Promoting renewable energy technologies for environmental sustainability and community development
About Sustainable & Clean Energy
Sustainable and clean energy solutions are essential for addressing climate change, reducing environmental degradation, and improving livelihoods in rural communities. At the Appropriate Technology Centre, we focus on promoting accessible, affordable, and environmentally friendly energy technologies that empower communities while protecting natural resources.
Our Energy Focus Areas:
Biogas technology for clean cooking and lighting
Biomass briquettes from agricultural waste
Solar energy systems for rural electrification
Improved cookstoves for fuel efficiency
Community-based renewable energy projects
Energy efficiency and conservation training
Our approach combines technology promotion with capacity building, ensuring communities can adopt, maintain, and benefit from sustainable energy solutions. We work to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and traditional biomass, improve indoor air quality, and create economic opportunities through clean energy enterprises.
Bio Gas Technology Promotion in Communities
Biogas technology converts organic waste into clean cooking fuel and organic fertilizer through anaerobic digestion. This sustainable energy solution addresses multiple challenges: waste management, clean energy access, and soil fertility improvement.
Traditional Cooking
Relies on firewood and charcoal
Causes indoor air pollution
Leads to deforestation
Time-consuming fuel collection
High fuel costs
Health risks (respiratory diseases)
Biogas Cooking
Uses organic waste as feedstock
Clean, smoke-free combustion
Reduces deforestation pressure
Continuous fuel availability
Low operational costs
Improved family health
How Biogas Technology Works
The biogas production process involves four main stages:
Feedstock Preparation: Mixing animal manure, kitchen waste, or agricultural residues with water
Anaerobic Digestion: Microorganisms break down organic matter in oxygen-free conditions (digester)
Gas Collection: Methane-rich biogas collects in the dome of the digester
Utilization: Biogas is piped to kitchens for cooking or lighting, while digested slurry serves as organic fertilizer
Key Benefits of Biogas Technology
Clean Cooking Fuel
Biogas burns cleanly without smoke, reducing indoor air pollution and associated health risks.
Deforestation Reduction
Reduces pressure on forests by providing alternative to firewood and charcoal.
Organic Fertilizer
Digested slurry is nutrient-rich organic fertilizer that improves soil fertility and crop yields.
Waste Management
Converts organic waste into valuable resources, improving sanitation and reducing pollution.
Cost Savings
Eliminates or reduces expenditure on cooking fuel, chemical fertilizers, and waste disposal.
Women Empowerment
Reduces women's workload in fuel collection and cooking, freeing time for other activities.
Biogas System Specifications
Digester Types
Fixed dome, floating drum, balloon, and plug flow digesters suitable for different contexts
Briquettes technology converts agricultural residues and other biomass waste into dense, energy-efficient fuel briquettes. This innovation addresses energy poverty while promoting waste-to-resource conversion and environmental conservation.
What are Biomass Briquettes?
Biomass briquettes are compressed blocks of organic material that serve as cleaner, more efficient alternative to traditional firewood and charcoal. They are made from various agricultural wastes including:
Rice husks and straw
Coffee husks and pulp
Maize cobs and stalks
Sawdust and wood chips
Groundnut shells
Bagasse (sugar cane waste)
Briquette Production Process
The production involves several key steps:
Collection: Gathering agricultural residues from farms and processing centers
Drying: Reducing moisture content to 10-15% for optimal combustion
Crushing: Grinding materials into fine particles for better compression
Mixing: Combining different materials for optimal fuel properties
Briquetting: Compressing mixture using manual or mechanical presses
Drying: Sun-drying briquettes to reduce moisture and improve stability
Packaging: Proper storage and packaging for market distribution
Advantages of Biomass Briquettes
Waste Utilization
Converts agricultural waste into valuable energy resource, reducing disposal problems.
Higher Efficiency
Burns longer and hotter than traditional firewood, reducing fuel consumption by 30-50%.
Reduced Emissions
Produces less smoke and harmful emissions compared to traditional biomass fuels.
