CHAR:ME: biochar and biomass-derived waste products as sustainable and safe domestic fuel.

Sub-Saharan Africa suffers from extensive forest exploitation, posing large threats to biodiversity and forest cover. The main driving forces are coal production and domestic cooking practices, which have a significant impact on both the environment and human health conditions. To tackle these challenges, the CHAR:ME initiative arises, focusing on repurposing organic wastes into solid fuels (biochar) as alternatives to wood and wood charcoal. Focusing on the Madagascar region of Antsiranana, the project revolves around the development of a new kind of biomass pyrolytic stove to substitute the obsolete technology, currently widely diffuse in these regions. This innovative stove uses biomass briquettes derived from local waste through mechanical compression and bio-drying techniques as feedstock. The gathering of experimental measurements to characterize the available biomass sources was carried out also considering the endangered species involved. Subsequently, the use of advanced scientific methodologies, such as semi-detailed kinetic mechanisms, and 0D and 1D models, were used to determine heating value and yields from the selected feedstock. Then, these models were coupled with fullscale reactor CFD simulation to drive and refine its design. Overall, the project streamlines the entire process from biomass waste generation to reactor operation, advocating for waste recovery and transformation to mitigate adverse environmental and social repercussions. Ultimately, this technology is planned for dissemination on a community scale, addressing the primary challenge of clean cooking in underdeveloped countries as outlined by international sustainability targets.