Youth Development and Relief Association

Our solution aims to Developing Capacities of youth and women to promote smokeless fuel from Waste Biomass to Reduce Carbon Emission whilst enhancing Better Livelihood through Conservation and Micro-Enterprises Development In Kigoma-Ujiji Municipal in Tanzania. The area is prone to frequent crop failures due to the poor climatic conditions caused by extensive destruction of forests which has subsequently destroyed all the water catchment areas. Also these conditions are made worse due to continuous cutting of trees for either charcoal or firewood. Charcoal and firewood form the biggest source of fuel for cooking in this area. The two sources of fuel are environmental hazards in that they pollute the environment, smoke and gases. There is need for alternative sources of energy to address the above problems. This project seeks to reclaim the tree cover along the relevant water catchment areas and encourage the community use alternative sources of energy. .

The communities living in this part of the Kigoma region, both rural and peri-urban areas, are faced with very few options of economic activities. The area is prone to frequent crop failures due to the poor climatic conditions caused by extensive destruction of forests which has subsequently destroyed all the water catchment areas. In addition the condition is made worse due to continuous cutting of trees for either charcoal or firewood. Charcoal and firewood form the biggest source of fuel for cooking in this area. The two sources of fuel (firewood and charcoal) are environmental hazards in that they pollute the environment through fumes/smoke and gases. There is therefore the need for alternative sources of energy that will be able to address the above problems. This project seeks to reclaim the tree cover along the relevant water catchment areas, neighboring natural forest reserves and encourage the community use alternative sources of energy. The dwindling forest resources and expensive hydropower could not be the better answer for this ever-growing energy demand mainly for cooking and heating purposes. Therefore, technologies related to alternative renewable energy sources have also been introduced and developed for adoption in different geographical regions.

·         It will not compete with fuel wood rather substitute it giving a chance to thrive the growth of forest trees that would greatly contribute to maintain the greenery or better natural environment.

·         It will also give self-employment opportunities to the raw material collectors who are generally poor youth and women of the villages helping them to generate some additional income and contribute to empower them economically (MDG – 3).

·         The persons engaged in production of biomass charcoal briquettes will also get good employment opportunity.

·         The transporters and distributors of biomass charcoal briquettes will also get job opportunities. Moreover, the users in Kigoma town will get more efficient and cleaner form of fuel wood substitute that provides energy for cooking and heating with almost no smoke.

·         It will also substitute the consumption of kerosene and LPG in the villages and towns to some extent during the periods of stress in supply of these energy sources as it oftentimes happen in Kigoma due to various reasons domestic as well as increase in importation price factors. This will also greatly reduce the expenses incurred in treating diseases related to smoke pollution, as briquettes do not produce smoke.

Project Goal The project seeks to reduce carbon emissions resulting from deforestation and burning of wood waste through the use of improved renewable energy technologies that will utilize saw dust, forest/agricultural waste etc as a source of fuel.

Project Primary Objectives: The main objectives are: 1. to build the capacities of youth and women’s groups to produce briquette charcoal from wood waste and farm residues as alternative efficient energy source in homes, institutions and commercial activities in villages and towns 2. to introduce efficient cost effective energy saving stoves technology to institutions, commercial and industrial operators and home of people 3. to rehabilitate degraded areas through agro-forestry landuse practices trees on farms

Project Technology and Strategy The project will adopt Energy Cake Technology that converts bio-mass (including saw dust, agro-wastes and farm residues) into smokeless high temperature (T max> 500°C) energy source for cooking, heating etc. This technology produces fuel at less cost, less cooking time, less drudgery and less infrastructure. The production of these fuels synchronizes the local resources (all types of agricultural wastes / biomass); need of local low cost renewable smokeless fuel and local opportunity of employment with additional income. The project seeks to produce briquettes as fuel, to replaces raw charcoal and firewood. . The briquettes being renewable in nature, the technology in-use can be classified as renewable energy technology. 

The Rapid Cake Technology The technology has four stages of production namely:

Preparation of agro-waste char: The charring unit is a drum (20 liter capacity) with a conical grate with fixed chimney, a telescopic removable chimney, and top cover with water seal arrangement. It can be used for almost all local agro-waste materials, even powdery like pumba (wood wastes). In this unit, depending upon type of material, about 40 – 100 kg can be carbonized to give 30 – 35% yield of charred material over a period of 2 – 3 hours. Mixing of moist char with clay: About 20% clay is mixed with agro-waste char. Clay acts as a binder and energy extender.

Production of cake from the agro-waste char: The mixture having sufficient moisture is put into the mould. The mould has three parts (a) bottom plate with protruding rods, (b) cylinder to fit bottom plate and (c) a perforated plate. The char cakes thus made are then sun dried and subsequently used in locally available ordinary and simple coal pots or burners.

Use of clean char cakes: The char cake thus made out of wastes is easily ignitable. This is gently placed on the grate. Dry leaves etc. are placed below the grate and ignited. In about 3 to 4 minutes the flames from the combusting leaves ignite the bottom end of the cake. After a short while the flame starts coming up through the holes. The heat thus generated can be used according to one's requirement. When the char cake is about to be burnt out, a second one can be placed over the first one in such a manner that the holes in both the cakes match each other. T

he stages in developing the char cakes is shown in the strategy below:The project has two-fold strategy: Live demonstrations of clean fuels by establishing 12 Units with women’s groups in the district. The production centers will give live demonstration of technology. This technology primarily caters to rural population as it is based on local wastes. It is simple in operation and capable of producing quality low cost fuel. Capacity building of the local NGO and communities for production, management and monitoring of units: This will ensure ownership and enable youth and women to be beneficiaries by using the Rapid (Energy) Cakes and be managers of the enterprises. 

The Project aims at fulfilling the following three focal areas: - Contribute to global environmental benefits Mitigation of climate changes: The Briquettes will substitute the use of firewood and Charcoal at household level mainly in the urban areas. In addition, communities will be assisted to adopt energy saving technologies. These efforts will contribute to the reduction of emission of Green house gases. - Contribute to national priorities and strategies by addressing environmental challenges that are of national concern. - Contribute to improving livelihoods of communities in Kigoma which was part listed as one of the poorest regions in the country.

Biomass Charcoal Briquettes Production, Consumption and Marketing

By involving youth and young women on sustainable environment conservation and carbon emission reduction through making alternative fuel from the wastes.

860 to be direct beneficiaries involved

The impact of the project will be measured through developed M&E plan.

Ten people will work on the solution team, as Project Coordinator, Administrator, Accountant, Trainer, 2 Logistic officers, 2 Marketing officers and 2 Field officers.

All project Staff members are experienced in the renewable energy technologies.

Information sharing, Forum discussion and social media using advancing the eqitable participation of all stakeholders and team members.

To become a Solver

These areas will help us to professionalize our work and provide quality services and products to my community.

MIT Initiatives and Solve Members.

Because my proposed solution is addressing  community and humanitarian issues such as environment conservation and ecological development.

I'm an Eco-Developmental Volunteer Agent