression. Someone needs to formulate that into an allegation and demand an audit of EPA and GACC work, an evaluation of WBT (which seems to be nobody's baby, just appropriated by Berkeley or ARC or EPA as convenient, like any public source technique.)

No use alleging corruption. This is an Inside Job by experts for experts of experts. As in WHO claims, there is no there there.

I repeat my call to get GACC out of UNF; an audit may indeed reveal that UNF has not met the terms of at least some of its contracts. Incompetence is not corruption, however.

GACC throwing its weight around in Myanmar seems par for the course, in line with some stories I have heard on other countries. A pretense of power, deceit that UNF is under the UN, and implicit promise that President Hillary Clinton wold roll out loads of monies.

Nikhil

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nikhil Desai
(US +1) 202 568 5831
Skype: nikhildesai888

On Mon, Nov 13, 2017 at 9:58 PM, Todd Albi <todd.r.albi at gmail.com<mailto:todd.r.albi at gmail.com>> wrote:
SilverFire shipped our first pallet of donated Hunter TLUD Chimney stoves to Puerto Rico last week in coordination with UCEED!  After contacting numerous agencies and organizations with no response or apparent interest, we have forged ahead with our own Go Fund Me campaign.

https://www.gofundme.com/ship-stoves-to-puerto-rico-ucedd<https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gofundme.com%2Fship-stoves-to-puerto-rico-ucedd&data=02%7C01%7Ccrispinpigott%40outlook.com%7Ca1a3e1856c434df4501308d53a712bfa%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636479180145166468&sdata=Md9FiNhpe6gbF9JfnsbdHBVHFZ38ucUTfRjE3Xagovw%3D&reserved=0>

We have given up on organizations like GACC and others claiming that they are involved in ICS stove implementation.  Our most recent International trip to Myanmar where GACC claimed active participation is not actually true, no GACC representative attended any of the stove demonstrations or training.  They appeared only at the political ceremonies, with micro fiance organizations in tow, attempting to influence policy and opportunities for micro fiancce.

We ran into the same issue sending humanitarian container to Marshall Islands with GACC, although claiming to be active with ICS stove implementation, it does not appear to be true in regard with our organization.  Any transportation assistance from GACC our organization requested for folks in need, much less assistance with stove funding, has been rejected.  The same issues seem to be true with stove testing, while many organizations have had stoves tested at no cost, other organizations have been blocked from testing altogether.

Jim Jetter at EPA claimed stove testing requirements are by RPA via GACC only acceptable process for stove testing, despite numerous direct requests.   GACC claims otherwise.  The stove testing process by EPA, the use of flawed Aprovecho WBT protocols, unreliable Aprovecho emissions equipment, and GACC smoke, leaves our organization with the impression much of the clean cook stove sector is significantly flawed.  Rahda again lied to my face in Myanmar stating RFA's not required for stove testing, despite numerous emails stating otherwise from EPA.
Jetter, James <Jetter.Jim at epa.gov<mailto:Jetter.Jim at epa.gov>>

4/29/13
[https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif]

[https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif]
[https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif]

to me
[https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif]

Todd,

It was good talking with you in Cambodia.

For the current round of testing, stoves were selected through an application process with selection criteria.  For future rounds of testing, we will use the same process – an announcement with a request for applications (RFA) will go out to all Alliance partners, and stoves will be selected based on the criteria and based on available resources.  I expect it will be at least a year before the next RFA will go out, but I’ll let you know if things change.

Regards,
Jim

Todd,

The last RFA was sent out to all PCIA partners (before integration with the Alliance).

If you’re signed up as an Alliance partner, you will receive any and all future RFAs.

Jim

From: Todd Albi [mailto:todd.r.albi at gmail.com<mailto:todd.r.albi at gmail.com>]
Sent: Monday, April 29, 2013 12:47 PM
To: Jetter, James
Subject: Re: SilverFire Stove Testing

Jim:

Appreciate the update.  Please add me to the contact list or what ever the process was.  I never saw a RFA go out.

