Green Charcoal

 

In Brief:

Based in Uganda, our Green Charcoal project aims to develop innovative technologies for transforming renewable crops, particularly candlenut kernel seeds, into green charcoal and oil as an alternative to using wood. Nearly 80% of the rural population in Uganda has no alternative to wood biomass for cooking. This dependency on forest mass is causing significant environmental damage and contributing to the effects of climate change in the region which can be clearly observed in the retreat of the country’s Rwenzori Mountain glaciers. Moreover, the reliance on wood biomass prevents adults from working and children from going to school, as they have to spend large amounts of time to collect it.

Category:

Climate change; climatology; environmental sustainability; disaster mitigation and health.

Current Status:

Science for Humanity is currently providing its seeker, Natures Pathways Ventures, with researchers with an expertise and field experience in renewable energy, including green charcoal. Thus far, the seeker has established a nursery bed for the candle nut seedlings to supply to willing farmers to plant on their lands, and has used locally fabricated machines and kiln to turn candlenut kernel seeks into green briquettes and candlenut oil.

Requirements:

Science for Humanity is currently seeking individuals capable of providing expertise to the Natures Pathways on: (1) nursery maintenance and seedling distribution to farmers; (2) fuel efficient burning stoves that would turn husks into green charcoal; and (3) material processing and identification of appropriate machinery. Science for Humanity is also assisting Natures Pathways with the identification of sources of funding, grants and loans.

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Project Impact:

A solution to this challenge, in particular, will help the people of the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda. The project will be implemented around the Rwenzoris having its centre in Kasese town. Green charcoal production will provide cleaner energy source for cooking, reduce the dependency on the minimal existing wood biomass, create employment for local people, allow children to go to school and women to work as it will reduce the time and energy they spend collecting wood biomass, avert climate change effects on the Rwenzoris and Ugandans and contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations.

Get Involved:

To see more details or to get involved, please join the Green Charcoal Group on our membership area here