Talk:Charcoal conference agenda

From NTFP

COMMENT ON CHARCOAL AGENDA Tom Miles, Biomass Cooking Stoves Discussion and Website http://www.bioenergylists.org tmiles@trmiles.com Portland, Oregon, USA) December 10, 2006

1. Non timber sources or charcoal

The use of agrcultural and non-timber biomass for charcoal is increasingly important. We see systems which use sugar cane residues lie the Appropriate Rural Technolgy Institue (ARTI) in India being used and promoted in other areas.

2. Specific Needs in Charcoal Producing and Consuming Areas

Identification of specific needs in charcoal producting areas to improve production, yield and quality and use of charcoal would be useful for technology developers.

3. Challenge of capital intensive charcoal systems

Charcoal has traditionally been a "sweat equity" enterprise in which the invidudsals exchange their labor (sweat) for a product (charcoal) they own and can sell. Capital intensive charcoal solutions are ususally offerred which require the producer to run a business they are not prepared for.

4. ARECOP Workshop on Charcoal Production

The upcoming ARECOP (Asian Regional Cookstove Program www.arecop.org ) workshop in Thailand (Feb 19-28) on charcoal technologies is a good example of how the GNTFP partnership could bring practicing experts from differntareas to improve charcoal production.

5. Web presentation of charcoal production and use

This site should develop a series of articles that show improvements in charcoal production. We show some technologies and applications on the Biomass Cooking Stoves website: Fuels->Charcoal http://stoves.bioenergylists.org/en/taxonomy/term/15/1 and on the Gasification website: Carbon http://gasifiers.bioenergylists.org/?q=carbon

Internet connectivity among organizations in Africa is not good so this conference could be an important venue.