Prospects for coal briquettes as a substitute fuel for wood and charcoal in US Agency for International Development Assisted countries

Technical Report · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5913128· OSTI ID:5913128

Perlack, R. D.; Stevenson, G. G.; Shelton, R. B.

Fuelwood shortages and potential shortages are widespread throughout the developing world, and are becoming increasingly more prevalent because of the clearing of land for subsistence and plantation agriculture, excessive and inefficient commercial timber harvesting for domestic and export construction, and charcoal production to meet rising urban demands. Further, the environmental and socioeconomic consequences of the resulting deforestation are both pervasive and complex. This report focuses on the substitution of coal briquettes for fuelwood. Although substantial adverse health effects could be expected from burning non-anthracite coal or coal briquettes, a well-developed technique, carbonization, exists to convert coal to a safer form for combustion. The costs associated with briquetting and carbonizing coal indicate that ''smokeless'' coal briquettes can be produced at costs competitive with fuelwood and charcoal. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is working on implementing this energy option in Haiti and Pakistan by (1) evaluating resources, (2) assessing markets, (3) analyzing technologies, (4) studying government policy and planning, and (5) packaging the idea for the private sector to implement. 26 refs., 2 figs., 12 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5913128
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-9770; ON: DE86007879
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
014000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Combustion
ADSORBENTS
AFRICA
ASIA
BOTSWANA
BRIQUETS
BRIQUETTING
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARBONIZATION
CHARCOAL
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
COAL RESERVES
DECOMPOSITION
DEFORESTATION
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SUPPLIES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FABRICATION
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
FUEL SUPPLIES
FUELS
GREATER ANTILLES
HAITI
HISPANIOLA
INDIA
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
ISLANDS
LATIN AMERICA
MATERIALS
MOLDING
MOROCCO
NIGER
PAKISTAN
PERU
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
RESERVES
RESOURCES
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
SOLID FUELS
SOUTH AMERICA
TANZANIA
WEST INDIES
WOOD FUELS
ZAMBIA
ZIMBABWE