Some 1.6 billion people lack access to electricity and over 2 billion rely on biomass for their cooking and heating needs. Across the developing world there are encouraging examples of small-scale initiatives developing and transforming bioenergy resources into cleaner and more convenient forms of energy. How can they be scaled up?
A report from Practical Action Consulting, in the UK, explores lessons learned from the latest approaches to community bioenergy use. The research was undertaken for the Food and Agriculture Organization and the UK Deparmtnet for International Development’s Policy Innovation Systems for Clean Energy Security Project.
The 15 studies – from initiatives in 12 countries – examine the use of bioresources – naturally growing plants which are not cultivated; bioresidues from existing agricultural, forestry or industrial activities, and biofuels – purpose-grown energy crops. All the projects emphasise local consumption of the end energy product or service.
The study shows the vital role of bioenergy in fulfilling basic household energy needs and how its availability and low cost makes it vital to poor people. However, unmanaged felling of forests for firewood burned in unimproved stoves, or charcoal produced in unimproved kilns worsens environmental and health problems.
In techniques now under development fuel may go through several forms via solid, liquid and gas for processing or transportation before being converted into useful energy in the form of heat, electricity or mechanical power. Liquid biofuels are becoming increasingly significant as they have clear advantages in terms of flexibility and energy density. However, fluctuating oil prices affect economic feasibility.
The report shows the great potential of oil-bearing plants such as jatropha. In a Malian initiative families are switching from growing cotton to jatropha. They then sell the oil to a private electricity generator. In Thailand co-operative members are learning how to produce, process and market jatropha products. In Guatemala techniques of producing biodiesel, cosmetics and fertilisers are being transferred from a private operator to cooperatives. In India a project has shown how to use jatropha oil in conventional diesel engines.
Other case studies describe how:
In Senegal briquettes are being made from low value charcoal dust and from typha australis, an invasive riverine species.
In Tanzania traditionally only four percent of the sisal plant is used: a company is now converting the residue to biogas, and on to electricity.
In Ethiopia bioethanol-powered stoves could replace kerosene, charcoal and fuelwood.
In the Indian state of Orissa manually-operated machines are turning under-utilised seeds into biodiesel, fertilisers and cattle/poultry feed.
In Vietnam families are using biogas digesters to generate energy from pig and cattle waste, also producing a fertilising slurry which is boosting vegetable cultivation.
Determining the sustainability of such interventions requires mapping techniques to identify the main market actors, providers of crucial supporting services and the kind of policies needed to create an enabling environment. The authors outline recommendations for further work to understand opportunities of small scale bioenergy initiatives at the local level:
develop and share sustainability criteria develop more detailed economic analysis for a selection of cases understand better the incentives and market constraints farmers and other rural people face in adopting improved bioenergy technologies and practices improve understanding of the impact of successful interventions from an equity and gender perspective.
Source(s):“Small-Scale Bioenergy Initiatives: Brief description and preliminary lessons on livelihood impacts from case studies in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Final Report Prepared for Pisces and FAO by Practical Action Consulting, January 2009 (PDF) Full document.
Funded by: Food and Agriculture Organization
id21 Research Highlight: 30 April 2009
Further Information:Steven HuntPractical Action ConsultingSchumacher Centre for Technology and DevelopmentBourton-on-DunsmoreRugby CV23 9QZ, UK
Tel: +44 1926 634403Fax: +44 1926 634405Contact the contributor: steven.hunt@practicalaction.org.uk
Practical Action Consulting, UK
Olivier DuboisClimate Change and Bioenergy UnitFood and Agriculture Organization (FAO)Viale delle Terme di Caracalla00153 Rome, Italy
Fax: +39 06 57053369Contact the contributor: olivier.dubois@fao.org
Food and Agriculture Organization
Policy Innovation Systems for Clean Energy Security (PISCES) ProjectResearch Programme Consortium Lead InstitutionAfrican Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS)Gigiri Court, off United Nations CrescentP.O.Box 45917 - 00100Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 20 7126889/90/94/95Fax: +254 20 2339093Contact the contributor: info@pisces.or.ke
Resource : http://www.id21.org/zinter/id21zinter.exe?a=0&i=r6sh1g1&u=4a47912d
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Harvesting invasive weeds for fuel is a critical part of the solution to multiple problems. As a resource, invasive weeds are terrifyingly renewable. Their dessicating effect is what drives desertification. Only the energy market is insatiable enough to absorb them.
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