Benin is a small, West-African country, with a predominately French-speaking population and a major energy resource problem. In Benin, coal and wood comprise 90% of the country's energy consumption. Due to a lack of alternative fuels, Benin has struggled with deforestation, desertification and proliferation of greenhouse gases. This project will fund the development of a Green Coal plant which will manufacture renewable energy from biomass resources such as agricultural residue and yard wastes.
On average, Beninese have low purchasing power, and thus use coal and wood as their primary energy source in lieu of expensive gas and electric. Benin's reliance on coal and wood has exacerbated deforestation and the concentration of airborne pollutants and greenhouse gases. To date, there are few sustainable, low-cost fuel alternatives in Benin.
A Green Coal plant will create Biochar, a sustainable, low-cost, and plentiful energy resource. Biochar is created by heating biomass products, such as waste yard clippings, agricultural residue, leaves, switch grass, and even manure, at very high temperatures in a nearly oxygen-free environment through a process called Pyrolysis. Biochar is exceptional because it is created from sustainable resources, and because it can be used to produce energy.
A Green Coal plant in Benin will not only produce plentiful, sustainable, affordable energy, but the construction, maintenance and running of the plant will create new skilled and semi-skilled local jobs. Additionally, the plant and its production of Biochar will help promote environmental awareness. Already, a Biochar workshop in Abomey, Benin has increased the conservation, equitable sharing, and diversity of energy resources in the community.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).