Summary: Agricultural Residue Briquetting Pilot Projects in Ethiopia
Project Background
This report details a joint UNDP/World Bank Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) initiative to address Ethiopia's growing fuelwood crisis through pilot projects that convert agricultural residues into densified briquettes for domestic and industrial fuel use.
Key Problem: Ethiopia faces severe deforestation due to fuelwood scarcity, with traditional fuels accounting for over 90% of national energy consumption. By 1992, the fuelwood deficit was projected to reach 22 million tonnes annually.
Available Agricultural Residues
Ethiopia produces significant quantities of agricultural residues that could serve as fuel substitutes:
| Residue Type | Annual Production (tonnes) | Fuelwood Equivalent (tonnes) | TOE Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee residues | 220,000 | 283,500 | 94,900 |
| Cotton stalks | 116,000 | 109,600 | 45,600 |
| Wheat straw | 79,800 (State Farms) | 80,100 | 33,600 |
| Maize residues | 165,600 (State Farms) | 167,800 | 69,900 |
Proposed Pilot Projects
1. Coffee Residue Briquetting
- Dilla Plant: 5,000 tonne/year coffee husk briquetting (with 1,000 tonne coffee pulp supplement)
- Addis Ababa Plant: 2,500-5,000 tonne/year coffee parchment briquetting
- Delivered cost to Addis: $36-98/tonne ($1.86-4.81/GJ)
2. Cotton Stalk Briquetting
- Middle Awash Enterprise site
- 5,000 tonne/year capacity
- Delivered cost to Addis: $114/tonne ($6.40/GJ)
3. Wheat Straw Briquetting
- Dinis State Farm site
- 5,000 tonne/year capacity
- Delivered cost to Addis: $115/tonne ($6.35/GJ)
4. Maize Residue Briquetting
- Anger State Farm site
- 5,000 tonne/year capacity
- Delivered cost to Addis: $140/tonne ($7.52/GJ)
Economic Comparison
| Fuel Type | Delivered Cost ($/tonne) | Useful Energy Cost ($/GJ) |
|---|---|---|
| Fuelwood | 83.25 | 18.60 |
| Charcoal | 434.97 | 50.00 |
| Coffee parchment briquettes | 36.02 | 6.46 |
| Coffee husk briquettes | 71.70 | 14.93 |
| Cotton stalk briquettes | 113.94 | 25.40 |
Implementation Recommendations
- Proceed with pilot plants in order of priority: coffee parchments (Addis), coffee husks (Dilla), cotton stalks (Middle Awash), wheat straw (Dinis), maize residues (Anger)
- Secure industrial purchase agreements to guarantee demand
- Implement domestic sector introduction program with feedback mechanism
- Establish monitoring and evaluation system for pilot plants
Total Investment Requirements
The project requires a total investment of US$6,321,350, with $5,014,710 in foreign exchange and $1,506,840 in local costs.
Conclusion: Agricultural residue briquettes represent a viable economic alternative to increasingly scarce fuelwood, with potential to alleviate deforestation pressures while creating new economic activity.