The challenges associated with firewood supply and analysis of fuel quality parameters of the tree species used as firewood in Rwanda

IF 5.8 2区生物学 Q1 AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

Biomass & Bioenergy Pub Date : 2024-09-29 DOI:10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107408

Elias Nelly Bapfakurera , Charles Joseph Kilawe , Valens Uwizeyimana , Judith Uwihirwe , Guillaume Nyagatare , Jean Nduwamungu , Gert Nyberg

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Abstract

Firewood serves as an essential cooking energy source for households in Rwanda. However, the supply of firewood is hindered by various challenges, such as escalating scarcity, long distances traveled to collect firewood, and reliance on low-quality biomass during shortages. This study aimed to assess the challenges associated with firewood supply and analyze the fuel quality of tree species used as firewood in Rwanda, using systematic sampling with 504 and 368 farmers, respectively, in Bugesera and Musanze Districts. The results indicated that women and children are predominantly involved in firewood collection, with households traveling over 9 km for firewood collection and spending 5–8 h per collection session. Additionally, 42 % and 43 % of households in Bugesera and Musanze Districts gather firewood twice weekly. The most preferred species for firewood were Eucalypts spp, Senna spectabilis, Grevillea robusta, and Alunus acuminata due to their rapid drying, low smoke production, and efficient fuel qualities. The fuel quality analysis indicated that Eucalyptus spp., Grevillea robusta, Croton megalocarpus, Alnus acuminata, and Senna spectabilis exhibit a substantial promising bioenergy characteristic that points to their potential for sustainable energy production. The study advocates for strategically incorporating high fuel qualities, rapid growth, and regeneration of tree species into trees-based systems in the agricultural landscape to ensure a sustainable firewood supply while mitigating forest degradation.

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卢旺达与木柴供应有关的挑战以及用作木柴的树种的燃料质量参数分析

木柴是卢旺达家庭做饭的基本能源。然而，木柴的供应受到各种挑战的阻碍，如日益稀缺、拾柴路途遥远、短缺时依赖低质量的生物质等。本研究旨在评估与木柴供应相关的挑战，并分析卢旺达用作木柴的树种的燃料质量。研究采用系统抽样的方法，在布杰塞拉和穆桑泽地区分别抽取了 504 名和 368 名农民。结果表明，妇女和儿童是拾柴的主要参与者，家庭拾柴的路程超过 9 公里，每次拾柴的时间为 5-8 小时。此外，布杰塞拉区和穆桑泽区分别有 42% 和 43% 的家庭每周拾柴两次。最受欢迎的木柴树种是桉树属、番泻叶、Grevillea robusta 和 Alunus acuminata，因为这些树种干燥速度快、烟雾产生少且燃料质量高。燃料质量分析表明，桉树属、Grevillea robusta、Croton megalocarpus、Alnus acuminata 和 Senna spectabilis 具有很好的生物能源特性，这表明它们具有生产可持续能源的潜力。该研究主张战略性地将燃料品质高、生长迅速和再生能力强的树种纳入农业景观中以树木为基础的系统，以确保可持续的木柴供应，同时缓解森林退化。

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来源期刊

Biomass & Bioenergy 工程技术-能源与燃料

CiteScore

11.50

自引率

3.30%

发文量

258

审稿时长

60 days

期刊介绍： Biomass & Bioenergy is an international journal publishing original research papers and short communications, review articles and case studies on biological resources, chemical and biological processes, and biomass products for new renewable sources of energy and materials. The scope of the journal extends to the environmental, management and economic aspects of biomass and bioenergy. Key areas covered by the journal: • Biomass: sources, energy crop production processes, genetic improvements, composition. Please note that research on these biomass subjects must be linked directly to bioenergy generation. • Biological Residues: residues/rests from agricultural production, forestry and plantations (palm, sugar etc), processing industries, and municipal sources (MSW). Papers on the use of biomass residues through innovative processes/technological novelty and/or consideration of feedstock/system sustainability (or unsustainability) are welcomed. However waste treatment processes and pollution control or mitigation which are only tangentially related to bioenergy are not in the scope of the journal, as they are more suited to publications in the environmental arena. Papers that describe conventional waste streams (ie well described in existing literature) that do not empirically address ''new'' added value from the process are not suitable for submission to the journal. • Bioenergy Processes: fermentations, thermochemical conversions, liquid and gaseous fuels, and petrochemical substitutes • Bioenergy Utilization: direct combustion, gasification, electricity production, chemical processes, and by-product remediation • Biomass and the Environment: carbon cycle, the net energy efficiency of bioenergy systems, assessment of sustainability, and biodiversity issues.