Meeting Time:
Wednesday 5:30-6:45pm
Project Description:
Our EPICS team is partnering with a community organization working on a Community Biochar and Biomass Briquette Production Project in peri-urban communities of Abuja, Nigeria. The community partner faces challenges related to unmanaged organic waste, reliance on traditional charcoal and firewood for cooking, and the resulting environmental and health impacts. The project aims to convert locally available biowaste (such as agricultural residues and urban organic waste) into useful biochar and biomass briquettes for cleaner energy use and soil improvement.
To date, the team has focused on understanding the project context, community needs, and high-level system requirements for small-scale biochar production. The leading solution under consideration is the development of a low-cost, locally manufactured biochar production machine that can be safely operated in community settings. This semester, the team will focus on the conceptual and preliminary design of the biochar machine, including safety considerations, waste handling, temperature control, and emissions awareness.