Combating Deforestation and Energy Poverty: Biomass Briquettes as Alternative Cooking Fuel for Nigerian Rural Communities

Aminu Safana Aliyu, Sabiu Abdullahi Sa’id, Abba Alhaji Bala, Lawan Haruna

Abstract

Nigeria faces dual challenges of rapid deforestation and widespread energy poverty, particularly in rural communities where over 70% of households rely on traditional biomass for cooking. This study investigates the potential of biomass briquettes produced from agricultural and livestock waste cow dung, rice husk, palm kernel shell (PKS), empty fruit bunches (EFB), and date seed as sustainable alternatives to fuelwood. Five briquette samples were produced using a hydraulic press with cassava starch as binder (10% w/w) and characterized for their physical and thermal properties. The PKS briquettes exhibited the highest calorific value (19.45 MJ/kg), followed by date seed (18.32 MJ/kg), EFB (17.28 MJ/kg), rice husk (15.67 MJ/kg), and cow dung (14.23 MJ/kg). Moisture content ranged from 6.2 wt% to 8.9 wt%, while bulk density varied between 520 kg/m³ and 780 kg/m³. All briquette samples demonstrated suitable combustion characteristics, with burning times ranging from 45 to 68 minutes per kilogram. The proximate analysis revealed that PKS and date seed briquettes had the lowest ash content (3.2 wt% and 4.1 wt%, respectively), making them particularly attractive for domestic cooking applications.

Keywords

Biomass briquettes, deforestation, energy poverty, agricultural waste, sustainable cooking fuel, Nigeria

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.47238/ijeca.v11i1.302

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