...THE USE OF BIOMASS WASTES TO FABRICATE CHARCOAL SUBSTITUTES IN KENYA Feasibility Study forming part of the Shell Foundation-supported project on charcoal briquetting in Kenya March 2004 Chardust Ltd. P.O. Box 24371 Nairobi and Spectrum Technical Services P.O. Box 69993 Nairobi Executive Summary This study was designed by Chardust Ltd. and implemented jointly by Chardust and Spectrum Technical Services, a Nairobi-consulting firm. The aim was to determine the viability of producing briquetted charcoal fuel from biomass wastes in Kenya. The study was funded by the Shell Foundation and conducted over a two month period in late 2003. The viability of producing fuel commercially from biomass wastes was assessed from four perspectives: (a) Availability: Existence and accessibility of biomass in bulk, preferably with no competing uses. The study began with a list of 28 potential wastes, which was narrowed down to 20 and then to just ten, according to a ranking system based upon basic availability and accessibility. (b) Conversion Potential: Physical suitability for drying, carbonisation and briquetting. Samples of the ten short-listed wastes were sourced and delivered to Chardust in Nairobi, where production trials were carried out. Based on these trials, a ranking system was devised for comparing the wastes in terms of their suitability for fuel production. (c) Fuel Quality: Energy value and general performance of fabricated fuel. The third part of the study comprised...
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...Environmental Studies For Undergraduate Courses Erach Bharucha Textbook for Environmental Studies For Undergraduate Courses of all Branches of Higher Education Erach Bharucha for University Grants Commission Natural Resources i Preliminary Pages.p65 1 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM Credits Principal author and editor – Erach Bharucha Unit 1 – Erach Bharucha Unit 2 – Erach Bharucha, Behafrid Patel Unit 3 – Erach Bharucha Unit 4 – Erach Bharucha Unit 5 – Shamita Kumar Unit 6 – Erach Bharucha, Shalini Nair, Behafrid Patel Unit 7 – Erach Bharucha, Shalini Nair, Behafrid Patel Unit 8 – Erach Bharucha, Shambhvi Joshi Case Studies – Prasanna Kolte Co-ordination and compilation – Behafrid Patel Textbook Design – Narendra Kulkarni (Mudra), Sushma Durve Manuscript review and editing – Chinmaya Dunster, Behafrid Patel Artists – Sushma Durve and Anagha Deshpande CD ROM – Jaya Rai and Prasanna Kolte © Copyright Text – Erach Bharucha/ UGC, 2004. Photographs – Erach Bharucha Drawings – Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and Research All rights reserved. Distributed by University Grants Commission, New Delhi. 2004. ii Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Preliminary Pages.p65 2 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM Vision The importance of Environmental Studies cannot be disputed. The need for sustainable development is a key to the future of mankind. The degradation of our environment is linked to continuing problems of pollution, loss...
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