Programs
Briquettes (biomass charcoal) making training
Program based in Kabete.
Problem Statement
Kenyan population increases with at a rate of ten million every decade, with the
constitution of Kenya, 2010, devolution is now the trend and most of the population is in
counties headquarters across the country. As population increases, the cost of energy
continues to increase and this affects households and has a negative effect on GDP. The
project attempts to address capacity building of the household in counties on use of
alternative source of renewable energy.
Kenya is on the third medium term plan on implementation of vision 2030 blue print and
the national target is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030. In 2010, Kenya
had 3.18Mha of natural forest, extending over 5.7% of its land area. In 2020, it lost 17.2kha
of natural forest, equivalent to 7.68Mt of COâ‚‚e of emissions, (globalforestwatch). From 2002
to 2020, Kenya lost 49.4kha of humid primary forest, making up 14% of its total tree cover
loss in the same time period. Total area of humid primary forest in Kenya decreased by 7.6%
in this time period.
As the population continues to rise in the Country, demand for fuel (for cooking and
heating) subsequently increases. At the same time the cost of fuel used by rural households
such as kerosene, charcoal and firewood has continued to increase over the years. The
Kenya Government ban on cutting trees, a measure to mitigate on deforestation has left
especially the rural communities at a loss for supply of affordable fuel. Besides the
households, other high consumers of charcoal and firewood include, schools, hotels for
cooking and other industries for heating. Considering such high demand for fuel, biomass
briquettes offers an opportunity for renewable energy source while conserving
environment. Briquette is a solid fuel used in the same way but different to the ordinary
charcoal and firewood. Briquettes are mostly made from organic waste; agricultural waste
as leaves, vegetables, that is kales (Sukuma wiki), maize cobs, rice husks among others.
Livestock waste includes chicken droppings, cow, and goat dung. Against this backdrop,
HERI Foundation trains the community how to make briquettes using the organic materials
locally and economically available in the respective areas.
Heri Foundation has identified the above specific challenges facing Kenya the project will
address to mitigate the challenges through:
1. Educate the households on need of reduction of deforestation of Kenyan
endangered forest coverage
2. Enlighten communities of alternative energy as an environmental conservation
measure
3. Capacity build groups on Waste management strategies using organic waste readily
available
4. Contribute towards Economic empowerment of youth groups and communities
across the counties
5. Contribute towards job Creation for youth in the selected counties
6. Promoting waste management recycling strategies in towns across the selected
counties
Raw Materials available for Making Briquettes
From 2018 the Government of Kenya has maintained a ban on tree cutting in the country
for environmental conservation and to mitigate on deforestation. As a result, there has
been shortage of firewood and charcoal in especially the rural communities that use
charcoal and firewood for cooking. The lower income communities in urban areas rely on
charcoal for fuel. Briquettes are alternative source of renewable energy. Indeed, there is no
need to cut trees because our country is agricultural and well-endowed with natural
vegetation and organic material that can be used to make briquettes. Such organic material
includes left over food thrown as garbage, livestock droppings, rice husks and sugar cane
bagasse among others. Using garbage to make briquettes is a cheap way of waste
management that helps to keep the environment clean to avoid air pollution. Unlike
ordinary charcoal, briquettes do not emit carbon monoxide while burning therefore users
do not suffer headaches and other health problems related to use of charcoal or even
kerosene. Briquettes last much longer than ordinary charcoal, thus economically viable.
The other important aspect is the charcoal burners and sellers. If we are to win the ‘war’ on
deforestation in our Country, it is important for this category of business people to be
trained in order to embrace briquettes as alternative fuel. We have been able to identify the
following type of materials that can be recycled for the use of production of alternative
energy across different parts on Kenya. This is very cost effective for the Kenyan household
and will result in reduction of energy costs and promotion of other economic and hygiene
benefits to the identified beneficiaries.
Raw Materials available for Making Briquettes
From 2018 the Government of Kenya has maintained a ban on tree cutting in the country
for environmental conservation and to mitigate on deforestation. As a result, there has
been shortage of firewood and charcoal in especially the rural communities that use
charcoal and firewood for cooking. The lower income communities in urban areas rely on
charcoal for fuel. Briquettes are alternative source of renewable energy. Indeed, there is no
need to cut trees because our country is agricultural and well-endowed with natural
vegetation and organic material that can be used to make briquettes. Such organic material
includes left over food thrown as garbage, livestock droppings, rice husks and sugar cane
bagasse among others. Using garbage to make briquettes is a cheap way of waste
management that helps to keep the environment clean to avoid air pollution. Unlike
ordinary charcoal, briquettes do not emit carbon monoxide while burning therefore users
do not suffer headaches and other health problems related to use of charcoal or even
kerosene. Briquettes last much longer than ordinary charcoal, thus economically viable.
