Alternative Fuel
Efficient Stoves
Arlum, Frank, Kathryn
The facts Only 14% of Kenya has access to grid electricity.
The facts Most families use kerosene lamps or candles for light, batteries for electronics, and biomass fuel for cooking and heating.
The facts Exposure to smoke causes chronic eye and lung diseases, killing approximately 1.6 million people a year.
The facts As Kenya’s population rapidly increases, their demand for energy grows as well.
The facts As Kenya’s population rapidly increases, their demand for energy grows as well.
The facts Many years of harvesting wood for fuel has devastated the environment in Kenya.
The facts Many years of harvesting wood for fuel has devastated the environment in Kenya.
The facts As trees become more scarce, the prices of wood and charcoal increase.
The facts As trees become more scarce, the prices of wood and charcoal increase.
The facts The illegal charcoal trade in Kenya provides many poor families with a steady source of income, exacerbating deforestation.
But there’s hope!
Meet Josphat! This is Josphat, the founder of the Ndabibi Environmental Conservation Centre in Kenya. He educates the community about organic agriculture, water conservation and collection, alternative fuels, and various other sustainable practices.
Alternative Fuels Employed by Josphat
generating biogas from cow manure
paper briquettes
cooking with biogas
Solar Power cooker
Charcoal from wood expensive exacerbates deforestation burns for a long time burns clean
Paper Briquettes inexpensive makes use of waste material doesn’t last as long as charcoal much more smokey than charcoal
Biochar Briquettes inexpensive makes use of waste material burns longer than lump charcoal burns clean
We are interested in Biochar Briquettes.
Biochar: The Basics
“A Key factor in efficient use of energy is the type of cooking stove�
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Renewable energy for a sustainable future by GVEP International
Traditional Jinkos
A three stone fireplace is most commonly used in East Africa to cook
Single Barrel Holey Roket Stove
“It can be built with a low level of fabrication skills and it can be fired with almost any kind of agricultural wastes. It burns very efficient and clean.�
Objectives to produce fuel made from agricultural wastes rather than trees
Objectives to produce fuel made from agricultural wastes rather than trees to stimulate local economy by introducing biowaste briquettes to locals
Objectives to produce fuel made from agricultural wastes rather than trees to stimulate local economy by introducing biowaste briquettes to locals to introduce a basic design of a stove that is efficient, produces as little smoke as possible, and is made out of easily accessible materials
Objectives to produce fuel made from agricultural wastes rather than trees to stimulate local economy by introducing biowaste briquettes to locals to introduce a basic design of a stove that is efficient, produces as little smoke as possible, and is made out of easily accessible materials and able to be further developed by users
Making Our First Briquettes
1
1. Collect biowaste such as corn husks, pine cones, etc
Making Our First Briquettes
2
2. Raise kiln off of the ground with sticks or stones so that air can flow through the kiln allowing the fire to burn more evenly. Also create a wic with grasses on the bottom of the kiln
Making Our First Briquettes
3
3. Before filling the kiln, place a large stick in the middle and pack the contents around it
Making Our First Briquettes
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4. This creates a hole which will allow the fire to burn more evenly
Making Our First Briquettes
5
5. Light the wic from the bottom of the kiln
Making Our First Briquettes
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6. Allow a healthy flame to burn for 10-15 minutes
Making Our First Briquettes
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7. Lower the kiln from the sticks to the ground and place the lid on the top in order to create an anaerobic environment
Making Our First Briquettes
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8. Thouroghly charred biowaste
Making Our First Briquettes
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9. Crush the biowaste into a relatively fine powder and mix with a binding material
Making Our First Briquettes
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10. Use a simple hand press to create dense briquettes
Making Our First Briquettes
11
11. Allow the Briquettes to dry in a sunny area
Instructions for Making Biochar 1.
lower kiln from sticks
8.
7.
allow a healthy flame to burn for ten to tweny minutes
5.
4.
pack biowaste in between materials that are easily combustible, such as sawdust, dry leaves or sticks
put a stick in the center of the kiln, this will create a chimney
Rasie kiln off of ground with sticks
6.
3.
2.
light kiln from the bottom
9.
collect charred biowaste from kiln
allow a healthy flame to burn for ten to tweny minutes
10.
crush material and add a binding agent
use a briquette press to form briquettes
We dropped off our briquettes with Nicolas Esposito of Emerald Street Urban Farm and asked him what he thought... 1. How do our biowaste briquettes compare to the fuel you are currently using? “They took a little while to get going, and needed some kindling to get going. But once they got going, they burnt really clean and were efficient. Plus, charcoal gives off harmful fumes to your nose and food, and they cost money. This is a way better alternative even if the combustion isn’t as powerful as it could be.”
2. How long did they last? “They lasted for about 30 minutes. After that we needed to add more fuel to keep the fire going. But they got really hot and heated up our fire in a really good way.�
3. Did they produce a lot of smoke? No, the smoke was minimal and it didn’t smell bad either, which is a huge plus over charcoal, especially when cooking meat over the open flame.
Objectives
✓to produce fuel made from agricultural wastes
rather than trees to stimulate local economy by introducing biowaste briquettes to locals to introduce a basic design of a stove that is efficient, produces as little smoke as possible, and is made out of easily accessible materials and able to be further developed by users
Biomass Briquettes: a small industry with high potential Josphat Josph at
Capital Capital Briquettes Briquet tes Corn Husks Corn Husks
Education Education Organic Organic W Wastes astes
Neighbours Neighbours
Biomass Briquettes: a small industry with high potential Ndabibi Nda-
Capital
Capital
Capital Capital
Briquet tes
Briquettes Investments Investments
Education
Education
Nairobi Nairobi
Biomass Briquettes: a small industry with high potential
Branded Briquettes
Objectives
✓to produce fuel made from agricultural wastes rather than trees ✓to stimulate local economy by introducing
biowaste briquettes to locals to introduce a basic design of a stove that is efficient, produces as little smoke as possible, and is made out of easily accessible materials and able to be further developed by users
Holey Rocket Stove model
Holey Rocket Stove model
6 in 4 in
4 in
5 in
11.5 in
4 in
TOP
FRONT SIDE
11 in
Issues with Heating
The height of the stove makes it difficult for heat to reach the top
Second Model
11.5 in 10 in
3 in
4 in 6.5 in
SIDE FRONT
14.5 in
Our Improvements
we made height lower, sculpted a 45 degree angle to provide more windflow and shaped the top of the stove like a funnel
Our Improvements
Objectives
✓to produce fuel made from agricultural wastes rather than trees ✓to stimulate local economy by introducing
biowaste briquettes to locals to introduce a basic design of a stove that is efficient, produces as little smoke as possible, and is made out of easily accessible materials and able to be further developed by users
✓ ✓
Thank you!