Tue, 12 November, 2019
New business stream manager, Alec Gunner and principal project leader of TWI’s Joining Technology Services team, Steven Baines, flew out to Mozambique in support of the ongoing ‘Africhar’ project.
The project, which began three months ago, looks set to have a real social impact in the country as it seeks to bring a portable, clean and reusable energy source to the region.
The project uses a retort vessel to create charcoal that, at the same time, also produces methane gas as a by-product. This gas can be collected and used for cooking, heating/drying and electricity generation. The gas produced is enough to run a 15 kilowatt generator, providing potentially life-changing benefits for local communities.
In addition to the gas which is produced, the charcoal production process generates heat which can be used to pasteurise water for drinking, as well as for crop drying.
The charcoal is a non-perishable, saleable product, which can be used for cooking and soil improvement and can be produced from dry biomass waste from crops or from managed woodland, adding value which increases the likelihood of forest retention.
TWI’s partner in Mozambique is currently seeking test sites for the next stage of this project. The approach provides genuine social benefits through the supply of sustainable high quality charcoal and gas, which Mozambicans use as their primary cooking heat sources.
TWI is working with the Department for International Development and a number of SMEs in the UK and South Africa to make this project a reality to turn waste biomass into a useable and valuable resource.