The other important aspect is the charcoal burners and sellers. If we are to win the ‘war’ on
deforestation in our Country, it is important for this category of business people to be
trained in order to embrace briquettes as alternative fuel. We have been able to identify the
following type of materials that can be recycled for the use of production of alternative
energy across different parts on Kenya. This is very cost effective for the Kenyan household
and will result in reduction of energy costs and promotion of other economic and hygiene
benefits to the identified beneficiaries.
Available Affordable Raw Material
Rice Husks
Coconut waste
Cow dung
Sugarcane bagasse
Coffee husks
Avocado waste
Goat dung
Poultry droppings
Domestic organic waste
Estate organic waste
Market organic waste
Saw dust (Timber yards)
Forest waste
Environmental waste (Leaves, dry grass)
Paper.
Location
Mwea, Ahero
Coastal region
Narok, Kajiado
Western Kenya, Nyanza
Central and kericho
Muranga, kisii, central, region
ASAL areas
Across Kenya
Across Kenya
Across Kenya
Across Kenya
Across Kenya
Across Kenya
Across Kenya
Institution
Proposed project specific initiatives
The project is suggesting implementation of the following initiatives that will contribute to
household energy challenges already affected households across the selected counties in
Kenya.
1. Usage of organic waste (livestock and agricultural waste) available to make
briquettes
2. Sensitizing community of production and sale of briquettes for improved economic
livelihoods
3. Promotion of hygiene (ordinary charcoal has carbon monoxide which is lethal) by use
of briquettes as renewable source of energy.
4. Sensitizing community on dangers and damage of ordinary charcoal to human health
and environment.
5. Promotion of forest coverage in the community though afforestation
6. Waste management strategy though usage of waste rather damping in markets,
slaughter houses among communities
7. Sensitization of the farmers on making affordable organic fertilizer for farm use
8. Promoting entrepreneurship among the youth
Project specific approaches
The project suggests the use of the following specific approach to address the challenges
identified on alternative source of energy. The project will:
1. Reach out to existing community organized groups (e.g. boda boda, youth groups,
women groups or individuals).
2. Target primary schools pupils on education of behavior changes on organic waste
management and use of briquette as alternative renewable energy.
3. Mobilization of groups through churches, local administration for the capacity
building training.
4. Briquette training awareness through designing posters and flyers with specific
information
5. Briquette training awareness through use of social media to sensitive and promote
the events
6. Development of training manuals and policies for briquette capacity building
trainings
7. Participation of media (Radio, TV) talks or programs on briquette as an alternative
source of energy for community economic empowerment.
8. Marketing training though online learning using website via briquette tutorials
Partnership with schools, environment clubs, government institution like KEFRI and waste
management Authority NEMA
Projected project specific results and transformative outcomes
Capacity building on briquette as alternative source of energy project intends to contribute
on the following result and transformative outcomes in the counties where the project will
be implemented in the short and long term.
1. Behavioral change of community groups on source of alternative renewable energy
2. Percentage reduction of carbon foot prints in the environment within the
community.
3. Percentage reduction of greenhouse emissions in the environment
4. Percentage reduction of deforestation rate in the communities across the selected
counties in Kenya
5. Percentage contribution on Kenyan government agenda on achieving 10% forest
cover in selected counties in Kenya
6. Percentage reduction of respiratory diseases (bronchitis, asthma) of the household
population that will implemented the project across the selected Counties in Kenya
7. Percentage increase on improvement of environmental sanitation in towns and
villages in selected Counties in Kenya
8. Percentage reduction of air pollution on selected counties the project will be
implemented in Kenya.
9. Contribute on Economic empowerment of the youths and community members in
selected counties in Kenya
10. Enhance entrepreneurial skills of the youths and community members implementing
the project across Kenya
Briquette Alternative energy project sustainability
The design of the project is built on ‘Build, Operate and transfer model’. This is where HERI
foundation will design the project, source for the funds from well-wishers, build the training
module, undertake the training to the communities in the counties. When the groups will be
trained, they will also be shown how to empower themselves economically through the sale
of briquettes, strategies for sourcing of the market. This is the sustainability mechanism
built in the project. The project will also empower the groups on entrepreneurship
strategies, ways to establish contact points, growing of self-help group numbers (Sacco
model, establishment of new markets, and collaboration with key partners in the renewable
energy ecosystem).