Estimating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Charcoal Production in Ethiopia
Author Information
Author(s): Belay Biruk, Diriba Dawit, Senbeta Feyera
Primary Institution: Aksum University and Addis Ababa University
Hypothesis
How do traditional charcoal production methods in Ethiopia contribute to greenhouse gas emissions?
Conclusion
Improving the efficiency of traditional charcoal kilns can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Supporting Evidence
- 63% of the original wood carbon was lost as gaseous products during charcoal production.
- The average primary global warming impact was found to be 7.6 kg CO2-eq per kg of charcoal produced.
- Less efficient kilns contributed 1.5 times more to global warming compared to more efficient kilns.
Takeaway
This study shows that making charcoal in Ethiopia releases a lot of gases that can harm the environment, but using better methods can help reduce this pollution.
Methodology
The study used primary data from 18 charcoal kilns and secondary data from literature to estimate greenhouse gas emissions.
Limitations
The study relies on literature values for some parameters due to limited field measurements, which may affect data accuracy.
Participant Demographics
Charcoal producers from three districts in Awi Zone, Ethiopia.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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