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Last edited: 18 May 2021      
Biomass briquettes
Briquette press 2010

Briquette press being demonstrated at Cyprus conference in 2010

Briquettes burning - FoST 2019

Briquettes burning. Photo credit: FoST

Begin by collecting waste from around your home or surrounding area, including paper, cardboard boxes, sawdust, scrap wood, rice husk, fruit wastes, grass, leaves, kitchen wastes, charcoal dust, or agriculture and forest residues. Shred these and soak them. Next, squeeze the pulp in an improvised press to remove the water.

Finish drying the resultant briquettes for two to three days, and they will be ready to burn either in a three-stone fire or an improved combustion stove. The process is energy efficient, manages waste, and provides an inexpensive alternative energy source. Briquette production can also become an income source for those wishing to make the briquettes for resale.

News[]

  • December 2022: Making briquettes - Congolese AfriShiners member Guillain Maliyamungu Nabahya provided a link to a video on local TV broadcast about briquette making. Enjoy the show by clicking on the following link: Briquette manufacturing. AfriShiners member Millicent Anyango from Rongo, Migori County, Kenya, is proceeding the same way with her briquette production.
  • August 2015: The Mount Kenya Energy Project's German organisation Lernen-Helfen-Leben e.V. has focused on the construction of gasifier/pyrolysis stoves during the past three years. These stoves perform very well when pellets or Biomass briquettes made from plant waste are used. MKICDO board members came to the conclusion that making briquettes for sale could be a viable income-generating project for the Kiini workshop. It would also be in line with plans to build gasifier stoves at the new institute and train promotors to market them. Mugo found a young entrepreneur who already had some experiences in setting up such projects. We met and came up with a basic outline for a medium-scale business. The briquettes will be made of sawdust and coffee husks. Sawdust is readily available from carpentry workshops. The husks are a waste product at coffee dry mills and are sold very cheaply. Arrangements were made at a nearby coffee cooperative to be given priority for sales.
Joshua Guinto solar dryer, bio-char diagram, 12-11-14

Diagram showing the role the solar dryer plays in helping produce dried fruits, vegetables, and briquettes for fuel-efficient cookstoves.

Constructions plans[]

Variations[]

Honeycomb biomass briquettes[]

Honeycomb biomass briquette

Beehive briquettes and the briquettes mold (ICIMOD, 2009)

Briquettes make use of compacted agricultural wastes, including fallen dry leaves, for fuel. Beehive briquettes (a honeycomb beehive-shaped biomass briquette) are made using a hand mould. The air channels help the briquette burn more easily.

Resources[]

Reports[]

Audio and video[]

  • May 2018: 
FoST_Lapu_EN-0

FoST Lapu EN-0

FoST demonstrates production of briquettes in Lapu Village in Nepal.

  • October 2013:
  • June 2010:
Small_(Micro)_Biomass_Fuel_Briquette_Presses_made_from_Wood

Small (Micro) Biomass Fuel Briquette Presses made from Wood

Learn to make a small biomass briquette press with Lee Hite.

NGOs using biomass briquettes[]

External links[]