“Green” fuel turns yellow?

Posted on | May 13, 2009 | No Comments

Researchers at Nottingham University have developed a simple idea that could turn ”green” fuel yellow. By using banana skins, they create briquettes that can be used for cooking, lighting and heating, thus turning banana waste into a sustainable fuel source.

The idea could prove useful for many developing countries, especially as an alternative to the burden of gathering firewood, which is the main energy source in many parts of Africa. That would in turn help reduce deforestation. Add to this that bananas are an important crop in large parts of the world, and that for every one tonne of bananas there are an estimated ten tonnes of waste (skins, leaves, stems, etc). If that waste could be used as a cheap and sustainable fuel source, it could potentially have great benefits. In Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi, some of the continent’s biggest banana- producing countries, more than 80% of the energy needs are currently met from burning wood. Not only is gathering wood for fuel damaging for the environment but it is also a very time consuming job, often performed by women.

PhD student Joel Chaney came up with the low-tech idea on a trip to Rwanda. “The banana skins bind other materials together really well, they act like glue”, says Chaney. After pressing, the briquettes dry in the sun and within about two weeks they can be used as fuel. They can be made by hand, without any need for large financial contributions, and the focus of the project has been on making simple and accessible solutions. The researchers are now giving the idea away for free to anyone who would like to use it and they encourage people to get in touch if they find the concept interesting.

Source: BBC.

Written by Fanny Johansson

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