Transforming waste into eco-friendly charcoal. The garbage in our cities could become assets .
By TAYAH Lawrence Kimbi Konfor
Green charcoal is also referred to as bio-charcoal, or ecological charcoal. It is a solid fuel produced from biodegradable residues rich in carbon. Depending on the geographical area and the economic activities there, green fuels can be produced from various biodegradable or organic residues (agricultural, industrial like saw mill residues, household, etc )
The products are in the form of briquettes or ball/block-like shapes ; similar to the size of the traditional charcoal. The difference is that green charcoal is fuel efficient and doesn’t release the smoke and carbon dioxide convectional charcoal would emit.
According to the United Nations Développement Programme in Cameroon, wood account for 82.38 % while charcoal is 30.6 % of household energy consumption.
The UN agency funded a program in drought threatened Far North region of Cameroon in 2023 which involved the equipping of women’s Associations of the city of Maroua, they had previously trained, with ecological charcoal production units. These women and the entire community benefit in many ways as the briquettes are paired with complementary local technologies like fuel efficient stoves.
The benefits and advantages of green charcoal over the traditional one is in terms of cost effective food preparation with reduced fuel consumption, reduced risk of respiratory diseases, reduced loss of habitat and biodiversity .
In Cameron like in many East African countries, many people, including enterprises and Common Initiative Groups have been into green charcoal of recent, creating employment for many.
33 years young Certified Engineer and Researcher on Renewable Energy and Environment, Djeutchou Steve is a typical example. Through the STEMA industry he created, he has not only been engaged in the production of environmental sound charcoal, but also train people in Renewable Energy .
Steve uses biomass from markets and household to produce bio-charcoal and Bio-gas and employs many unemployed youths.
Considered as one of the innovative local solutions in Cameroon and other Southern countries, sustainable production and use of charcoal has been eco-friendly with reduced deforestation, reduced carbon emissions and by so doing contributes to the fight against climate change .
The manufacturing, selling and promotion of green charcoal as alternative energy for everyday use meets the energy needs of low-income countries, creates jobs through a value chain, and has positive environmental impact. So African governments, NGOs and private entrepreneurs need to intensify it’s efforts to promote and train people on the production and use of the eco-friendly charcoal .The fight against poverty and climate change involves such innovative approaches.
