Our Portfolio

Background

Existing biomass briquetting plants in Kenya generally operate at a very small scale and are often unable to cater for large-scale industrial and consumer demand. GSSL is a private sector company that aims to establish large-scale biomass briquetting plants in strategic locations around Kenya.

Their business model integrates both small-scale and larger producers of agricultural waste and caters to both industrial and consumer demand for solid fuels, at a scale ensuring long-term viability.

Private sector investors and donors are funding the hardware for the pilot large-scale briquetting plant. REEEP funding will help demonstrate a replicable strategy for an effective feedstock supply chain that impacts local communities and provides green jobs.

Purpose

To establish a first large-scale briquetting plant that provides a commercially viable and replicable feedstock model suited to conditions in Kenya

Phot (right): Rural maize farmers in Kenya now have agricultural waste as a source of generating income.

Main Activities

• Undertake a Kenya-wide survey of feedstock types, their locations and quantities; select plant location
• Design and commission installation of briquetting plant
• Secure sufficient feedstock to run the pilot plant on a commercial basis
• Optimise feedstock via tests to determine calorific value for pricing, calibrate briquette production
• Develop a scale up strategy taking into account local sources of feedstock and demand for briquettes
• Identify related feedstock producers, aggregators, community associations and integrate other rural enterprise schemes into the supply chain
• Assess carbon impact of the project, develop strategy to utilise carbon income and emission reductions

Expected Impact

• Establishment of a  replicable and scalable business model for large scale briquetting in Kenya
• Replacement of non-sustainable fuels with briquettes
• Reduced pressure on forests: estimated 65,000 trees saved per briquetting plant
• Creation of market for previously worthless agricultural waste
• Integration of approx., 6000 rural low income households into the feedstock supply chain
• Creation of employment opportunities at the plant
• Enhanced fuel security from indigenous renewable sources
• Release of follow on investment from commercial sources for scale up and replication of the business model