Study on the Adoption of Electric Pressure Cookers in Uganda

Last registered on April 02, 2024
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Study on the Adoption of Electric Pressure Cookers in Uganda
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0013184
Initial registration date
March 29, 2024

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
April 02, 2024, 11:19 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country
Uganda
Region
Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Mpigi, Buikwe, Luweero

Primary Investigator

Name
Erin Litzow
Affiliation
University of British Columbia
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Elliot Avila
PI Affiliation
Access to Energy Institute (A2EI)
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Agnes Naluwagga
PI Affiliation
Centre for Research in Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC)
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Jimmy Agaba
PI Affiliation
Centre for Research in Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC)
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2024-02-13
End date
2025-06-30
Keywords
Environment & Energy
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
Ninety-eight percent of households in Uganda rely on biomass and charcoal fuels for cooking. This heavy reliance on biomass fuels has negative effects on public health, women’s empowerment, and local and global environments. In response, the government of Uganda has made increasing access to electric cooking a national priority and targets 50% adoption by 2025. This study seeks to evaluate strategies to promote the use of electric cooking appliances. Specifically we aim to understand the usage of a highly efficient electric cooking appliance, the electric pressure cooker (EPC), in Ugandan households. Using a randomized experiment, we study how household energy use and cooking decisions are affected by changes in electricity prices and cooking energy use information.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Agaba, Jimmy et al. 2024. "Study on the Adoption of Electric Pressure Cookers in Uganda." AEA RCT Registry. April 02. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.13184-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
This study involves two interventions. In the first, the rebate intervention, households receive a monthly cash transfer, via mobile money, calculated to simulate a lower average electricity tariff and based on each household’s total electricity consumption in the preceding month. In the second, the information intervention, households receive a text message informing them of the amount of electricity they consumed when using the electric pressure cooker (EPC) in the preceding month.
Intervention Start Date
2024-04-01
Intervention End Date
2025-03-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
EPC cooking events per day, week, and month; electricity consumed by EPC (kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month); time spent using EPC (minutes per month); total household electricity consumption (kWh per month)
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
EPC purchasing households will be enrolled into the study at the time of purchase by the appliance distribution partner. At baseline enumerators will visit participant households to administer a short survey and install a smart meter to monitor EPC use. Households will be divided into four groups: 1 control and 3 treatment. The treatment groups will receive a rebate and/or information intervention, with one group receiving only the rebate treatment, one receiving only information, and one receiving both. In the rebate treatment, households receive a monthly cash transfer, via mobile money, calculated to simulate a lower average electricity tariff and based on each household’s total electricity consumption in the preceding month. In the information treatment, households receive a text message informing them of the amount of electricity they consumed when using the EPC in the preceding month.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization done during the baseline visit by a computer
Randomization Unit
Household
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
500 households
Sample size: planned number of observations
500 households
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
125 households control, 125 rebate treatment only, 125 information treatment only, 125 rebate and information treatment
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Makerere University School of Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee (MAKSS REC)
IRB Approval Date
2023-05-04
IRB Approval Number
MAKSSREC 02.2023.661
Analysis Plan