Regards,

Todd Albi, SilverFire

Todd,

Jim
 Hi Todd,

Stoves we are currently testing were chosen based on selection criteria in a Request For Applications that was issued quite a long time ago through PCIA.  If we have resources in the future, we will issue another RFA that will go out to all Alliance partners.  We receive many requests for testing, and I hope we will be able to respond.  Meanwhile, please consider other Testing Centers (many sponsored by the Alliance):
http://www.cleancookstoves.org/our-work/standards-and-testing/connect-with-testing-laboratories/<https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cleancookstoves.org%2Four-work%2Fstandards-and-testing%2Fconnect-with-testing-laboratories%2F&data=02%7C01%7Ccrispinpigott%40outlook.com%7Ca1a3e1856c434df4501308d53a712bfa%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636479180145166468&sdata=g2iEmy%2FPYOLdlsS9mgzvjjnySmuULbN9On1KsiFRM%2Fk%3D&reserved=0>

Regards,
Jim
__________________________________________
James J. Jetter, P.E.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (E305-03)
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
phone: (919) 541-4830<tel:(919)%20541-4830>          fax: (919) 541-2157<tel:(919)%20541-2157>
email: jetter.jim at epa.gov<mailto:jetter.jim at epa.gov>

I also reached out to Radha again in 2014.  In summary the GACC, EPA and other politico's in the stove sector is failing lots of folks in need.

The last RFA was sent out to all PCIA partners (before integration with the Alliance).

If you’re signed up as an Alliance partner, you will receive any and all future RFAs.

Again in 2014

[cid:image001.jpg at 01D36CCF.6D8DDC80]
From the SilverFire perspective, the stove sector smells, and appears to have numerous political motivations, rather than implementing quality stoves for those in need.  We will look forward to documenting a Stove Hall of Shame in the future.

Regards,

Todd Albi, SilverFire General Manager

On Wed, Nov 8, 2017 at 7:34 PM, Todd Albi <todd.r.albi at gmail.com<mailto:todd.r.albi at gmail.com>> wrote:
SilverFire shipped our first pallet of donated Hunter TLUD Chimney stoves to Puerto Rico Today!  After contacting numerous agencies and organizations with no response or apparent interest, we have forged ahead with our own Go Fund Me campaign.  We have given up on organizations like GACC that claim they are involved in ICS stove implementation.  Our most recent International trip to Myanmar where GACC claimed active participation not actually true, no GACC representative attended any of the stove demonstrations or training.  They appeared only at the political ceremonies, with micro fiance organizations in tow, attempting to influence policy.

We ran into the same issue sending humanitarian container to Marshall Islands,  claiming to be active with ICS stove implementation, it does not appear to be true.  Any transportation assistance from GACC our organization has requested to folks in need, much less assistance with stove funding has been rejected.

The same is true with stove testing, while many organizations have had stoves tested at no cost, other organizations have been blocked from testing altogether.  Jim Jetter at EPA claims requirements for RPF via GACC for stove testing multiple times with our organization, GACC claims otherwise.  Stove testing process by EPA, flawed Aprovecho WBT protocols, with unreliable Aprovecho emissions equipment, leaves our organization with the impression much of the clean cook stove sector is significantly flawed and actually corrupt.

[cid:image003.jpg at 01D36CCF.6D8DDC80]

https://www.gofundme.com/ship-stoves-to-puerto-rico-ucedd<https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fme.com%2Fship-stoves-to-puerto-rico-ucedd&data=02%7C01%7Ccrispinpigott%40outlook.com%7Ca1a3e1856c434df4501308d53a712bfa%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636479180145166468&sdata=nMQqI%2BRbWM4Imxenh0bca43QdZQ%2FUsC6A9FpDlXswvU%3D&reserved=0>

If the funding stoves to Puerto Rico is of interest, please consider this campaign. Today's 1st shipment funded entirely by SilverFire.

Regards,

Todd Albi, General Manager SilverFire

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