Introduction
Biomass energy in Ethiopia meets substantial amount of household energy demand. Charcoal and firewood are commonly used cooking fuels. In urban areas, kerosene is additionally used. To reduce the associated environmental burden and fuel cost, efficient stoves have been developed. On the other hand, biomass wastes such as municipal wastes are less utilized as an energy resource.
Now a days, the cost of these fuels is continually rising making them less affordable for low income families. For women making chips, roasting corn and pan cakes( Bombolino), the fire wood and charcoal cost takes a major portion of the final product cost contributing to the less profitability. The main motivation for this research emanates from these problems.
Briquette technology uses biomass wastes such as waste charcoal, paper, leaves, fruit skins, saw dust and bagasse and so on. Using low pressure pressing machines shown below, these materials are converted into fuel. The fuel is advantageous in many ways; using waste as raw material, it provides cheap fuel source. Since the biomass is compressed, its caloric value per unit volume is increased besides the increased combustion time. Burning briquettes is also more efficient as a result of reduced water content [2]. These wastes are principal components of municipal solid waste. Therefore, the technology creates income generation means besides the contribution to environmental protection.
Figure 1 biomass briquettes [1]
The disadvantages of the technology are its inability to burn in commercial stoves due its shape and inability to use the fuel after the heat is distinguished with water.[2] However, even low cost and efficient stoves can be made and the commercial stoves can also be modified less costly.
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