CLASP Tools 2023: A Year in Review
CLASP’s tool suite experienced another year of growth and innovation with updates and expansions to existing tools like Mepsy and the CPRC, along with the launch of a new tool, World’s Best MEPS.
As we kick off 2024, we want to take a moment to reflect on the growth and innovation within the CLASP tool suite, which comprises six powerful resources that empower users to make informed, evidence-based decisions. Throughout 2023, our commitment to continuous improvement led to some exciting updates. Let’s look at some of the highlights.
New to the CLASP tool suite
In January 2023, we introduced our latest tool, World’s Best MEPS, which helps users compare current MEPS for six key appliance and equipment types across ten major economies and identify the most stringent standards.
CPRC Policy Updates
We added and updated over 300 policies in the CLASP Policy Research Center’s database last year. Updates spanned countries from Singapore and Vietnam to the UK and Malawi. We also welcomed Togo to the database, which now allows users to explore more than 1,600 policies and minimum performance standards from 130 countries, including for off-grid products.
VeraSol Product Database New Categories
In 2023, we added a new category to share test results for solar egg incubators in our VeraSol Product Database. Users can now view, compare, and download information on tested solar energy kits, appliances, and equipment across eight product categories. There’s more to come: We’re looking forward to adding cold storage units and solar milling machines to the database in 2024.
New Mepsy Products & Features
New Feature: Customizing Survival Function
Enables users to refine the estimation of remaining products in the market each year by offering them the choice between the Weibull and S-curve retirement function, along with the ability to customize the design of the retirement curve.
New Feature: Setting Back-casting Shipment Rate
Instead of using a consistent growth rate across all countries to retrospectively calculate the product stock before 2005, users can now input a customized back-casting rate to receive more accurate estimates of market size before 2005, particularly in emerging economies.
New Feature: User Input of Ownership in Stock Estimation
Users can now choose to enter either shipment or ownership data for the stock calculation, making this feature more accessible.
New Product: Distribution Transformers & Beverage Coolers
The addition of these two products completes the list of the ten highest-consuming appliances available on Mepsy and expands the tool’s usability.
By Country Request: Entry of Additional Product Groups
Policymakers in Indonesia and South Africa reached out with policy needs for additional products. In response, we added eight products for Indonesia, ranging from blenders and chillers to induction cookstoves. Similarly, we introduced three additional products for South Africa: dishwashers, electric cookstoves, and washing machines.
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