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Appropriate energy solutions for agri-food
processing SMEs
Neil BianchiEnergy & Appropriate Technologies Project CoordinatorFullwell Mill Ltd, [email protected]
www.tropicalwholefoods.co.ukwww.fullwellmill.co.uk
Who are Fullwell Mill?
UK-based SME manufacturer of dried fruit & nut products with its own Fair Trade brand Tropical Wholefoods
Purchasing 150 MT of value-added produce from five Fair Trade partner exporters served by around 12,000 farmers
Focus on Organic & Fairtrade with strong social & environmental aims
Working in Burkina Faso with key partners on dried mango and cashew production, Uganda on dried pineapple, banana & mushroomDevelopment of appropriate renewable energy solutions is a key activity part of ongoing work with exporter SMEs
Food-Energy:Where we have focused most of our work and attention, due to the nature of our business processing dried fruits & nutsWater-Food & Energy-Water:Both link closely to irrigation which we feel is incredibly important, especially in an area such as the Sahel, and is an area to build on with further work
Linking water, food & energy
Why is Fullwell Mill interested in developing SMEs ?
Helping smallholder farmers & communities develop by adding value and generating a high quality productHowever, most basic forms of value addition involve some post-harvest processes, including some of the following:
GrindingDrying
SteamingHeating
Sterilisation
MillingShelling/Cracking
Packaging
There are a great number of challenges for the SME:
Access to markets
Small Production Volumes
Limited ability to invest instate-of-the-art technology
Geographic constraints
Stable & AffordableEnergy Source
Waste Management
Product marketingAccess to capital
These are productive activities that generally require equipment and an energy source
• Mango waste from the drying process converted to biogas : gas used for drying, cooking in Burkina Faso
• Cashew shell waste converted to heat : used for cashew steaming, cashew drying and fruit drying in Burkina Faso
• Solar dryers for pineapple and banana in Uganda
• Mushroom stoves improving the efficiency of mushroom sterilisation in rural Western Uganda
Since 2010 we have focussed on developing Renewable and Waste-to-Energy solutions and improving the processing efficiency of SMEs
Mango waste converted to biogas: gas used for fruit drying & cooking
Improved Solar Tunnel dryers for pineapple and banana in Uganda
Cashew shells converted to heat: only 25% of shell waste used for cashew cooking, steaming and drying
No longer using:• Wood• Butane
System replicated at three satellite women’s SME cashew processors: supplies all heating requirements
75% excess of shells results in other possibilities for energy use:
• Fruit drying• Vegetable oil processing• Bakeries
Mango dried using cashewnut shells
Gasifier Technology adapted for small cashew SMEs andfruit drying (mango, papaya)
Dried MangoFruit dryingsystems
Gasification : advantagesAccessible technology solution applicable to both small-scale processes as well as larger, industrial settings
Efficient energy production from a wide variety of organic waste materialsAbility to treat difficult to handle organic residues for example:
Cashew shells – oily & smoky combustionRice husks – low density & small particle sizeCoffee pulps – low density & high moisture contentCoffee husks – low density & small particle sizeEnergy produced used for a range of applications:
mechanical, electrical, heating
Gasification : the principle
High temperature thermal decomposition of biomass to produce combustible gas (syngas)
Uses wood and agricultural residues as fuel source: Basic system to generate heat, or Integrated system to generate mechanical,
electrical energy and heat recoveryCharcoal / biochar produced as a by-product
BIOMASS
CHARCOAL / BIOCHAR
GASIFICATION HEAT
HEAT
+ Biochar/Charcoal
Clean combustion ofvolatile gasesheating boiler
Rice husk gasifier system inIndia
Local demand for electricitymet by gasifier system
One 35 kW plant can supply electricity to 400 homes:→ Uses 10 t of rice husk per month→ Electricity can be used for multiple purposes→ Installation cost $1,000 per kWh→ Technology transferable to rice producing areas of West Africa and adaptable to other types of biomass
Husk powered electricity generation
Technologies designed to suit SME scale, not micro or large businesses. They are always developed with the following at the forefront of our minds:• Low upfront cost.• Able to be built and repaired locally.• Robust and easy to use.• As efficient and with as short a payback
period as possible.• Some trade-off between efficiency and the
other parameters make the solution ‘work’ from all angles.
• Spread awareness of technologies with as many relevant SMEs as possible.
• Lack of access to appropriate and affordable finance remains a major obstacle to uptake.
• Appropriate subsidies and cost sharing arrangements, and effective demonstrating of solutions are all also key parts of the puzzle that to achieve the required critical mass of adoption.
• Seeking new opportunities to learn, and share our learning, as well as to collaborate on projects and assignments, so please come and find and talk to me, or contact me after this event.
Perspectives
• Sustainable energy production• Opportunity to develop region-leading know-how
& technical capacity in biomass gasification technology.
• Established, accessible technology adaptable to various organic-waste producing industries at small, medium and industrial-scale.
• Sustainable, long-term model of domestic fabrication, installation and development of industry
• West Africa-appropriate technology – potential markets in the wider region to tap into.
Long-term Outcomes and Benefits
Appropriate energy solutions for agri-food
processing SMEs
Neil BianchiEnergy & Approprate Technology Project CoordinatorFullwell Mill Ltd, [email protected]
www.tropicalwholefoods.co.ukwww.fullwellmill.co.uk
Thank you