More Efficient Charcoal Making In Thailand

Energy from wood will remain essential in the Third World for many years and many countries are increasingly using it in the form of charcoal. Improved charcoal burning stoves are being developed and produced in large quantities and are very popular in urban and pert-urban areas.

There are good arguments against the use of charcoal from the point of view of deforestation and one country at least has attempted to have it banned and replace it with agricultural residue briquettes. On the other hand, charcoal can provide the energy needed for viable small, rural industry projects However, there can be no disputing that if charcoal is to be made by small scale rural methods, it should be clone as efficiently as is economically possible.

Some years ago the Thailand Royal Forest Dept with the cooperation of USAID established a Charcoal Production, Research Centre in Saraburi and produced a very informative and attractive coloured leaflet on improved rural charcoal production associated with its village woodlot and improved stove programmes.

Relationship between smoke temperature, kiln temperature and time during a typical carbonization for cooking charcoal

Average Results of Charcoal Production From Various Kilns at RFD Research Centre

Intermediate technology: project activities

NEWS