AEST Agricultural Waste Charcoal Briquettes

Appropriate Energy Saving Technologies Limited

Snapshot
Manufacturing & delivery
Performance & use
Research & standards
Feedback

Product description Brand name and product description

AEST Agricultural waste briquettes: Appropriate Energy Saving Technologies Limited makes and sells charcoal briquettes from various recycled agricultural wastes.

Target region(s) Target region for distribution/implementation (listed by country if specified)

Uganda

Distributors/implementing organizations Organization(s) distributing/deploying this product directly to communities/individuals?"

AEST

Market suggested retail price Price per unit or service price per usage/terms (USD). Subsidies noted.

Unknown.

Competitive landscape Similar products available on the market. May not be a comprehensive listing.

There are various briquettes being sold in Uganda. However, AEST is the only company producing and selling briquettes with the materials they use. ^{Interview with representative}

SDG targeted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targeted with this product/application/service

Reducing illnesses related to smoke inhalation

Target user(s) Target user/consumer base (country, income segment)

Urban and peri-urban households and institutions in the Teso region of Uganda

Manufacturing/building method(s) Detail regarding solution production or construction method (instructions, mass production capacity, custom made,etc...)

Mass produced using a specially constructed motorized extruder using an old meat grinder.

Product Intellectual Property Open source/IP protected (note patent)/trade secret/other?

Not IP Protected, however it is the first briquette of its kind in Uganda. AEST created their own briquette press and they are the only producers using the specific agricultural wastes they use.

User Provision Model Where can the product be purchased/acquired by end users?

Women in Uganda distribute the briquettes. Customers can come to the local shops, or may go straight to the production site to purchase them in Uganda. AEST also takes orders for mass quantities.

Distribution to date Number of units that have been deployed, downloads or users to date

Over 50,000 kg of charcoal. Over 1,000 individual households, 2 orphanages, 15 schools, 40 restaurants, and 10 hotels have been reached

Fields marked are sourced values that have been evaluated by the manufacturer or a third party, all others are design specifications.

Calorific value of 1 briquette (kilocalories)

Unknown

Duration of burn (minutes)

Unknown

Maximum temperature during combustion (°C)

Unknown

Time required for drying (days)

2 - 3

Design specifications Component and Operation overview including power, portability, facility requirements, preventative maintenance and user training requirements

Size:

* Diameter: 5cm, Length: 20cm

* Weight (kg): 0.05 – 0.10

Product schematics Design and assembly illustrations

Technical support Technical support provided by

N/A

Replacement components Availability of replacement components (in-country, by order,...)

N/A

Lifecycle Disposal and warranty

Single use.

Manufacturer specified performance targets Designer / Manufacturer specified targets

Smokeless and sootless40-50% energy conserved

Vetted performance Findings of manufacturer evaluations or independent testing centers

Unknown.

Testing organizations Independent lab, academic research centers, etc.

MIT D-Lab

Safety Potential hazards / risks related to operation of this product

Unknown.

Complementary technical systems Performance of this product is improved with another technology (eg. Cookstoves and Wind-blocking skirts)

AEST also produces and distributes its own clean cooking stove to go with the briquettes it produces to enhance the efficiency and reduce emissions.

Academic research Academic research related to the product (e.g. published papers in peer-reviewed journals)

Purohit, P., Tripathi, A.K., Kandpal, T.C., Energetics of coal substitution by briquettes of agricultural residues. Energy. 2006 Jul;31(8-9):1321-1331.

Wamukonya, L., Jenkins, B., Durability and relaxation of sawdust and wheat-straw briquettes as possible fuels for Kenya. Biomass and Bioenergy. 1995;8(3):175-179.

Stolarski, M.J., et al., Comparison of quality and production cost of briquettes made from agriculural and forest origin biomass. Renewable Energy. 2013 Sep;57:20-26.

Singh, R.N., Bhoi, P.R., Patel, S.R., Modification of commercial briquetting machine to produce 35 mm diameter briquettes suitable for gasification and combustion. Renewable Energy. 2007 Mar;32(3):474-479.

Eriksson, S., Prior, M., The briquetting of agricultural wastes for fuel. FAO Environment and Energy Paper (FAO). 11:141.

Compliance with regulations Product certifications and standards referenced by designer/manufacturer

None.

Evaluation methods Evaluation methods/protocols/guidelines referenced by designer or manufacturer.

MIT D-Lab has conducted various tests on the briquettes, including: moisture content, ash content, indoor air quality measurements, and emissions. AEST also conducted field testing to gain feedback from the community to determine the likelihood of the product being adopted by the communities.

Other information

Unknown.

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