This project will produce briquette machines to be used in rural villages in Morocco. A briquette is a no-waste, clean burning alternative to coal or wood. Biowaste, such as nut shells, fallen leaves, and other organic materials are compressed into briquettes using a wooden press designed by The Legacy Foundation (www.legacyfound.org). These briquettes can be used by the community for cooking, or they can be sold to hotels, restaurants, or factories to generate income.
Many rural villages rely on wood or other unsustainable energy sources for cooking and heating their homes. This contributes to overexploitation of forests and the release of greenhouse gases. Moreover, the task of collecting firewood is typically delegated to young women. According to the World Bank, when the burden of household chores such as fetching water or firewood is alleviated, girls' school attendance goes up by 16%.
Transitioning rural Moroccan villages from dependence on wood burning to use and production of biofuel briquettes 1) relieves overexploitation of local forests and reduces carbon emissions; 2) repurposes agricultural wastes that are normally unused, creating a "no-waste" community; 3) increases children's school attendance, especially girls, since they no longer need to fetch firewood for fuel; 4) generates income to alleviate rural poverty by selling briquettes as fuel to local businesses
This project integrates solutions to socio-economic and environmental challenges facing rural Morocco.The project: 1) creates a sustainable system to produce clean fuel, transitioning Morocco to green energy; 2) provides local families with the training and technology to repurpose agricultural material that typically goes to waste; 3) protects forests by decreasing dependence on wood for fuel; 4) generates income for rural families--briquettes can sold on a local and national level
